Linguistic and Literacy

Development in Children

Jerome T. Varquez
Preschool
Learning
Foundations
The Preschool Learning Foundations
❑ Foundations describe the knowledge, skills, and competencies that children typically attain
at around 48 and 60 months of age

❑The foundations define "destination points" for where children are going (in terms of
development) during this age range.

❑They also help to inform practitioners about children’s academic and social development so
that decisions can be made to support children’s curriculum and growth.
The Preschool Learning Foundations
❑In California, priority has been placed on aligning expectations for preschool learning with
the state’s kindergarten academic content standards.

❑This academic emphasis is complemented by attention to social-emotional development

and English-language development.

❑The concepts in social-emotional development and English-language development

contribute significantly to young children’s readiness for school.
 Preschool learning foundation domains

Social-Emotional English Language

Development Development

Language and Literacy Mathematics

The foundations are presented according to four domains of learning and development. Each of the domains
contains strands or areas of emphasis within the domain.
Social-Emotional Development
Domain
The social-emotional development domain consists of the following three strands:
➢Self, which includes self-awareness and self-regulation, social and emotional understanding,
empathy and caring, and initiative in learning
➢Social Interaction, which focuses on interactions with familiar adults, interactions with peers, group
participation, and cooperation and responsibility
➢Relationships, which addresses attachments to parents, close relationships with teachers and
caregivers, and friendships

Young children’s development in this domain influences their ability to adapt successfully to
preschool and, later on, in school.
Language and Literacy Domain
The language and literacy foundations address a wide range of competencies that preschool
children will need in order to learn. These foundations focus on the following three strands:

➢Listening and Speaking, which includes language use and conventions, vocabulary, and grammar
➢Reading, which covers concepts about print, phonological awareness, alphabetic and word/print
recognition, comprehension and analysis of age-appropriate text, and literacy interest and response
➢Writing, which focuses on writing strategies, including the emergent use of writing and writing-like
behaviors
 English-Language Development
Domain
The English-language development foundations are specifically designed for children entering preschool
who speak a home language other than English. Some English learners will begin preschool already
having had some experience with English. For other English learners, preschool will offer them their first
meaningful exposure to English. No matter how much background English learners have with English
before they enter preschool, they will be on the path to acquire a second language.

➢ Listening, which includes understanding words, requests and directions, and basic and advanced concepts
➢ Speaking, which focuses on using English to communicate needs, expand vocabulary, become skillful at engaging
in conversations, use increasingly complex grammatical constructions when speaking, understand grammar, ask
questions, use social conventions, and tell personal stories
➢ Reading, which covers appreciating and enjoying reading, understanding book reading, understanding print
conventions, demonstrating awareness that print conveys meaning, developing awareness and recognition of
letters, demonstrating phonological awareness, and manipulating sounds, such as rhyming
➢ Writing, which includes understanding the communicative function of writing and engaging in simple writing and
writing-like behaviors
 English-Language Development
Domain
The English-language development foundations are defined by three levels of development —
Beginning, Middle and Later. Depending on their prior experience with using their home language
and English to communicate with others, preschool English learners will go through these levels at
different paces. Once children reach the later level, they will still need support to continue acquiring
English and to apply their developing linguistic abilities in every domain.
Mathematics Domain
The mathematics foundations cover the following five strands:

➢ Number Sense, which includes understanding of counting, number relationships, and operations
➢ Algebra and Functions (Classification and Patterning), which focuses on sorting and classifying objects and
recognizing and understanding simple, repeating patterns
➢ Measurement, which includes comparison and ordering
➢ Geometry, which focuses on properties of objects (shape, size, position) and the relation of objects in space
➢ Mathematical Reasoning, which addresses how young children use mathematical thinking to solve everyday
problems

Preschool programs can promote young children’s learning in this domain by engaging children in
mathematical thinking and by introducing learning activities that focus on mathematical concepts.
`
English
Language
Development
 Background information
oChildren come to preschool with varying levels of English-language proficiency.
oRegardless of children’s prior experience with English, they learn English at different rates from one another.
oIndividual children’s progress in one area of learning may occur at a different rate than in other areas of
learning.
oHome/school connection is not only important but essential for children on the path to acquiring English.
Families are the best source of information.
oParent reports on child’s language dominance may not really give you the full picture as siblings and other
relatives may be providing a lot of English input.
oWithout a reliable screener for language dominance, family reports may be a program’s sole source of
information.
oThe Child Development Division 9600, Confidential application for CD services (CD 9600 – Back Side) has a
place for identifying the child’s primary language6
 Preschool English-Language
Development Foundations

❑English-language development is not linked to age.

❑English-learners’ language develops at different rates.

❑Children may be at the beginning, middle or later levels for different foundations at the
same point in time.
Preschool English-Language
Development Foundations
1. Unlike the three other sets of foundations, in which the foundations are organized by age,
the English-language development foundations are organized by three levels of
development-bedsadginning, middle, later.
2. Children will go through these stages at different paces.
3. Read slide. The English-language development (ELD) foundations describe what children
typically demonstrate at three different levels of successive English-language
development.
Note: The Preschool English Learners Resource Guide reinforces the information in the
introduction to the ELD foundations. It includes additional material about family and
community language practices, simultaneous second language acquisition, and supporting
the English-language learner with special needs.
Who is an English Learner?

❖ Children whose families use a language other than

English at home

❖ Children whose primary or first language is a

language other than English.
 What Does that Mean for Us?
We must take into consideration how young children, whose home language is not
English, negotiate learning in all content and curricular areas.

Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 1, p. 103It is important to support English-

language development across all domains.

“Language is a tool of communication used in all

developmental domains. Children who are English learners
need to be supported not only in activities focused on
language and literacy, but across the entire curriculum.”
 Advantages of Being Bilingual
Communication advantages—can communicate with a wider range of people

Cultural advantages—increased understanding of culture through language, can navigate in

more cultural group,

Cognitive advantages—thinking, memory, brain plasticity

Character advantages—increased self-esteem, security in identity

Curriculum advantages—easier to learn a third language, increased school achievement

Cash and financial advantages—increased employment benefits

 6 Essential Strategies for Teaching
English Language Learners

1. CULTIVATE RELATIONSHIPS AND BE CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE

2. TEACH LANGUAGE SKILLS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM

3. EMPHASIZE PRODUCTIVE LANGUAGE

4. SPEAK SLOWLY—AND INCREASE YOUR WAIT TIME

5. DIFFERENTIATE—AND USE MULTIPLE MODALITIES

6. INCORPORATE STUDENTS’ NATIVE LANGUAGES—AND DON’T BE AFRAID OF TECHNOLOGY

Instructional
Activities for
TK
Classroom & Instructional
Planning
❑The classroom space you create, tailor-made to the needs and experiences of young
learners, will be crucial in helping them get the most out of TK, as well as laying the
foundation for a lifelong love of learning. The TK classroom environment should be
engaging, promote movement and be responsive to the diverse backgrounds and
experiences of your transitional kindergarteners.
❑Throughout the day young students should be actively engaged in play-based activities that
are connected to theme-based, integrated curriculum. This website is designed to support
an integrated and differentiated approach to instruction, including a section on how to
use assessments to enrich student learning. The teaching strategies and sample lesson
plans provide hands-on ways to support children across a continuum of learning and to
make connections between domains.
Teaching within Learning Domains
This section of the website provides teaching strategies in the Social-emotional, English
Language Arts, Mathematics and English Language Development domains, while
offering guidance in integrated and differentiated approaches to instruction. Each domain
section includes background information and an overview of the alignment between the

Preschool Learning Foundations and the California Kindergarten Common Core Standards.

The teaching strategies provide hands-on ways to support children across a continuum of
learning through embedding learning within daily contexts, modeling, and giving children
opportunities for practice.
Family Engagement
A strong body of research shows that students do better in school and in life when their
parents are engaged in their education.

Family engagement benefits students in school and life, contributing to better social and
personal conduct skills, better student attitudes toward learning, reduced absenteeism,
higher graduation rates and reduced drop-out rates, and overall better student achievement.
Resource Library
In addition to the strategies outlined in each of the above sections, there are numerous
resources in the library to support quality TK.

Implementors of TK across the state have been developing new materials to get their own
TK classrooms running.

This resource library offers a sampling of recommended resources these educators and
researchers have generously offered to support districts in their high quality planning and
instruction efforts.

The library includes resources such as sample activities, templates, presentations, articles,
studies, web resources and more.
“Research shows that all children
can benefit from participating in
high-quality preschool programs.”

- JACK O’CONNELL