Early Literacy Learning Model: Additional Practice Exercises for Practitioners about Child Interests Distance Learning Events brought to you by the Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL) Thank you for accessing the additional practices for distance learning. What follows are three additional practice exercises about child interests for the classroom teacher/practitioner. To access the slides and slide notes, click on the PDF file titled “Distance Learning Child Interests Practice Exercises for Practitioners Slides and Notes” on the home page. This file can be used to print copies of the content.

What are additional practice exercises for practitioners? Created specifically for those who work in the early childhood classroom. Cover the four main components of the CELL early literacy learning model Utilize the Participatory Adult Learning Strategies (PALS) approach to learning These additional practice exercises were designed specifically for those practitioners who work with families in the early childhood classroom. The practice exercises provide more opportunity to practice, evaluate, and reflect about a particular component of the CELL early literacy learning model. The additional practice exercises in this presentation focus on the child interests component of CELL’s early literacy learning model. The intent is to take these practices into the classroom to provide the practitioner with an authentic, hands-on experience utilizing the CELL components. As you move through each practice exercise, you will see that you are asked to practice, evaluate your knowledge based on the practice, and then reflect on what you learned. As you may remember from training, these are key components of the Participatory Adult Learning Strategy or PALS, a research-based approach to teaching adult learners. The main ingredient of PALS is active learner involvement that promotes learner understanding and use of the knowledge and practice.

Additional Practice #1: Child Interests Let’s find out the interests of one of the children in your classroom: Informally observe one child over the course of a morning or afternoon for two or three hours. List what specific activities, materials, or people the child chooses when given a choice. For this practice exercise you will need a pen and paper to write down your observations. Let’s find out the interests of one of the children in your classroom. Please informally observe one child over the course of a morning or afternoon for two or three hours. As you observe, please write down what specific activities, materials, or people the child chooses when given a choice. Practicing the use of your new knowledge keeps you engaged and focused.

Additional Evaluation #1: Child Interests What activities, materials, or people did you identify as being particularly interesting to the child? Which of these interests made the child laugh and smile? What activities did the child do repeatedly? To evaluate your learning based on the practice exercise, answer the following questions: What activities, materials, or people did you identify as being particularly interesting to the child? Which of these interests made the child laugh and smile? What activities did the child do repeatedly? Remember, the evaluate component of the PALS approach to learning assists in the assessment of your strengths and weaknesses related to the practice you completed.

Additional Reflection #1: Child Interests Of the activities, materials, or people that the child showed interest in, which were new to you? Put a note in the child’s portfolio or in your lesson plans for future use. We strongly encourage you to reflect on the information you have learned in this distance learning event. Reflecting assists you to determine your level of knowledge and the outcome of your practice. Are you comfortable with the level of knowledge acquired? Do you need more practice? To help you reflect, please answer this question: Of the activities, materials, or people that the child showed interest in, which were new to you? After you answer the question, put a note in the child’s portfolio or in your lesson plans for future use.

Additional Practice #2: Child Interests Choose one of the child interests you identified through observation in Practice #1. Identify & write down three literacy-related opportunities for that particular interest that you could add to the classroom. Write down these opportunities for future use in your lesson plans For this additional practice you will need a pen and paper for note taking. Choose one of the child interests you identified through observation in Practice #1. Identify and write down three literacy-related opportunities for that particular interest that you could add to the classroom. Write down these opportunities for future use in your lesson plans. Practicing the use of your new knowledge keeps you engaged and focused.

Additional Evaluation #2: Child Interests Was identifying three literacy-related opportunities for one child interest a challenge? Why/Why not? To evaluate your learning based on the practice exercise, please answer the following questions: Was identifying three literacy-related opportunities for one child interest a challenge? Why/why not? Through answering these questions, you are essentially answering the following question: Is your literacy knowledge base strong enough that you could easily think of three literacy-related opportunities for one area of interest or do you need to practice more in regards to recognizing literacy-related materials and opportunities? Remember, the evaluate component of the PALS approach to learning assists in the assessment of your strengths and weaknesses related to the practice you completed.

Additional Reflection #2: Child Interests Print a copy of the Interest-Based Everyday Literacy Activity Checklist. You can get the checklist from our tools page located here Using the Interest-Based Everyday Literacy Activity Checklist, reflect on how many of the planned activities in your classroom are interest-based. We strongly encourage you to reflect on the information you have learned in this distance learning event. Reflecting assists you to determine your level of knowledge and the outcome of your practice. Are you comfortable with the level of knowledge acquired? Do you need more practice? For this additional reflection, you will need a copy of the Interest-Based Everyday Literacy Activity Checklist. You can get the checklist from our tools page by clicking on the link you see on your screen. Using the Interest-Based Everyday Literacy Activity Checklist, reflect on how many of the planned activities in your classroom are interest-based.

Additional Practice #3: Child Interests Observe the children that you teach during outdoor free play. Write down some of the child interests. For this additional practice exercise, you will need a pen and paper. Observe the children that you teach during outdoor free play. As you are observing, write down some of the child interests. Practicing the use of your new knowledge keeps you engaged and focused.

Additional Evaluation #3: Child Interests What new interests did you identify? What interests were similar or different to those you observed indoors? To evaluate your learning based on the practice exercise, please answer the following questions: What new interests did you identify? What interests were similar or different to those you observed indoors? Remember, the evaluate component of the PALS approach to learning assists in the assessment of your strengths and weaknesses related to the practice you completed.

Additional Reflection #3: Child Interests How is it beneficial to the children to bring their outdoors literacy-related interests into the classroom or take their indoor literacy-related interests out of doors? We strongly encourage you to reflect on the information you have learned in this distance learning event. Reflecting assists you to determine your level of knowledge and the outcome of your practice. Are you comfortable with the level of knowledge acquired? Do you need more practice? For this additional reflection, think about your response to this question: How is it beneficial to the children to bring their outdoors literacy-related interests into the classroom or take their indoor literacy-related interests out of doors?