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english in the lower grades is incorporated into a Language Arts program. The language arts are listening, speaking, reading and writing. Generally, these language arts skills are learned in the order listed. However, when teaching students in the lower grades, especially kindergarten, lessons should provide a great deal of overlap. teachers should be sure to connect the content of lessons to the child's prior experience. This technique motivates the learner and ensures comprehension of the material. Instructions Things You'll Need • State curriculum standards o 1 Design activities to help you assess the skill levels of students in the class. You can play word games like word Bingo, have students respond to a story or have them draw or write about an experience. This will give you a sense of the students' skill levels. o 2 Keep competency goals in mind. teachers can refer to state language arts curriculum strands for these goals. o 3 Create readiness activities and enabling skills. Kindergarteners should understand that words in a book correspond to the spoken word; know the letters of the alphabet and their sounds; develop a sight word vocabulary; and begin to read stories. Be aware that in a classroom there will be a range of skill levels, abilities and interests. o 4 Connect language arts activities to prior knowledge. Kindergarteners should bring their own experiences to the lesson. For example, if the book is about a new baby, ask the students if they have younger siblings at home. o 5 Develop activities that apply language arts skills. Kindergarteners should be familiar with books, know that a story has a beginning, middle and an end, predict outcomes and identify sequences. o 6 Use technology and media when possible to prepare students for their world. Kindergarteners should also be able to differentiate fantasy from reality. o 7 Kindergarteners should create oral, written and visual text using new vocabulary they have learned. They should speak, draw and write about trips, show and tell items, and relate experiences they have at home and in school. Some may begin to apply language conventions such as capital letters at the beginning of a sentence, for the word "I," and for the first letter of their name and the names of their friends. Handwriting should become legible Teaching Kindergarten Assisting english as a Second Language (E.S.L.) Students Meeting the language development needs of such culturally and linguistically diverse students is challenging for teachers. A supportive, student-centered environment will assist the language development of all students. Such an environment, which values and accepts students' languages, cultures and experiences as the foundation for instruction, will support and nurture each student's language acquisition and development. teachers who are aware of students' sociolinguistic backgrounds can assess individual linguistic competence and assist students in developing english abilities in familiar and non-threatening contexts. Students are more likely to experiment with language and take risks during independent and collaborative language activities if they perceive their languages, cultures and experiences as significant, and if they recognize that their peers and teachers share this perception. Initial language development begins in the home setting. Students who have learned to speak and listen in their first language are well equipped to apply their understandings of language processes to develop skills in a second language. It is essential that teachers acknowledge the importance and validity of students' first languages as they guide the development of english language abilities. teachers must determine students' strengths and abilities in their first language and in english in order to identify each student's instructional needs. Students with limited interaction with print may not understand that print conveys meaning. Students who are competent in their first language may understand the purposes of an alphabet and print directionality. They may understand that readers and writers construct meaning. An awareness of students' competencies in a first language and in english should guide instructional planning and theselection of appropriate assessment and evaluation procedures. teachers may identify language competencies by: • interviewing the parents/caregivers about the student's background, the language used in the home, and the purposes for which language is used in the home (enlisting the aid of translators, if necessary) • observing and noting responses during activities. teachers may observe that some E.S.L. students are reluctant to communicate orally in the classroom setting. This is a natural reaction to learning a new language, and should not be interpreted as disdain or a lack of oral language abilities. Such initial silence is more often associated with the development of receptive language abilities as students endeavour to understand english through observation and listening. Such "silent" learners will eventually speak in english in a learning environment founded on trust and acceptance. The purposes and methods of assessment and evaluation are similar for E.S.L. students and their english speaking peers. Developmental progress can be equitably measured through the various assessment techniques that are included in this guide. The translation of written comments on progress reports may benefit E.S.L. parents/caregivers. Such reports should be positive and outline students' growth and development. All students, including E.S.L. students, should have opportunities to reflect on their progress through self-assessment and evaluation. guidelines for Instruction • The students' first languages should be utilized, wherever possible. • Respect for cultural and linguistic diversity should be modelled and students encouraged to share their languages and cultures. • Experience charts, posters with print on them, students' names, printed classroom procedures, schedules, labels and environmental print should be displayed. • Interaction and collaborative games and activities should be promoted. • When assessing students' oral language development, the teacher should focus on conceptual understanding before pronunciation. • Representation of students' cultures in all instructional media should be offered. • Differences in verbal and non-verbal communication styles should be identified, acknowledged and respected, and students should be encouraged to learn and interact in ways that are culturally familiar to them. • Positive and motivational feedback should be modelled to develop a community of self- confident, risk-taking language users and learners. • Parents/caregivers, relatives and representatives from cultural groups or organizations should be involved as resources and interpreters. • Non-english speaking parents/caregivers should be encouraged to read and share stories with students in their first languages. Reading aloud and storytelling strengthen literacy processes regardless of the language used. • Audiocassettes of familiar stories in english and the students' first languages should be provided. • Picture files and illustrations of everyday objects and events should be compiled to assist in vocabulary extension and reinforcement activities. • Students should be paired with fluent english speaking "buddies" for collaborative projects. • teacher talk should be clear and concise. Examples of Methods Strategies and Activities for E.S.L. Students Activities and strategies that accommodate the needs of E.S.L. students as they learn english are beneficial to all students. Language Extension Extending students' language means following their lead, elaborating on language concepts and ideas in a relevant way. For example, a child sees a picture of a bike in a book and says, "my bike." The teacher responds with, "Oh, you have a red bike. Where can you ride your bike?" A lengthy conversation might ensue with the student leading the conversation, relating personal experiences and ideas, and the teacher extending the concepts and language, getting to know the student at the same time. Discussion Rather than having the teacher at the centre of all discussions and questioning, students should be encouraged to interact with each other. Talking Circles Participants are seated in a circle. An item such as a stone or a feather is passed from one person to the next around the circle in a clockwise direction. The person holding the item speaks and then passes it to the next person. This continues until all participants have had a chance to speak. Those who do not wish to talk may pass. Talking Circles are effective for open-ended discussions, sharing feelings and responses, developing empathy, building trust, and ensuring that all participants have an opportunity to participate. Story Reading If possible, stories could periodically be read or told in E.S.L. students' first languages and then reread or retold in english. Responses should be encouraged in both languages. Responses given in english should be extended and elaborated upon in the usual way. Responses given in another language should be repeated and the students should be asked for clarification. This is a way of encouraging and affirming the E.S.L. students' language and of making all students aware of the fact that bilingualism is a positive asset. http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/kindergarten/kindlang.html How to Teach Kindergarten english | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5611038_teach-kindergarten-english.html#ixzz1f1SImtYT