LANGUAGE ARTS IN THE EARLY YEARS
CONTENTS PAGE
Part 1
a). What is language arts for young children?
b). The important of emergent literacy.
c). The use of print rich environment for young children.
d). The philosophy of embracing the whole language approach
to teach reading and writing.
e). Rational for choosing a particular theme and the age group
you have chosen to do lesson plan and literacy web.
Part 2
Literacy Web
Lesson Plan
Evaluation
Part 3
Reference
Appendices
a). What is language arts for young child.
Language is the one that most defines and differentiate us from others. Jalongo(2003) stated that language is a communicative tool which enable us to both transmit and receive messages which includes thoughts emotions, ideas and values (Jalongo, 2003; p.10). It is rule governed where it has a system of rules that determine word order, meaning and formation of words. The main purpose of language plays the great role for interaction with others. Early childhood is the most rapid period for language development. According to Berk (2000), there are four components of for language development in young children (Berk, 2000; p.367). The first is phonology where rules will govern the structure and sequence the speech. Then semantics refers to the understanding of the meaning of the words and word combination. The third component grammar consist of two main parts; one is syntax where words are arranged into sentences and the other will morphology, the use of grammatical markers which indicates tenses, cases, genders, numbers and other meaning. The forth component is pragmatics shows how the child needs to communicate with proper gestures and tones with others. Acquisition of each component actually facilitates mastery of others. Language arts caters as a program to facilitate the above four elements. It contains meaningful and appropriate activities to foster the development of listening, reading, writing and speaking ability of a child. Language arts are taught through language and literacy curriculum, Most of our language and literacy curriculum is thematic based. It starts from the physical environment of a classroom, with appropriate space defined with structured and well desiccated learning centre.
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Inquiry ActivitiesMain ActivityTeacher highlight that every one of us have a name given by our parents or relatives.
Teacher will make name tag with child’s name printed on it ( 2 name card ), child needs to recognize his/her own name and match the identical one, once child able to recognize his/ her name, he/ she may try to recognize his fellow peers name.
Children will be able to write letters to form their names.
Children will be able to recognize their friend’s name.
Follow-up Activity (Math)Name GraphGraph the number of letters in each child’s name. Discuss with the children who’s name has the most, who’s has the least, which letters have the same amount, etc.
SharingMain ActivityBefore the lesson, children will need to ask their parents; their name was given by who and why this particular name? (A letter will be sent out to Parents to fill in some brief information pertaining to this activity and as a Teacher’s reference to guide along child during the sharing session)
Children will be encouraged to share with the class about their given name.
Children recognizing their name and exploring the order of the letters to make their name.
Follow-up Activity (Language Arts)
Name ScrambleGive each child a card with his/ her name printed on it and have the children cut out their name cards up into smaller cards, each one with a letter of their name on it. Ask children to scramble the letters on their desks and then put them back in order to spell their name. (Demonstrate this first) Allow children to trade cards and see if they can unscramble a different name. Refer children to the class attendance chart, if they need help.
Reading Aloud and Response (SBA)
Main ActivityRead the book, ‘Andy, That’s My Name. ’
Written and illustrated by Tomie De Paola
Children will be able to identify letters and know the letter sounds
Children will be able to write letters to form their name.
Follow-up Activity (Art & Crafts)
Name Place Mats
Have the children write their name in large letters on a piece of drawing paper and make hand print on it using varies acrylics colour. (Teacher will assist child should one requires guidance) Laminate and have children use the place mats during their meals times.
Shared Reading and Writing (LEA)
Main ActivityChildren will be creating a bookmark with their name on it. They will write and design their name on a rectangular paper, cut to fit a book. Children will be able to explore with patterns, and colors while creating their bookmark.
Children will be able to copy and do simple formation of letters
Children will be able to express their creativity.
Follow-up Activity (Motor Skills Development)
Alphabet Race
This can be an outdoor game. Have a large ABC (alphabets) cut outs for & laminate this game. Place the alphabets letters on the floor and line the children up by two’s and call out a letter. The children will race to the pile and try to be the first to find a letter called out by the teacher. The children will then return to their group and go to the end of the line and the group with the most letters will be the winner.
Lesson Plan Theme : My Name Is Special
Age : 3 to 4 years old
Main Lesson : Language Arts –
Children will listen to the story ‘Andy, That’s My Name’ written and illustrated by Tomie De Paola. (Summary of Story- Andy’s friends constructs different words from his name: “an” words, “and” words, and “Andy” words.
Objectives:1.Children will be able to identify letters and know the letter sounds.
2. Children will be able to write letters to form their names.
Materials:Story book- Andy, That’s My Name!
A book pointer
Easel board
A rhyme chart
Name card with individual child’s name
Acrylics paint
Paint brush
Drawing paper
Construction paper (for backing)
Laminating pouch
Glue
Pencil
Crayons
Tuning In:Settle children and greet them
Explain to class that they will be learning about name of themselves and fellow peers.
Put up the rhyme – Everybody Has a Name. ( Fig 1 )
Recite aloud with the children.
Main Activity: Have a picture walk of the cover of the story and ask children what does the title of
the story tells them and begins reading the book.
Begin reading the book.
Share with the children that every one of us has names, which we use to identify ourselves.
Things or animals too have names, which makes it easy for identify or recognise it.
Discuss with the children that names are special and are given to them by their parents or family members.
Some of us have long or short names; each name has a meaning and share with the children meanings of some names.
Flash the name cards and encourage children to identify the names in the card.
Inform the children that their name is made of letters and when these letters are combined it gives them a name e.g. L y n n, its Lynn.
Closure- Questions for Discussion
Why do we have names?
Who gave you your names?
Do you know your friend’s name?
Can you name the letters on your name?
How many letters are there in your name?
Is your name long or short?
Follow up Activity (Art & Crafts)
Name Place MatsHave the children write their name in * large * letters on a piece of drawing paper and make hand print on it using varies acrylics colour. (Teacher will assist child should one requires guidance) Laminate and have children use the place mats during their meals times.
(Fig 2)
EvaluationObjectives were met as children are able to recognise most of the letters and form their own name with little guidance provided and they grasp the letter sound at ease.
They can even tell that ‘Charlotte’ has got a very long name and Kellis said that her name is easy to write as there are 2 ‘l s’ in it and its like number one.
I’ve asked the class ‘name an animal with a long name? ’l was rather surprise that one of them actually shouted out the word ‘hippopotamus’ l replied ‘Yes! That’s really a long name.’ and another child yelled ‘but the hippopotamus so fat one!’ maybe she was trying to tell us that why the hippopotamus got such a long name when it’s so fat! All of started to giggles.
The rhyme chart were efficient especially children enjoy and say aloud the rhyme especially when come to this part;
My name is___________________________________.
It’s special to me.
It’s exactly who I want to be.
They are proud of their names.
Children showed great satisfaction when using pencil writing their names and they write their name effortlessly.
One of the child even tried whispered the letter sounds as she formed her name.
They are having fun when l assisted them with the paint painted on both of their palms. They are able to tell me the colour they want.
They are every excited when we did the laminating for the place mat.
Children use the place mat during lunch time and they used their finger to trace their name while waiting for lunch to be serves.
ReferenceBerk, L. E. (2000). Child Development. (5th edn.). USA: Allyn and Bacon.
Jalango,M.R. (2003) Early childhood Language Arts.(3rd Edn.). Boston: Pearson Educationrence
AppendixRhymes
Everybody Has a Name.
Some are different,Some are same.
Some are long, All are right,
None are wrong.
My name is _______________.
It’s special to me.
It’s exactly who I want to be.
Photographs
Cook all the Glutinous Rice the night before your actual making of Rice Wine...
Get all the Rice Biscuit and compress it into powder...
Get a big Ceramic Container...
2nd Layer lay the Glutinous Rice....
3rd Layer sprinkle some 红糟
4th Layer cover with another layer of Rice Powder 
and repeat 1st to 4th procedure till all the glutinous rice and rice powder finish... 
Than on the 3rd day, pour in the Rice Wine into the container and cover well...
dish 6
