Circle Time/Group Time Offers Myriad Opportunities to Develop Language & Literacy: Reading

Circle Time/Group Time Offers myriad opportunities to develop language & literacy: reading stories (if a book is not working out, set it down, there is no rule you have to finish it) expressively; singing songs; reciting poems (music/rhyme helps retention); calendar; numbers, share time (be sure to “manage” share time in such a way that the children loose interest / that you loose their “listening”) • number concepts: quantity, enumeration (counting) • word recognition: name cards are a good starting place • socialization: taking turns, listening skills • fine motor: finger plays • large motor: movement activities • visual discrimination: shape, color, letter, animal etc identification Teach auditory discrimination: different types of bells, rattles; loud & soft; fast & slow; “t’ sound. “s’ sound, “ch” sound Discussion can occur during circle time : talk about field trips, talk about projects; about issues relevant for children, use flannel boards & pocket charts as stimulus LET THE Children TALK LISTEN when children are speaking Your actions model appropriate social behavior Select books for class that are free of gender, racial, economic biases - if a book does, then talk about it w/the children: LET THE CHILDREN GIVE THEIR OPINIONS • Vocabulary development: introduce new words, new concepts to children during circle time. Use the appropriate vocabulary in your speaking. Children learn vocabulary & meaning from hearing it contextually. If a child misspeaks, don’t correct them; respond by using the appropriate vocabulary & grammar. • Social Values & Cultural Values: you MUST model appropriate behaviors, your actions teach more than your words; discuss behavior with open-ended questions: “What do you think would be the right action to take if someone hit you, your friend, took a toy away, ran out into the street...etc. • Use interactive activities: felt board, velcro apron, activities that allow children to have a “special moment “ of participation. ALWAYS be sure all children have had a turn before you call on a child a second time. Smooth Flow-start circle time even if everyone hasn’t come yet: if someone is late, greet them w/happiness: if they feel welcome & safe they will come & join in. Circle time should move at a comfortable, interesting pace: if something doesn’t work out: HAVE BACK UP ACTIVITIES Close w/ a song; or some ritual activity: good bye song, dismiss by colors etc Circle Time Behavior Management: Keep material at age appropriate level of difficulty Work that is too hard makes people go away mentally • Smaller groups usually behave better • Keep material interesting & fun If there is a generally disruptive child have “perp” sit next to you & be a helper • Mention child’s name & look at her (not harshly, to remind her) • Time out w/adult supervision Keep your expectations of children appropriate: • Young children have high energy • Want attention • Usually want to be recognized individually • Want to please: Be patient: catch children being good One kind word is worth 100 reprimands • Children are quite responsive to praise-praise is a reinforcer for good behavior General Areas of Learning When planning any activity, including circle time, consider the 5 domains of learning. When you consider the learning goals before you present an activity, the possibility of achieving those goals is measurably increased. Physical / Motor Development / Learning: Gross Motor Skills: using the large muscles of the arms, legs, and torso: balance, rhythm, walking, laterality; jumping; hopping; throwing; tumbling; running, dancing: development and coordination of large muscles Fine Motor Skills: using the small muscles of the hand and fingers: tactile discrimination (see below), cutting; drawing shapes; holding a pencil/crayon; pouring liquid; throwing a ball accurately; writing Hand-Eye Coordination: coordinating visual acuity with using the small muscles of the hand and fingers: cutting; drawing shapes; holding a pencil/crayon; pouring liquid; throwing a ball accurately; writing; use of mouse (computers) Physical Principals: learning physical weight; stability; equilibrium; balance; leverage Sensory Discrimination including: Tactile Discrimination (touch): identifying and differentiating textures with touch: soft, hard, rough, smooth, sticky, slippery Auditory Discrimination (hearing): identifying sounds: loud / soft; high / l ow pitch; fast / slow rhythms; comparing sounds using auditory receptors Visual Discrimination (sight): identifying shapes; colors; sizes; recognizing various objects visually Oral Discrimination (taste): identifying sweet, salty, sour, and bitter tastes; identifying textures with tongue and mouth; identifying flavors by taste Olfactory Discrimination (smell): identifying different smells: sweet, spicy; pungent, floral, unpleasant odors Social Development / Learning Sharing Taking turns: learning patience / learning to be comfortable with delayed gratification Working cooperatively with others in a group Following directions Respecting others as individuals (behaving appropriately with others): making and maintaining relationships / ongoing friendships, behaving appropriately in social situations, learning the general rules of courtesy (manners) for their family and school, developing the ability to participate in conversation, learning table manners Self Respect: learning to value themselves, recognizing their strengths and weaknesses, loving themselves for who they are as they are Social Boundaries: understanding that just as others have a right to accept or refuse the attentions of others, so they also have that right Safety practices and appropriate behavior in emergency situations: fire, earthquake, natural disasters; dealing with strangers; what behaviors are safe and not safe, e.g.: running in the parking lot, wearing bike helmets, wearing close toed shoes to school, etc.

Emotional Development / Learning Learning to identify and express emotions appropriately Naming human feelings: sad, happy, angry, hurt, loving, excited, afraid, proud, sorry “Use your words”: expressing feelings of upset and anger appropriately Stress management: learning stress management strategies in a non-stressful environment will empower children to better manage stress throughout their lives Appropriate affection: showing feelings of affection with respect for the recipient’s willingness to accept demonstrative actions Nurturing: developing and expressing feelings of appropriate care and gentleness Creative Expression Expressing emotions through use of creative media and imagination: painting, drawing, play dough / clay, music, movement, dance, construction, dramatization, writing, story telling Developing aesthetic appreciation for arts, books, drama, music, puppetry, theatrical events, movement, and nature Cognitive Learning Language Arts: language development, letter recognition, name recognition, emergent writing; story recall Math Skills: conservation of quantity, conservation of length, number recognition, associating numbers with quantity, sorting for one or more properties (algebra), recognizing shapes and three dimensional shapes (geometry) Social Studies: Help children identify what makes people similar and different: recognizing that different does not mean bad. Accepting the diversity of people: types of families, cultures, race , languages, gender, differently abled, economic status, age Planning As you plan, you will want to refine the area of learning you target specifically. The more specific you are about the value you want the children to get from an activity, the easier it will be for you to develop a presentation that will successfully produce the result you are seeking. Often the children will acquire unexpected learning from any activity you present. That is fine. Should a child learn something else entirely is fine too. If you are mindful of that which you intend for the children to learn, you will develop a good aim, and will have the satisfying hitting the targeted result you intend. Teach auditory discrimination: different types of bells, rattles; loud & soft; fast & slow; “t’ sound. “s’ sound, “ch” sound Within group time there are lots of opportunities to develop language & literacy: reading stories (if a book is not working out, set it down, there is no rule you have to finish it) expressively; singing songs; reciting poems (music/rhyme helps retention); calendar; numbers, share time (be sure to “manage” share time in such a way that the children lose interest / that you lose their “listening”), number concepts: quantity, enumeration (counting),word recognition: name cards are a good starting place,socialization: taking turns, listening skills,fine motor: finger plays,large motor: movement activities,visual discrimination: shape, color, letter, animal etc identification

In learning, process is more important than product.

Months English Espanol Francaise Deutch January Enero Janvier Januar February Febrero Fevrier Februar March Marzo Mars Marz April Abril Avril April May Mayo Mai Mai June Junio Juin Juni July Julio Juillet Juli August Agosto Aout August September Septiembre Septembre September October Octubre Octobre Oktober November Noviembre Novembre November December Diciembre Decembre Dezember Days Monday lunes Lundi Montag Tuesday martes Mardi Dienstag Wednesday miércoles Mecredi Mittwoch Thursday jueves Jeudi Donnerstag Friday viernes Vendredi Freitag Saturday sabado Samedi Samstag Sunday domingo Dimanche Sonntag Numbers zero zero zero null one uno un, une eins two dos deux zwei three tres trois drei four cuatro quatre vier five cinco cinq fünf six seis six sechs seven siete sept sieben eight ocho huit acht nine nueve neuf neun ten diez dix zehn eleven once onze elf twelve doce douze zwølf thirteen trece treize dreizehn forteen catorce quatorze veirzehn fifteen quince quinze fünfzehn sixteen dieciseis seize sechzehn seventeen diecisiete dixsept siebzehn eighteen dieciocho dixhuit achtzeh nineteen diecinueve dixneuf neunzehn twenty veinte vingt zwanzig thirty treinta trente dreizig forty cuarenta quarante vierzig fifty cincuenta cinquante fünfzig hundred cien cent(e) hundert thousand mil mille tausend