Language and Literacy Activities - Higher Ed eBooks ... Learning to communicate is one of the major tasks facing all young children. Learning language is a dynamic process that is

R-28R-28

Learning to communicate is one of the major tasks facing all young children. Learning language is a dynamic process that is affected by the language heard in the environment and the way that adults respond to language development. Speaking, listening, reading, and writing are the major compo-nents of the language and literacy curriculum. These skills are interdependent.

Activity Goals

Activities are organized by the goals they support. Goals that focus directly on language and literacy are given first. The activity number is provided after the goal to make finding the activity more efficient. The activities that are in the book have their number identified; those that are in the book companion website are followed by a “w” (refer to Table R2–1). Language and Literacy Guidelines

The following guidelines will be helpful as you think about adapting language and literacy activities to meet the needs of children with diverse abilities.

Adapting activities for children with:

Specific learning disabilities Play sequencing and memory games to develop language skills. Support phonemic awareness daily in a variety of ways. Ensure that children have the readiness skills to move into reading. Read to children at their level of understanding rather than the level they can read and help them develop a love of books.

Social, emotional, and behavioral disorders Help children develop a vocabulary to verbalize their feelings and to communicate with others. Use writing and illustrating as potential outlets for feelings. Use reading as a springboard to talk about emotions.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder Read short, high-interest books. Read books and talk about feelings and emotions. Use the computer to develop literacy skills. Work on the language skills necessary to join and maintain group memberships.

Language and Literacy Activities:Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing

Resource Chapter 2

20865_02_r_ch02_p028-044.indd R-2820865_02_r_ch02_p028-044.indd R-28 12/10/08 5:06:25 AM12/10/08 5:06:25 AM

Language and Literacy Activities: Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing R-29

Communication disorders Give children many hands-on experiences so they have something to talk about. Be a good speech model. Encourage and support children when they talk by listening and responding. Ask children open-ended questions. Expand and extend their speech.

English language learners Support children in developing proficiency in both their home language and English. If children use languages that do not use the standard English alphabet, ensure that children see the letters of the alphabet used in their home language. For example, Spanish has an ll and rr. Also, show markings such as accents and umlauts. Show languages such as Chinese that use a symbol system and Russian, which uses the Cyrillic alphabet.

Autism spectrum disorders Work on nonverbal aspects of language (eye contact) as well as vocabulary. Teach concepts of verbal turn-taking. Use a picture communication system to support language.

Intellectual disabilities Work on developing a functional vocabulary. Be sure children have prerequisite skills as you introduce new literacy tasks. Do a task analysis to teach these.

Gifts and talents Support children in thinking about themselves as authors and illustrators. Introduce reference books and use the Internet to supplement classroom literacy work.

Special health care needs Help children develop a vocabulary to increase their understanding of situations they may face and to express their feelings. Use reading to prepare children for new situations. Support children in learning to use e-mail to communicate with peers.

Orthopedic and neurologic impairments Help children learn to give precise directions. Work on connecting sounds to sources and comprehending these relationships. Use materials with some built-in resistance such as clay or sand in emerging writing skills.

Hearing impairments Provide many hands-on activities to develop inner language. Pair listening with visual and tactile experiences. Help children learn to use residual hearing and refine their auditory skills. Support reading and writing especially with the computer. Help children learn to read nonverbal cues. Use American Sign Language to support learning for all children.

Visual impairments Encourage children to refine the visual skills they have. Include audio books as well as large-print and Braille books on your bookshelves. Include writing media that have tactile properties. Emphasize the verbal and tonal aspects of language.

Table R2–1: Activity goals and activity numbers in text and online

Goals Activity Numbers

To improve expressive communication• 2–1, 2–2, 2–3, 2–5

2–31w, 2–32w, 2–33w, 2–34w, 2–35w, 2–36w, 2–37w, 2–40w, 2–41w

To improve listening skills• 2–7, 2–8, 2–9, 2–10, 2–11

2–31w, 2–43w, 2–44w, 2–45w, 2–46w, 2–47w, 2–48w, 2–49w, 2–50w, 2–51w

To increase knowledge of the structure of language• 2–4, 2–7, 2–14, 2–15, 2–21, 2–25

2–32w, 2–37w, 2–38w

To improve receptive communication• 2–1, 2–7, 2–13

2–42w, 2–43w, 2–45w, 2–46w, 2–47w

To improve reading literacy• 2–4, 2–12, 2–13, 2–14, 2–15, 2–16, 2–17, 2–18, 2–19, 2–20, 2–21, 2–22, 2–23, 2–24, 2–28, 2–29, 2–30

2–53w, 2–52w, 2–55w, 2–56w, 2–58w


R-30 RESOURCE CHAPTER 2

To increase vocabulary• 2–1, 2–6, 2–13

2–34w, 2–38w, 2–39w, 2–40w, 2–41w

To increase respect for diversity in modes of • communication

2–10, 2–12

2–45w

To use diverse print and nonprint sources and genres• 2–2, 2–27, 2–28, 2–29, 2–30

2–33w, 2–54w, 2–56w, 2–57w

To increase phonemic awareness• 2–4, 2–12, 2–13, 2–14, 2–16, 2–23

2–38w

To increase writing literacy• 2–19, 2–25, 2–26, 2–27, 2–28, 2–29, 2–30

2–56w, 2–57w

To increase comprehension• 2–6, 2–8, 2–15, 2–25

2–36w, 2–42w, 2–44w, 2–46w, 2–47w, 2–52w, 2–53w

To follow directions• 2–18

2–37w, 2–42w

To increase inclusion• 2–2, 2–3, 2–5, 2–10, 2–24

2–32w

To improve memory skills• 2–11, 2–17, 2–20, 2–22, 2–24

2–52w

To identify and understand patterns and relationships• 2–17, 2–18, 2–21

2–50w, 2–51w, 2–53w

To improve classification skills• 2–8

2–31w, 2–36w, 2–40w

To improve cause-and-effect reasoning• 2–9

2–35w, 2–48w, 2–49w

To make predictions• 2–11, 2–20, 2–22

2–48w, 2–49w, 2–51w

To improve sensory motor integration• 2–16, 2–19, 2–23, 2–26, 2–27

2–41w, 2–44w, 2–50w, 2–54w, 2–55w

To encourage creativity• 2–6

2–33w, 2–34w, 2–35w, 2–39w, 2–43w

To express feelings• 2–3, 2–5

2–55w

Language and Literacy Activities

Speaking: Small Group

2-1 SynonymsGoals: To improve expressive communication; to improve receptive communication; to increase vocabulary

Materials: Pictures or objects that have more than one name (see synonyms, p. R-28)

Procedure: Define synonyms: words that mean the same thing but sound different. Then present children with the objects or pictures of objects, and see how many synonyms they can think of. It is not important that these be exact



synonyms in a dictionary sense. The point is for the children to know that one object can have several different names. Start with familiar objects in your classroom and community:

rug/carpet/floor covering store/shop chair/seatcouch/sofa/davenport road/street bed/cot scissors/shears bathing suit/swimsuit shirt/top

Assessment: The child will state two different names for a given object.

Accommodations and Integration: Use the analogy of nicknames to help children learn the concept. Talk about regional differences in language usage. Children need to know that objects often have several names even in the same language. Show children a thesaurus as a book or on the computer and encourage them to use it to think of synonyms. Help children build vocabulary by learning synonyms as they provide context.

Speaking: Small Group

2-2 Shoe TheaterGoals: To improve expressive communication; to use diverse print and nonprint sources and genres; to increase inclusion

Materials: Pairs of shoes and socks (men’s, women’s, children’s, babies’)

Procedure: Have the children pretend the objects are puppets. Use one hand for each shoe or sock and have a shoe or sock theater.

Assessment: The child will use familiar objects as puppets and participate in a play.

Accommodations and Integration: Start with easy obvious roles using familiar items. Help less skillful children find roles that allow them to participate but require less language, such as a visiting pair of shoes or the baby’s shoes. Children can develop a script for their play and dictate it into a tape recorder or write (or have someone write) it down. Encourage them to make props and scenery. Because shoes suggest ideas but no particular theme, this activity encourages creativity. Roles are undefined, so it is easy to include children with varying skill levels. Help children learn about the ways in which plays are different from other types of literature and the many different support roles people have to produce a play (prompter, set designer, and so on).

Speaking: Large Group

2-3 Weekend NewsGoals: To improve expressive communication; to increase inclusion; to express feelings

Materials: None

Procedure: During group time, give each child (or a designated smaller group of children) an opportunity to talk about things that happened to them over the weekend. Write down briefly what the children say and encourage them to look at it during the day. As you write, be sure to include each child’s name. For example,

Trisha said, “Mary Beth slept over at my house.”“I saw a fire,” Carlos said.

When children have gotten comfortable sharing what happened to them over the weekend, ask them to talk about the best and worst things that they encountered. Be respectful of the variety of comments:

WORST BESTcoming to school going out to dinnerfalling down staying up later than usualhearing a scary noise at night having a special foodInti hit me Nana’s coming to visitbeing teased or yelled at playing with Mommya sibling’s birthday getting my hair cut



Assessment: The child will share an important event that happened to him.

Accommodations and Integration: These topics can lead to discussions about all children’s concerns. Children are surprisingly candid about and responsive to this. With the help of sensitive adults, children can safely talk about their worst experiences without shame or ridicule and perhaps gain ideas for handling future problems. They also learn that all people have best and worst things, including you. For variation, have the children draw pictures of what happened to them over the weekend and talk about their picture individually. Children can also “write” their weekend news and read it to the class. Having children discuss the best and worst events can help others see that children with disabilities have many of the same problems all children do.

Speaking: Large or Small Group

2-4 Rhyming WordsGoals: To improve reading literacy; to increase knowledge of the structure of language; to increase phonemic awareness

Materials: None

Procedure: Define rhyming words: words that end with the same sound. Give lots of examples before asking the chil-dren for words. Read stories such as Dr. Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham and point out the rhyming words to the children. See if they can generate some as well. Say familiar fingerplays that use rhyming words. List both real and nonsense words. Praise the children for finding a rhyme, even if it is a nonsense word, but point out that it isn’t a real word—look it up in a children’s dictionary.

ACE DARE HEAD BUMP COW BEDbrace care read stump now fedtrace stare bread lump how ledpace flare dead jump pow redplace bare tread grump plow sled

Use the opportunity to expand the children’s vocabularies by asking them to define the words. Have the children repeat the rhyming words quickly and slowly. Encourage children to make a “Have You Seen a . . . ” book of rhyming words they can illustrate: Have you seen a red bed, bare mare, cow plow, fake cake.

Assessment: The child will say one rhyming word for each word presented.

Accommodations and Integration: Read books and poems, pointing out rhyming words. Give words for children to find rhymes for. Start with ones where you can help children with hints—What rhymes with red? (Point to your head.) Help children explore the structure of language using different parts of speech and longer words that rhyme. Make cards with pictures of words that rhyme (red, bed, sled) and see if you can help children isolate the initial sound and add the rhyme. Rhyming can be built into routines. As each child leaves, ask the child to give a word that rhymes with yours: “Tomás, give me a word that rhymes with cat.” “Sat.” “Sally, another word.” “Hat.”

Speaking: Large Group

2-5 InterviewsGoals: To improve expressive communication; to increase inclusion; to express feelings

Materials: A play microphone

Procedure: Do a takeoff on some of the popular talk shows: “Good morning, today is Tuesday, February 2, and we are delighted to have as our guest today Miss Suling. Miss Suling, can you tell our listeners some of the things that you really like to do? Do you have any favorite foods?”

Assessment: The child will answer questions about herself when asked by the teacher and classmates.



Accommodations and Integration: If children are hesitant, make the questions easy, and keep the interview short. Be sure to have a “mike” as a prop. Explain this is Suling’s first appearance and she is a bit shy. Encourage children to talk about their interests and whatever they want to share. It is great for children to feel special and to highlight what is unique about them. If you really get into it, you can take questions from the “audience” and also share with the “audience” what you find so special about this particular child and why you “invited” her.

Speaking: Small or Large Group

2-6 Word AssociationsGoals: To increase comprehension; to increase vocabulary; to encourage creativity

Materials: None

Procedure: Teach the children the game of word associations: “I’ll say a word, and I want you to tell me what other words you think of.” Start with something easy, such as colors—red: fire, hot, tomatoes, anger. Have children look around the room for ideas if they are having problems. Encourage children to say as many things as they can think of that they associate with the color. Use more obscure ideas. Listen to their rationale for why they associate those words. Encourage them to think of several associations.

Assessment: The child will listen to a word stated by a teacher and state three words that can be associated with the stated word.

Accommodations and Integration: If children don’t say some of the obvious words you want to explore, say, “It reminds me of . . . .” Then share with them your rationale. This encourages and supports divergent thinking. Children need many solutions to problems and many ways of dealing with a particular situation.

Listening: Large Group

2-7 Say ItGoals: To improve listening skills; to improve receptive communication; to increase knowledge of the structure of language

Materials: None

Procedure: During group time, say various words or sen-tences and have the children imitate you. Using the same words, change your voice pitch, intonation, speed, or stress.

Sentence Variations

I like juice. (normal, loud, soft/whisper, fast, slow, puck-ered mouth)I like juice. (stress)I like juice. (stress)I like juice. (stress)raise your voice for a questionhold your nose

As the children imitate you and change their voices, ver-balize for them what you (they) did: “Great, you all said it as loud as I did.” Explore with children the impact that tone and intonation patterns have for meaning. Discuss where you might use different voices. Ask children how they would say something at a sports event as compared to inside time.

Assessment: The child will repeat the teacher’s words with the same intonation, pitch, stress, or speed.

Children need experience speaking and listening. Engaging group times can provide both.



Accommodations and Integration: Use gestures to reinforce the tonal pattern. Have children use longer sentences and have other children imitate them and give them feedback about different intonation patterns. Because so much of meaning is passed through the nonverbal aspect of language, it is important that children are aware of it from an early age.


2-8 Sound and TellGoals: To improve listening skills; to increase comprehension; to improve classification skills

Materials: A screen (could be a rectangular table on its side); a paper bag for each child in the class; a noisemaker (an object from class or one brought from home):

whistle dishes belltwo blocks spoons pen that clickstimer scissors book (to close or drop)

Procedure: Ask each child to bring a noisemaker from home or to find an object in the classroom that makes a noise and can fit in a bag. Hide the noisemaker in a bag and have each child go behind the screen and make the sound and the other children guess what it is. Or, while hidden, have children make noises with various body parts behind the screen (e.g., clap, stomp).

Assessment: The child will listen and identify the sound-making object.

Accommodations and Integration: Have the child make the sound so everyone can see. Make a chart classifying the sounds. Classify noises as loud, soft, sharp, and so on. Discuss the properties of objects that make noise and those that do not. Classifying sounds helps children become aware of the environment and personal safety.


2-9 Sound CuesGoals: To improve listening skills; to improve cause-and-effect reasoning; to improve receptive communication

Materials: Tape recorder, tapes of sounds, pictures of items making the sound

Procedure: Record a variety of sounds. Have the children identify them. Then have them decide where they might hear each sound and what might be happening.

Indoor sounds Outdoor street soundsmixer: cooking brakes: car stoppingvacuum cleaner: cleaning engine: car startingtoilet flushing: going to the bathroom car door closing: getting in or out of a carwashing machine: washing clothes seat belt clinking: putting on seat beltwater: hand washing horn: warning of danger

Assessment: The child will identify a variety of sounds and relate each sound to a possible action.

Accommodations and Integration: Give the child pictures of two objects, one of which made the sound. Then, using the car noises as an example, see if the children can sequence the sounds of events as they might normally happen. Give the child a tape recorder, have the child record sounds in the classroom and outside, and have others identify them. Help children identify the sounds in familiar sequences such as washing hands and brushing teeth. Provide photographs of these to sequence.


2-10 Quiet DonaldGoals: To improve listening skills; to increase respect for diversity in modes of communication; to increase inclusion

Materials: None



Procedure: At group time, talk with the children about how people talk to each other. Ask the children what happens when someone can’t talk. How do they communicate with others? Introduce “Quiet Donald” as a new poem. Read through it and let the children watch. Ask the children questions about what is happening in the poem. Say the poem again with the children joining in. Talk about American Sign Language, ASL, and the many ways people communicate if they do not share a common language.

Quiet Donald (poem)

[I love you when in italics use ASL].Quiet Donald met Talky SueBut [I love you] was all that he could do.And Sue said, Donald I sure like you.But [I love you] was all that he could do.And Sue asked Donald, Do you like me too?But [I love you] was all that he could do.Good-bye then Donald I am leaving you.But [I love you] was all that he could do.And she left forever, so she never knewThat [I love you] means, I love you.

Assessment: The child will say the words of the poem and sign I love you in ASL.

Accommodations and Integration: Demonstrate the signs several times slowly. Go to http://comtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm for ASL signs and how to do them. If children are interested have them look at this site and learn additional words. Encourage children to look at other forms of communication and acknowledge differences among people.

Listening: Small Group

2-11 Tape ItGoals: To improve listening skills; to improve memory skills; to make predictions

Materials: Video recorder, videotape, pictures of children

Procedure: Over the course of several days, videotape each child talking about what the child is doing for about a min-ute or two. Using only the audio portion of the tape, have a small-group listening time when the children try to predict who is talking and explain their rationale (it’s a boy, voice quality, etc.).

Assessment: The child will listen to a tape of classmates talking and identify the voices of different classmates.

Accommodations and Integration: Give children pictures of several classmates who might be talking and ask them to choose which one it is. Have children try to disguise their voices. Encourage children to identify the features in a voice that make it recognizable. Then turn on the video portion so they can see if they are right. Send this tape to a child who has been out of school for a while. The child can practice identifying voices at home as well as keeping in touch with classmates. Encourage children to send videotaped messages to friends who are not in school and have them returned. Audiotapes do the same thing, but are not as effective with younger children.

Reading Literacy: Individual

2-12 Alphabet LottoGoals: To improve reading literacy; to increase phonemic awareness; to increase respect for diversity in modes of communication

Materials: Alphabet lotto board and letters.



To Make: Divide pieces of posterboard (9″ × 12″) into six rectangles (4″ ×4 1/2″). Print a letter of the alphabet (not necessarily in order) in each rectangle. Make four cards with different letters on each (see Figure R2–1).

Cut 24 4″ × 41/2″ pieces, also out of posterboard. Print a letter on each small rectangle to match the larger boards. (Note: Because our alphabet has 26 letters, two will be missing. If you make two sets like this, omit different letters from each one.) If children are having trouble matching particular letters, design cards to meet these problems. For lowercase letters, make a card that has letters with reversible lines and curves (see Figure R2–2).

Procedure: Play the game as you would any Lotto game. Put the individual letters into a box to draw from so children can match them to the board with six letters. Children can play this as a matching game alone. With all these combinations, there will be five cards for each letter on the board. When children are learning, make a board out of letters that are very dissimilar (for example, A, W, O, S, T, D). Don’t have letters such as M and W or O and C on the same board, as they might be confused initially.

Assessment: The child will accurately match alphabet letters.

Accommodations and Integration: First work on letter identification using the boards. Then play Lotto. To expand the letter concept, make Lotto combinations as in Figure R2–3. You can add alphabets from other languages. the American Sign Language alphabet, the Braille alphabet, as well as sandpaper letters.

b q p

f g d

FIGURE R2–2: Alphabet Lotto Board with Printed Small Letters with Reversible Lines and Curves

Printed lowercase

Printed uppercase

Script uppercase

Script lowercase

Picture with initial letter sound

American Sign Language

Braille

FIGURE R2–3: Alphabet Lotto Cards in Print, Script, Pictures for Initial Sounds, ASL, and Braille

Reading Literacy: Small Group

2-13 Body SoundsGoals: To improve reading literacy; to increase vocabulary; to increase phonemic awareness

Materials: None

Procedure: Name a part of the body and then ask the children to name a part that has the same beginning sound (or letter).

toe: teeth, tongue, tendonseye: elbow, eyebrow, ears, earlobe

FIGURE R2–1: Alphabet Lotto Board with Printed Capital Letters

D N A

Z Q G

Y F B

P L R

M U H

C S I



hair: hand, head, heart, hipsfingers: fingernails, foot, forearm, folliclelegs: lips, lungs

Assessment: The child will name two body parts that have the same beginning sound as the body part stated by the teacher.

Accommodations and Integration: Have children choose between two parts that you name or have them name things in the room or anything they can think of that has the same initial sound or letter. Encourage children to think of less obvious body parts (internal ones) such as muscles, joints, and blood vessels. Use pictures or models to help children learn about parts they cannot see. Give them functional clues. This is a fun way of teaching children the names of body parts and the functions they serve. Children need the vocabulary to talk about their body with precision.

Reading Literacy: Large Group

2-14 Sound BingoGoals: To improve reading literacy; to increase phonemic awareness; to increase knowledge of the structure of language

Materials: Bingo cards with letters rather than numbers (see Figure R2–4)

Procedure: Using a regular bingo game format play the game and ask children to identify the letters as you call them out. As you move to letter sounds, pair the children so they can work together. A few letters will have to be eliminated, as they sound the same as others (/c/ and /k/), or give words that start with that sound as a clarifying clue. Have the children put a marker on the letter for each sound as it is called out. The winner is the first child to have a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal row. Continue to play until most children have completed a row.

Assessment: The child will listen to the sound of a letter and identify that letter on his bingo card.

Accommodations and Integration: Show children the card after you have said the sound to allow them to match visually if they do not know the name or sound of the letter. Instead of letter sounds, call out words and have the children mark the initial letter sound. This can also be done with the final letter sound, but you need to check the words for silent letters and those that are misleading, such as penny, where the y sounds like an e. As you work toward developing words for games such as this, you begin to appreci-ate the problems in learning English, which has so many exceptions to rules. Talk with children about why some sounds cannot be used in this game.

Reading Literacy: Large Group

2-15 TitleGoals: To improve reading literacy; to increase comprehension; to increase knowledge of the structure of language

Materials: A made-up story or a printed story with the title hidden

Procedure: Read or tell a story or use a paragraph from a longer story. Explain that it has no title and that you want their help in deciding on one. Ask them to suggest titles and write them down. Talk with the children about the titles and have them explain which titles would be good or not as good as others.

Assessment: The child will listen to a story and choose an appropriate title for it.

Accommodations and Integration: Choose simple stories. Use more complex stories as children become more profi-cient. Appropriate titles require high-level abstract reasoning skills. Challenge children to think this way.

B I N G O

a u r b o

s h b c i

w y free g v

m j n l d

e f t p z

FIGURE R2–4: Bingo Card for Sound Bingo



Reading Literacy: Large or Small Group

2-16 Letter DayGoals: To improve reading literacy; to increase phonemic awareness; to improve sensory motor integration

Materials: Alphabet letters made of sandpaper and wood, objects that begin with each letter

Procedure: Pick a letter of the alphabet. Expose the children to that letter in many ways. Write the letter P; trace a sandpaper letter P; feel your breath with your hand as you say /P/; point to P in a group of letters; think of words that start with P; make cookies or clay in the shape of P; eat pretzels for snack. Emphasize the sound of the letter. This is important for letters that have more than one sound, such as g (George versus Gary), as well as long and short vowel sounds.

Assessment: The child will identify a letter by sight, sound, and touch.

Accommodations and Integration: Concentrate on letter identification. Start with the vowels and leave the most difficult consonants until last. You can do any letter. Granted, X is a challenge! Use both upper- and lowercase letters.


2-17 Changing ObjectsGoals: To improve reading literacy; to identify and understand patterns and relationships; to improve memory skills

Materials: Small objects such as blocks, doll furniture, toy cars, and a screen

Procedure: Put three objects in a row and ask the children to look at them. Put a screen in front of the objects and rearrange them. Ask one of the children to put them in the original order. Initially, use objects that are less similar, such as cup/doll/block. For variation, take one object away and have the children name the missing object.

Easier: red block/blue airplane/green cup/orange crayonHard: Red block/blue block/green block/orange blockHarder: Red stocking cap/red baseball cap/red ski hat/red felt hat

Assessment: The child will view three objects in a row and put them in order after they have been rearranged.

Accommodations and Integration: Start with two dissimilar objects. Using the screen either rearrange them or leave them the same. Work on same and different. As children improve increase the number of objects and their similarity. The objects you choose can be based on the theme you are working on (hospital: tongue depressor, little flashlight, stethoscope, bandages) or as a way of introducing a topic that has unfamiliar materials or materials that children might be concerned about. Encourage the children to touch and handle the materials.


2-18 Color GraphsGoals: To improve reading literacy; to follow directions; to identify and understand patterns and relationships

Materials: Paper, crayons. Draw a pattern of squares on a piece of paper and duplicate it so each child has one.

Procedure: Give the children directions to follow in coloring in the squares: “Color the first two squares on the top left green. Color the next square red. Color the square below the second green square yellow,” and so on.

Move from left to right in your directions.

Assessment: The child will listen to directions for coloring and color the shapes the designated colors.

Children need many and varied reading readiness activities.



Accommodations and Integration: Have children color each “car” on the train in order. Make the first square somewhat different as a starting place. Give children additional time to color. As they improve, you can have chil-dren skip a particular number of squares, if that is useful, and use more squares. Have the children describe the pattern to you using both color and number. Vary your rate of presentation to match the skill of the children. If you are very creative, the design can be made to look like an object when it is colored accurately. This is not art, it is literacy.


2-19 Alphabet LineGoals: To improve reading literacy; to improve writing literacy; to improve sensory motor integration

Materials: Clothesline, marking pen, paper, pictures, wooden clothespins with an alphabet letter on each

Procedure: Have the children put each clothespin on the clothesline in alphabetical order using a guide, or put up each letter or sound you or another child request. Print the letter or sound on a separate piece of paper. Have the children match the paper letters or initial sounds of pictures to the clothespin, then hang them.

Assessment: The children will find a designated letter from a pile and put it on a clothesline.

Accommodations and Integration: Use this as a letter identification task and have the children find the clothes-pin letter and put it on the clothesline. Have children make words with the clothespins (you will need additional letters) or copy words that you have printed on cards. Although simple, this activity is a useful way of developing finger strength while teaching a variety of skills relating to the alphabet. Identifying letters and sounds is essential for reading.


2-20 Color ConcentrationGoals: To improve reading literacy; to make predictions; to improve memory skills

Materials: A set of cards with matching pairs of colors on one side

Procedure: This is a variation of the game Concentration. Lay out the cards face down. Each child takes a turn and chooses two cards. The objective is to turn over two cards that are the same color.

Assessment: The child will remember where specific colored cards are when turned over and match two cards of the same color.

Accommodations and Integration: Start with four or five pairs of cards. Use primary colors and/or simple shapes. First, have the children match the cards, then demonstrate how the game is played. Gradually add more cards. As chil-dren become more proficient, add shades of colors and more cards. You can use a regular deck of cards for numbers, or pairs of pictures of any kind. The more cards you add, the more difficult the activity becomes. Also, the more detailed the pictures, the more difficult the game. This can also be done with letters of the alphabet. You can even match capital and small letters, a more difficult variation.

Reading Literacy: Small Group or Individual

2-21 Follow That LineGoals: To improve reading literacy; to increase knowledge of the structure of language; to identify and understand pat-terns and relationships

Materials: Posterboard, markers (red, green, black).



To Make: Cut posterboard into 3″ × 3″ squares and arrange these squares in a pattern on a large table or the floor. (This is only for your ease in drawing.) Using black, red, and green markers, draw a pattern of lines, stopping and starting colors and using straight and curved lines.

Procedure: Have the children build a track with the cards in a variety of patterns (see Figure R2–5). Talk with the children about punctuation, especially periods, and their function in language. Discuss how the period represented on the cards is also a stop. Encourage them to make a variety of patterns.

Assessment: The child will make a pattern using the squares and explain how he made the pattern.

Accommodations and Integration: Use squares with only one color. The more squares you have available and the more colors and patterns, the more complicated the task is. It is also more challenging when children must make a desig-nated pattern. Punctuation and spacing make important contributions to both reading and writing and may be overlooked as we teach children the structure of language.


2-22 What Is It?Goals: To improve reading literacy; to make predictions; to improve memory skills

Materials: Large (8″ × 10″) pictures of familiar objects, large envelopes

Procedure: Put a picture of a familiar object in an envelope. Pull it out slowly until part of the picture is exposed. Have the children guess what it is. Keep exposing more of the picture until it is correctly identified. Encourage the children to guess and give you the reasons for their guesses. Start with pictures of simple, familiar objects (boats, cars, trains, animals). Pull about half of the picture out before you stop. You can use a screen and gradually push objects out as well.

Assessment: The child will correctly identify an object while viewing less than 50 percent of it.

Accommodations and Integration: Use 8″× 10″ pictures of all children in the class to add interest at the begin-ning of the year. Add pictures of less familiar objects or ones that have more ambiguous cues (an armchair and sofa). Children need to develop skills in the area of visual closure. They need to be able to use partial information to infer what they cannot see and focus on relevant details. Encourage children to talk about guesses they make and their rationale for them.

Reading Literacy: Individual

2-23 Sandpaper LettersGoals: To improve reading literacy; to increase phonemic awareness; to increase sensory motor integration

Materials: Sandpaper, glue, cardboard, pictures.

To Make: Cut the letters of the alphabet out of sandpaper and glue each on a cardboard square. Glue or draw a picture of something that begins with that letter on the back.

Procedure: Have the child trace the letter with index and middle fingers as you talk about the structure of the letter: “This is the letter A. It has three straight lines. One, two, three. The third connects the first two in the middle.” Show the child the picture on the back to connect the letter with a sound.

Assessment: The child will trace an alphabet letter, name it, and say the letter sound.

Accommodations and Integration: Start with the easiest letters based on the configuration of the letter and the child’s knowledge. Have the child identify the letters blindfolded.

Red

Black

Green

FIGURE R2–5: Cards with Lines and Punctuation Marks




2-24 ChangesGoals: To improve reading literacy; to increase inclusion; to improve memory skills

Materials: None

Procedure: Begin by focusing the children’s attention on a category—for example, clothing—and make obvious changes. It helps if you are “it” first and give some clues. Then, have one child turn around and close his eyes while the child who is “it” changes something about her appearance (unties shoe, rolls up pant leg, removes glasses, or unbuttons shirt). The first child must name or point to the change. As children improve, make the changes more subtle.

Assessment: The child will look at another child and state what aspect of the other child ‘s appearance has changed.

Accommodations and Integration: Have the child who is “it” state where or what the category of change will be (clothing, facial expression, and so on). This allows the child who is “it” to be in control of the change and to be part of the group, yet the child does not have to speak. Children become aware that they can change some aspects of themselves.

Writing: Large or Small Group

2-25 Mind MappingGoals: To improve writing literacy; to increase comprehension; to increase knowledge of the structure of language

Materials: Paper, pencil or marker

Procedure: After a topic has been chosen, encourage children to make a mind map before they begin to write. Start with the topic in the center of the page. Draw a balloon around it. Surround it with related ideas connected to it or to each other with lines. The lines show the relationship between the central theme and the topics mentioned. If there appear to be tangents, put these in the corners of the page. If they eventually become related, attach them; if not, they will not be part of the writing. A mind map of the ocean is pictured in Figure R2–6.

FIGURE R2–6: Mind Map or Webbing



Assessment: The child will contribute ideas to create a mind map.

Accommodations and Integration: Do the mind map as a group project and have the adult do the mapping while scaffolding the children’s ideas. Have a small group of children make more complex maps on topics of their choice. Have reference materials available. Children need to organize their ideas for writing, but traditional outlines are rarely useful with young children. Mind mapping, or clustering ideas, is more useful and helps set the flow for the writing. Initially, each balloon will probably only be a phrase or sentence.

Writing: Individual or Small Group

2-26 Air WritingGoals: To improve writing literacy; to improve sensory motor integration

Materials: None

Procedure: Have children write letters and words in the air before they put them on paper. Using the dominant hand, have children keep their elbow straight, point their index finger, and write the letter or word in the air. Be sure children use the large muscles of the arm, not wrist muscles. Write large letters. Cursive works better than printing.

Assessment: The child will write cursive upper- and lowercase letters accurately in the air.

Accommodations and Integration: Guide the child’s arm through the motions or stand next to the child and model the motion while talking about the strokes. Have children write large letters on the chalkboard after writing them in the air, and then on large paper. As children become interested in writing, they need to develop a sensory motor base. For some children, writing comes easily; others need support. Children who have trouble writing with paper and pencil may need additional work with their large muscles before practice with a pencil and paper is useful.

Writing: Small Group

2-27 Sand PrintingGoals: To improve writing literacy; to improve sensory motor integration; to use diverse print and nonprint sources and genres

Materials: Jellyroll pan, sand, stick or unsharpened pencil, cards with an individual letter or word printed on each

Procedure: Fill a jellyroll pan (cookie sheet with sides) about 1/4″ deep with sand. Using the index finger of their domi-nant hand, have children write letters, sounds, their name, or words in the sand. For variation have them use a stick after they have gained skill with their finger. Sort the letters into those that have straight lines, curved lines, and combinations. Give children cards with simple words printed on them.

Assessment: The child will write letters in the sand with his finger or a stick.

Accommodations and Integration: Begin with words that are important to children yet short. After children have written individual letters, encourage them to copy words in the sand from cards that you have written. The sand provides some resistance and leaves a mark so that the children can see what they have printed. This provides feedback on fine motor control in an unusual way.


2-28 TicketsGoals: To improve writing literacy; to improve reading literacy; to use diverse print and nonprint sources and genres

Materials: Markers, paper, press-on labels



Procedure: Have the children make tickets for snack or lunch using the labels as a base. Tell children that today they need tickets to eat and encourage them to make them. (Have a few extras and a marker for those who do not.) Be sure to collect and comment on the tickets as you distribute the snack.

Assessment: The child will write, distribute, and read the tickets.

Accommodations and Integration: Support any writing on the ticket. Encourage children to make “identical” tickets (numbers are easiest) and have one ticket for snack and the other to mark where the child is to sit. Then have the children find their place at the table by matching the ticket to the place marker. Children need to practice writing, especially num-bers. Use this to support dramatic play by giving out railroad and airline tickets. Give tickets for using an obstacle course or riding tricycles. There can be tickets for puppet shows, group time, and stories. Make writing fun and varied.


2-29 Writing CenterGoals: To improve writing literacy; to improve reading literacy; to use diverse print and nonprint sources and genres

Materials: Variety of paper: manila paper, wide-lined paper, plain white paper, paper folded in half, small notepads, paper cut into interesting shapes, colored paper, and stationery; writing tools: thin and thick water soluble markers, pencils and col-ored pencils, a supply of interesting erasers, a pencil sharpener; copy of the alphabet; writing folder with each child’s name

Procedure: Encourage children to think about an experience or feeling they would like to write about. Discuss writing as a process that involves writing, editing, and publishing. When you talk with children at the writing center, use the terms author, editor, and publisher with them. Writing is a small-group activity, where children can discuss their ideas and try them out on others. It is not a quiet solitary activity. Emphasize the process of writing. Encourage children to work in small groups and support each other in the process. Discuss illustrating and how it is different from drawing.

Assessment: The child will write and illustrate a story using a variety of writing media.

Accommodations and Integration: Accept all attempts at writing and support the discussion of what will be writ-ten about. Encourage children to write more detailed and longer stories; increase the variety of writing genres to include poetry and plays. Have children read their work to others and publish their work. Discuss the different but related aspects of writing, editing, and publishing. Encourage children who want to to use a word processor to write or illustrate their stories. As children begin to think about themselves as authors, their interest in writing increases. When they see writing as a process, and the details of editing as separate from writing, they can focus on the aspects of spelling and punctuation that are important in a final product but ought not to interfere with creativity.


2-30 PublishingGoals: To improve writing literacy; to improve reading literacy; to use diverse print and nonprint sources and genres

Materials: Three ring notebook, plastic sleeves, paper (8 1/2″ × 11″) and markers, pencils, or crayons

Procedure: Talk with children about the parts of a book and the purposes they serve. Show them a copyright symbol and talk about the meaning of it. Show them copyright pages, dedications, acknowledgments, and indexes. Then write a class book to which each child contributes a page. The contributions can vary with the ability and interest of the children. Encourage children to use their knowledge of books and their parts in their own writing when appropriate.

Assessment: The child will contribute to a class book.

Accommodations and Integration: Encourage all writing and illustrating. Book contributions can also include digital pictures. Help children add additional stories to their personal book or create new books on other topics. Include photo-graphs as well as illustrations. After children have written the text for their book, have them put the paper in the plastic sleeve protector and then in the notebook. Encourage them to use a title page and, if there is more than one story, a table of contents. Children like to think of themselves as authors who produce a product that is called a book that can be kept, read, and placed on a bookshelf. Learning at an early age that one edits and reflects on what one writes is a lifelong skill.



Summary

Language and literacy is an area in itself, yet many other areas of learning are dependent on these basic skills. Many chil dren with disabilities have challenges in this area. Ensuring that language and literacy experiences occur every day in a vari-ety of contexts with interesting variations provides needed support. Young children need to develop the literacy skills for further learning as well as a commitment to literacy.

Educational Resources

Child Literacy Centre: Reading to Babies, Toddlers and Young Children. The Why? The What? and the How? The title really cover it. It also includes information on choosing books and tips on using them with chil-dren of different ages. http://www.childliteracy.com/babies.html

Children’s Literature Web Guide provides information about available literature for children with many

links. It also has lists of children’s book that have received awards. http://www.ucalgary.ca/˜dkbrown/index.html

Little Explorers by Enchanted Learning is set up like a chil-dren’s picture dictionary in eight different languages. Although you need to subscribe to enjoy all of the advantages many of them are available free. http://www.EnchantedLearning.com/Dictionary.html

iLoveLanguages contains 2,400 links to languages and lit-erature from around the world from Aboriginal to Yiklamu. http://www.ilovelanguages.com/

International Reading Association (IRA) seeks to improve the quality of reading instruction through studying the reading processes and teaching techniques, and serving as a clearinghouse for the dissemination of reading research. IRA publishes a journal Reading Online about reading. http://www.reading.org/

For additional resources, visit the book companion website for this text at www. cengage.com/education/deiner.


Language and Literacy Activities - Higher Ed eBooks ... Learning to communicate is one of the major tasks facing all young children. Learning language is a dynamic process that is

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