Some of the youngest learners in Groveland, Merrimac and West Newbury have some of the most interesting and engaging learning experiences in our schools. Pentucket’s PreK programming occurs in all three towns in the elementary schools, with each school offering different integrated PreK options and some schools offering specialized programs for students with disabilities requiring more substantial and managed education. In the 24-25 school year there are over 80 students enrolled in the PreK options in the district.
While play is always central to the education of such students, structured learning is also a key aspect. Our PreK staff are always developing and refining their programs and they are also working collaboratively among themselves to ensure best practices are used. One of the focus points is developing various pre-literacy skills. The two main focus areas are Oral Language and Phonemic Awareness. But we also focus on Pre-Writing Skills too.
Oral Language is defined in this Reading Rockets article as “encompassing both speaking and listening. Oral language skills include learning how spoken words sound, what words and sentences mean, and how to communicate ideas. Nurturing oral language skills provides a strong foundation for learning to read.”
In our PreK classes, we are working on developing oral language and discourse throughout the entire day. There will be various points of direct instruction and opportunities for students to directly engage in oral language activities, but there are also opportunities throughout the day where students are learning through natural discourse involved with speaking, listening and thinking about language. A typical routine in our PreK classes that help to develop oral language includes an arrival routine then table activities for fine motor practice such as puzzles. Then the class joins together for circle time where they talk and listen to each other, use songs, and work on various daily skills like the calendar and weather. The class might then move to phonemic awareness activities and then do work in small groups that focus on math, phonemic awareness letter ID and other preschool skills. Students have time to then play and enjoy a snack. Then there are further pre-literacy activities with the whole group where a story may be read aloud for all with discussion about elements of the story. The day then often includes enrichment activities for art, music or movement time and outside play as well.
The approach our Preschool programs have taken is very similar to one that was recently highlighted in Language Magazine. The schools in Decatur Township In Indianapolis focused on Oral Language with explicit instruction in PreK and Kindergarten. This lead to clear connections for their decoding work as students advanced into Kindergarten and the science of reading was a driving force for the district. They relied on the internal expertise of the Speech Language Pathologists in the district. In Pentucket, our SLPs are routinely part of the instruction, services and collaboration for our PreK programs, providing consultation to the staff while also modeling instruction in the integrated classes.
Phonemic Awareness, as described in this short video from educator & podcaster known as the Measured Mom (Anna Geiger), “is the ability to hear, recognize and play with individual sounds in words.” For example the word /shut/ has 4 letters, but only three sounds - or phonemes - /sh/ then /u/ and finally /t/. In Preschool, Phonemic Awareness activities include Rhyming, Segmenting and Blending parts of words, manipulating parts of the words, and repeating the sounds in parts of the words with a particular focus on beginning and ending sounds. Hearing and distinguishing the middle sounds in short words, such as hearing the short /a/ sound in CAT, can be a much more challenging task than just focusing on the consonant sounds at the beginning and ending of the word. Our PreSchool classrooms use the Heggerty PreSchool Phonemic Awareness curriculum to help build these skills with short 10-15 minutes lessons and they combine the work by introducing the letters and letter names.
To help monitor student’s progress with early literacy skills like oral language and phonemic awareness, the district has been using the Preschool Early Literacy Indicators, known as the PELI, which is used with students ages 3-5. This is just one tool to help see how students are progressing and it is used two times per year with different expectations for children in the different age groups. Teacher observations and daily interactions also inform our staff on a student’s development.
The other focus area for early literacy and pre-academic skills is a focus on pre-writing. With no expectation that students be able to write words and sentences, developing their grapho-motor skills in PreK has great benefits when students begin in Kindergarten and 1st grade and writing becomes an essential skill. Preschoolers work on hand and finger strength, correct grasp and bilateral coordination. This is done by through a variety of activities that are rotated through, such as playing with playdoh, drawing, using scissors, manipulating small pegs to help develop pincer grasp, stringing beads, coloring or drawing on chalkboards and easels, and using a stylus with iPad use. Our PreK programs use the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum which is then carried through in Kindergarten and Grade 1.
Play Based and Thematic Focus
Preschool classrooms frequently use a thematic focus for several weeks at a time to bring children’s awareness to various subjects. These themes may cover learning about the seasons and how they affect people, plants and animals, learning to respect and appreciate differences and similarities between ourselves and others, or recognizing community helpers and their role in our community. Children may engage in discoveries about the world around them by looking at apples and pumpkins or experimenting with planting seeds. Themes are interwoven into stories, learning activities and play.
“Play is an important focus in preschool. It is an opportunity to learn to get along with others, explain our ideas to others and extend our learning in fun and playful ways.” - Tracey McCarthy, Pre-School Teacher at Sweetsir School in Merrimac
Children learn to make compromises while sharing materials with peers. Play activities may be offered that correspond to the current theme. Children may practice newly acquired skills by counting items using one-to-one correspondence at a farm stand, writing letters to make a menu for a restaurant or playing a game that requires recognition of colors, shapes or numbers.
Social skill development
What might be the most important aspect of Preschool is developing social skills. While some of this may be directly taught in a lesson or modeled, it is often simply built into all of the other aspects that make up the day. We focus on building relationships, turn-taking, listening to and respecting the ideas of others, compromising and working with others but also speaking up for yourself and advocating if you need something.
“It is an absolute joy to watch our young learners acquire the communication and social skills needed in order to effectively convey their wants, needs, and ideas to their peers. In preschool, we get to watch first friendships bloom and there’s just nothing sweeter!” - Kara Roman, Preschool Teacher, Bagnall Elementary
The Integrated Model
The primary model of programming we use in Pentucket is called an Integrated PreK Model. This means that there are some students who begin with our Pre - school classes at age 3 who have been identified with a disability. The level needs may vary, but the model we use is centered on ensuring these students are engaged during the day with students who do not have a disability but simply participate in preschool programming. We know all young learners benefit from a structured learning environment, and the skills and qualifications of our integrated Preschool staff ensure that needs are met for all young learners in a class. The social aspects of learning from and with peers has benefits that are long lasting, powerful and the source of great progress for all students.
The importance of consistent preschool programming became abundantly clear during the Covid-years when access to preschool was interrupted and many area programs either closed or ran abbreviated hours/days. We saw the negative impact of those lost years of early childhood instruction when several children entered kindergarten with no prior school experience and less general interaction with other children, limiting their language development and obviously social skill development. The preschool years are so important for fostering the social-emotional, communication, fine/gross motor skills, and pre-academic skills needed for kindergarten and beyond.
“There is so much that our integrated program has to offer for all children. Beyond the skills being taught, children have early exposure to a warm and inclusive environment within the public school where they will spend their elementary years.” - Caitlin Guilfoil, Bagnall Special Education Coordinator
Summary
We are proud of our preschool programming and various models to meet the needs of students where they are at. The integrated model provides both a service to the community but also opportunities for our youngest learners to develop peer relationships and positive first school experience. While PreK can often look like lots of fun - and it is for sure - the learning is carefully designed and thoughtfully prepared based on research and scientifically backed programs and practices. The teachers, professional service providers and the classroom aides work collaboratively to ensure each and every student becomes part of the classroom community and makes gains with the skills they will need in elementary school.
Dr. Brent Conway
Assistant Superintendent
Pentucket Regional School District
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