Chapter 9 Enhancing Language Development in Kindergartners
Chapter Overview
This chapter builds on the content of Chapter 8 and describes the ways in which the language development of kindergarten children can be enhanced by classroom curriculum and teachers' interactions with their students. The chapter begins with an overview of kindergarten curricula and guidelines for teachers' instructional interactions with kindergartners. This is followed by a description of curricular activities involving exploratory activities, teacher-guided activities, and routine activities. In addition, ways in which family connections can be enhanced are discussed. Guidelines for teachers of English language learners are also included.
Learning Outcomes
After reading this chapter, students should be able to
· Identify five curricular goals for kindergarten related to language development
· Describe how teachers can use a variety of questioning strategies to enhance language development in kindergarten
· Describe how a message/writing center can be implemented to enhance kindergartners’ oral and written language
· Describe how group storybook time can be implemented to enhance kindergartners’ oral and written language
· Describe the role of word study activities in enhancing children’s metalinguistic knowledge and phonological knowledge
· Explain how routine activities can be implemented to continue to enhance children’s language competencies.
Chapter Review
1. State and explain three of the language-related curricular goals for kindergarten.
2. What are the characteristics of instructional conversations?
3. How do dramatic play opportunities enhance kindergarten children’s language development?
4. How are learning center activities at the kindergarten level different from those at the preschool level?
5. Develop four guidelines for teachers to follow when including a drawing/writing center in a kindergarten.
6. How is the share-and-tell activity in kindergarten different from share-and-tell in preschool?
7. Explain the value of shared (teacher-read) storybook time in enhancing children’s language development in kindergarten.
8. In what ways can children be encouraged to participate in storybook sharing and reading?
9. Distinguish between dictated and interactive writing.
10. How can routine activities enhance language development in kindergarten?
11. Explain why dictated and interactive writing both incorporate a zone of proximal development.
Chapter Activity
1. Watch the video: Morning Meeting Greetings - Picture Greeting.
2. Observe in a kindergarten during morning meeting. Describe how the children and teacher participate in verbal greeting and attendance taking.
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