Emergent Literacy Level
Students:
•
have meaningful experiences with books and writing materials, that lay foundation for later literacy
development;
•
find meaning imprinted materials by using associated pictures and meaningful experiences, rather
than solely the printed materials themselves;
•
demonstrate art and writing attempts without the intention to communicate specific messages;
•
are in the process of learning that books are: 1) pleasurable, 2) involve a listener and reader, and 3)
handled in particular ways;
•
are in the process of learning that pictures are symbols that convey information about objects and
actions;
•
are in the process of learning that printed text carries a message and conveys information;
•
are learning to attend to words in texts and pay attention to identifying individual letters especially
the letters in their names;
•
are becoming aware of environmental print and can identify signs and labels in and out of context;
•
can use communication boards, daily schedules, adapted books, environmental labeling, and
environmental print books.
Learning Objectives: Listening/Speaking
The student will:
1. Recite phrases from books with predictable lines when adult pauses while reading.
2. Frequently interrupt story to ask questions or comment.
3. Listen for different purposes (e.g., to learn what happened in a story, to receive instructions, etc.).
4. Understand and follow simple oral directions.
5. Use language to express needs and interests, to role-play, and to share ideas.
Learning Objectives: Reading/Print Awareness
The student will:
1. Know when book is right side up and turn pages in sequence form right to left, front to back.
2. Discriminate between drawings/pictures and writing/print in book.
3. Show interest in letters and words and ask questions about them.
4. Frame a word or letter with finger upon request.
5. Recognize his/her own name.
6. Recognize familiar signs, labels, and logos in the environment.
7. Engage in pretend-reading to self and other students.
8. Retell or act out important events in a story.
Learning Objectives: Writing
The student will:
1. Randomly draw and scribble and assign “meaning” to drawing.
2. Write random, letter-like forms.
3. Write recognizable letters intermingled with scribble.
4. Attempt to pretend-write messages.
5. Understand that writing is used to communicate ideas and information (e.g., attendance, lunchcount, etc.).
ix
EMERGENT
LISTENING/SPEAKING
x
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student communicates by putting thoughts, feelings and requests into
words, signs or symbols
Area: Emergent Listening/Speaking
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
1. The student will recite phrases from books 1. Using several predictable books such as:
with predictable lines when adult pauses
Brown Bear, Brown Bear; Polar Bear, Polar
Bear; Mary Wore Her Red Dress; Quick
while reading.
As A Cricket; Grouchy Lady Bug; It
Looked Like Spilt Milk, prompt students to
repeat familiar phrases.
2. Teacher will pause at repeated phrase and
allow students to complete familiar phrase
or pattern. Teacher will “cue” student to
repeat phrase by providing picture symbols
which represent keywords in the phrase.
3. Re-write familiar books in simple,
understandable language to highlight key
concepts in the story.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
Predictable books
BIGmack (AbleNet)
Dynamo—(DynaVox Systems)
Picture symbols
For students who cannot speak, provide
simple communication devices such as
“BIGmack” or “Dynamo” or topic
communication boards so that student can
recite phrases
Emergent E-1
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student communicates by putting thoughts, feelings and requests into
words, signs or symbols.
Area: Emergent Listening/Speaking
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
2. The student will frequently interrupt story 1. Using familiar stories, teacher will prompt
to ask questions or comment.
student by pausing, asking questions,
encouraging elaboration.
2. Given concrete objects or picture symbols,
students will re-write or re-tell story
endings.
3. Using pop-up books, teacher will prompt
students to ask questions in order to predict
what is under the flap.
4. Teacher will tell a familiar story
incorrectly. Students will provide correct
information as the teacher tells the story.
“Writing with Symbols 2000” (MayerJohnson) can be used to “picturize” stories
for easier reading and cueing.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
Program vocabulary and/or questions
related to a specific story into a voice
Open-ended books
output device for student to use for
Objects and picture symbols
asking/answering questions.
Writing with Symbols 2000 software (MayerJohnson, Inc.)
Emergent E-2
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student is able to comprehend what he/she hears in conversations and
in stories read aloud.
Area: Emergent Listening/Speaking
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
3. Student will listen for different purposes 1. Students will listen to books on tape and
(e.g., to learn what happened in a story, to
answer questions about the book verbally
receive instructions, etc.)
or with picture symbols.
2. Include the student in games that require
listening for information (Simon Says; Red
Light, Green Light; Bingo, or sing “Head,
Shoulders, Knees and Toes”).
3. Provide opportunities in daily activities for
the student to listen for information and
follow instructions:
preparing snacks,
completing art projects, participating in
calendar activities, etc.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
Bingo
Books on tape
Picture symbols
Art supplies
Simple recipes
Classroom calendar
Assistive technology devices which would
allow game/activity participation for
students
with
physical
and/or
communication difficulties could include:
All-Turn-It Spinner, BIGmack, Step-byStep, PowerLink (all from AbleNet), and
others.
Emergent E-3
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student is able to comprehend what he/she hears in conversations and
in stories read aloud.
Area: Emergent Listening/Speaking
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
4. The student will understand and follow 1. Student will follow simple oral directions
simple oral directions.
to make instant pudding. Target specific
vocabulary: open, tear, pour, stir, put, eat.
2. Students will complete an activity requiring
them to listen to instructions in order to
complete the activity correctly. Examples
of activities might include cut and paste,
coloring, sequencing, classification of
objects, etc.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
Scissors, Glue & Vocabulary Too! (Truman,
1999)
Art supplies
Instant pudding & ingredients
Utensils
Mixer
•
PowerLink (AbleNet) for switch access for
electric mixer.
Modified scissors including switch-adapted
scissors (AbleNet).
Emergent E-4
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student communicates by putting thoughts, feelings and requests into
words, signs or symbols.
Area: Emergent Listening/Speaking
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
5. The student will use language to express 1. Provide dress-up clothes and/or costumes
needs and interests, to role-play, and to
so that children can play and experiment
share ideas.
with different social roles, act out stories,
etc.
2. During recreation/leisure activities students
will have the opportunity to interact about
game choices, participation preferences,
opportunities to question, comment and
take turns.
3. Allow students to share home activities
from the previous evening during
circle/calendar time.
If needed to
encourage sharing of home activities,
teacher may send attached “homework”
page with student at the end of the day.
This should be completed by the student
and a family member. (see attached)
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
Clothes
Costumes
Homework page (see attached)
Variety of games
Add Velcro fasteners on clothing in
addition to buttons.
•
For students who are unable to speak, a
BIGmack (AbleNet) may be substituted for
the “homework” page.
Emergent E-5
Today at School
For lunch I ate _____ .
Today I learned ______ .
Today I worked ______ .
A special thing that I did ______ .
Tomorrow I will _______ .
Last Night At Home
For dinner I ate ______ .
On TV I watched ______ .
I played _______ .
A special thing was _______ .
I took a bath.
Yes ____
No ____
I went to bed at _________ .
Emergent E-5
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student communicates by putting thoughts, feelings and request into
words, signs or symbols.
Area: Emergent Listening/Speaking
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
1. The student will recite phrases from books 1. Use stories with repeatable lines that allow
with predictable lines when adult pauses
for repetition and anticipation.
One
while reading.
example would be “Towels On The Way”
from Curriculum Experiences.
2. Use sequencing activities to provide
opportunities where students can learn to
anticipate through repetition.
Provide
visual representation with words. After
numerous repetitions, students will be
expected to answer, “what’s next?” with
visual cues provided using phrases learned
through repetition of the sequenced
activity.
REMINDER: Some students will need
numerous repetitions to begin to anticipate
what comes next in a sequence activity or
story. When possible, provide visual cues
such as signs/actions or line drawings to
represent words or familiar phrases.
Adaptations:
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
•
Curriculum Experiences (Staugler, 1998)
Life Experiences Communication Kit: Symbols
for Success (Cole, 1985)
Program voice output devices with
repeatable lines that can be accessed so that
all students can participate.
Emergent M-1
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student communicates by putting thoughts, feelings and requests into
words, signs or symbols.
Area: Emergent Listening/Speaking
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
2. The student will frequently interrupt story 1. Teacher will read a predictable story.
to ask questions or comment.
Students are provided a sign with picture
and statement, “I know the answer.” When
teacher pauses in story, student holds up
sign in order to fill in the pause. The
teacher selects the student to fill in the
pause.
2. Teacher gives students a story map in
which the students have to listen for
directions and follow them on their map,
asking questions as needed. For example:
Where is John, now? Can you find the
place Bill hid the key? Students can point
and describe the location.
3. Using books written and illustrated by Tana
Hoban, the teacher encourages students to
speculate and ask questions to identify
photographs used in the books. Students
peep through a die-cut shape at a portion of
the photograph, giving them the
opportunity to guess the subject of the
picture. By asking questions, pages are
turned; a portion of the object is revealed,
then the object in its entirety and then in a
larger context. For example, a geometric
spider web is transformed into the Eiffel
Tower.
Adaptations:
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
•
Picture symbol and text for “I know the answer”
Books by Tana Hoban: Look! Look! Look!
(1988); Shadows and Reflections (1990); Is it
Larger, Is it Smaller, (1997); Exactly the
Opposite (1997)
Story map
Program voice output devices with
questions and statements that a student
might need to communicate.
Emergent M-2
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student is able to comprehend what he/she hears in conversations
and in stories read aloud.
Area: Emergent Listening/Speaking
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
3. The student will listen for different 1. Students will be directed on a “scavenger
hunt” on school grounds.
Example:
purposes (.e.g., learn what happened in a
Teacher
may
hide
school
items
of
different
story, to receive instructions, etc.)
size and color throughout the classroom for
each student to locate. Students will follow
directions, locate an item, find a new clue,
take it to the teacher to read. This
continues until student locates at least 3 of
4 items.
2. Students are paired with another student to
play “Guesstures”, against other student
pairs. Students talk to each other when
making guesses. Partners listen for the
correct answer.
3. Teacher will blindfold a student. Another
student will say instructions to the
blindfolded student so that he/she can find
his way to a certain place or do a certain
thing. For example:
•
•
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptation:
•
Guesstures game (www.hasbro.com)
Scavenger hunt items
Plastic jar with mark
Pinto beans/jelly beans/cereal (large bag)
Blindfold
Colored tape for start and finish line
Finding a place: Teacher sets up a safe
obstacle course or maze with a starting
line and a finish line.
Do a certain thing: Teacher will set up
a table with a plastic jar with a mark.
Directed by another student, the
blindfolded student will fill the jar with
beans as close to the mark as possible.
Students with physical/speech limitations
may use a Step by Step (AbleNet) voice
output device to give clues to classmates
during “scavenger hunt” activity. The
Step-by-Step may also be used during
blindfold activities.
Emergent M-3
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student is able to comprehend what he/she hears in conversations and
in stories read aloud.
Area: Emergent Listening/Speaking
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
4. The student will understand and follow 1. Students will prepare a picturized grocery
simple oral directions.
list for a snack or meal to be prepared by
the class or group. One student is selected
to give information about each item on the
list. The job of leading the trip to the
grocery store rotates on a weekly basis so
that all students are allowed to give and
receive instructions about items on grocery
list. Teacher assists as needed.
2. Play “Twister” as directed in game box.
3. Students will participate in a simple
exercise regime by following instructions
on an exercise video.
4. For special holidays such as Christmas and
Valentine’s Day, have students sit in a
circle. Gifts for students are wrapped in
several layers of paper. The students pass
each gift around the circle as music plays.
When the music stops, the student who is
holding the gift removes one layer of
wrapping. The activity continues until all
layers are removed. The student who
removes the final layer keeps the gift. The
teacher must be careful to time music and
gifts so that each student has a gift at the
end of the activity.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
“Twister” game (Milton Bradley)
Tape Player
Music cassette with age appropriate music
Age appropriate exercise video
Grocery list with picture symbols
Wrapped gifts
Students who are unable to physically play
movement-based games may use some of
the following assistive devices in order to
participate in the games/activities: AllTurn-It Spinner (AbleNet), BIGmack
and/or Step-by-Step (AbleNet).
Emergent M-4
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student communicates by putting thoughts, feelings and requests into
words, signs, or symbols.
Area: Emergent Listening/Speaking
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
5. The student will use language to express 1. Students will have the opportunity to listen
needs and interests, to role-play, and to
to and learn about Haiku* poetry. The
share ideas.
school librarian may be instrumental in
helping the students learn about Haiku.
One example of subject matter might be
around food: The teacher will provide a
food item for students to touch and taste.
Students will work in small groups to
describe the food that is tested. Students
will dictate or use pictures to describe the
food. Teacher will help put student’s
words in Haiku format. Students, with
assistance from the teacher, will share
their poetry.
2. Teacher will develop units and generate
class discussions around the following
themes:
• At Home
Talking on the phone
Locked out!
Respecting privacy
House fire
• At School and On The Way
Name calling
Gossip
Vandals
Bullies
• Out On Your Own
Unwelcome touching
Shoplifting
Stuck in an elevator
Runaway pet
• First Aid Situations
Scraped knee
Bee sting
Animal bite
Burned arm
Emergent M-5
Area: Emergent Listening/Speaking
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
(Continued)
*A haiku (pronounced Hie-koo) has three
unrhymed lines of 5, 7 and 5 syllables.
Traditionally, they invoke an aspect of nature or
the seasons, but they can be created around
almost any subject matter and do not need to
rhyme.
A sample haiku:
Cry me a river
Take me down to the river
Wipe your tears away
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
What Would You Do? (Schwartz, 1990)
What Do You Think? (Schwartz, 1993)
Picture symbols
Provide switch-operated camera for
students with physical difficulties to make
photographs of the objects about which
they are writing.
Emergent M-5
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student communicates by putting thoughts, feelings and requests into
words, signs or symbols.
Area: Emergent Listening/Speaking
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
1. The student will recite phrases from books 1. Read familiar stories or poems to students.
with predictable lines when adult pauses
The teacher will pause to allow students to
while reading.
respond with the appropriate phrase. Some
examples might include poetry from Shel
Silverstein and Robert Frost; RAPS, school
cheers, etc.
2. Using “Yakity Yak” (see attached), practice
words and actions. Once the students know
the words and actions, the teacher can
pause and cue the students to recite the
phrases.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
• Program simple voice output devices with
Familiar stories and/or poems
familiar phrases from the literature being
Adapted version of “Yakity Yack” (see
read.
attached)
Reading Activities Project for Older Students:
RAPS (Musselwhite, 1993)
Emergent H-1
Emergent H-1
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student communicates by putting thoughts, feelings and requests into
words, signs or symbols.
Area: Emergent Listening/Speaking
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
2. The student will frequently interrupt story 1. Teacher and students will write an
to ask questions or comment.
experience story about a classroom activity,
a school event or a community based
instructional event. When students are
familiar with story’s content, teacher reads
story aloud leaving out important content
information or giving incorrect information.
Students will interrupt to correct the story.
2. Select simple riddle books, joke books or
bind the knock knock jokes from News-2You together to make a book of jokes.
Provide students the opportunities to ask
questions about the jokes and comment to
answer the jokes.
3. With students take photographs of teachers,
custodians, secretaries and other support
people on the school campus. Write a
description of the person’s job and/or
appearance, but do not name the person.
Read the description and allow students to
guess who the person might be.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
Age appropriate books
Camera
Experience stories
Simple riddle or joke books
News-2-You Newsletter (Clark, 1997)
•
•
Program multi-location voice output
devices with common questions or content
related to specific experience stories.
Program voice output devices with
alternating lines from “knock knock” jokes.
The Jam Cam (Orcca) is a switch adapted
digital camera.
Emergent H-2
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student is able to comprehend what he/she hears in conversations and
in stories read aloud.
Area: Emergent Listening/Speaking
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
3. The student will listen for different 1. Students, with teacher guidance, will
purposes (e.g., to learn what happened in a
develop short stories about appropriate
story, to receive instructions, etc.)
conversation topics. The teacher may use
“Tony’s Topics” from Social Skills Stories
as a format to develop these stories. Both
appropriate and inappropriate conversation
topics can be included so that students
understand and can use appropriate
conversational language.
2. Read chapter books that are age-appropriate
for the students and are of interest to
students. Question students as each chapter
is read to check for understanding about
characters, details or plot. Before each
chapter is read, have students recall
previous events. At the end of each
chapter, have students predict what will
happen next.
3. Encourage students to participate in playing
commercially developed games in order to
converse with other students, follow
instructions, and request assistance.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
Social Skills Stories: “Tony Topics” (Johnson,
1995)
F.A.C.E.S. Social Studies Module (Recreation
and Leisure)
All-Turn-It Spinner (AbleNet) for playing
games.
Emergent H-3
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student is able to comprehend what he/she hears in conversations and
in stories read aloud.
Area: Emergent Listening/Speaking
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
4. The student will understand and follow 1. Students will follow simple oral
simple oral directions.
instructions to complete tasks such as using
a washing machine, washing dishes, folding
clothes, making tea, cleaning windows, etc.
2. Using classroom vocabulary lists, such as
student names, names of specific places on
the campus, survival words, fast food
restaurants, menu items or vending
machine items, the teacher will select
specific vocabulary to be used in a
scavenger hunt. Students will be given
instructions individually by teacher or
another student to locate a specific word in
the classroom.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
Vocabulary words
•
Step-by-Step (AbleNet) can be used as an
oral prompt for students who are working
on following directions independently or
those that need extra assistance.
Picture symbols can be paired with
vocabulary words and oral instructions.
Emergent H-4
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student communicates by putting thoughts, feelings and requests into
words, signs or symbols
Area: Emergent Listening/Speaking
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
5. The student will use language to express 1. When going to a restaurant of any type,
needs and interests, to role-play, and to
review choices offered by the restaurant,
share ideas.
discuss individual preferences, and roleplay the process of ordering food using
individual preferences. After adequate
preparation, go to the restaurant on
community based instruction to actually
order and enjoy the food that is ordered.
2. Play a variety of games which require the
students to play a role. Choices of games
may include commercially developed
games such as “Funny Face” or teacher
made games which target specific jobs
either at school or on a job site.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Restaurant menus
Funny Face game (Deacove, 1987)
Adaptations:
•
•
Picture menus
Topic overlays or communication wallets
may be used for role-play and ordering at
restaurants.
Emergent H-5