RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES....................................

3N Strategy

The 3N Strategy - Notice, Nudge, Narrate - is a scaffolding process that helps the teacher move the child from his or her current level of knowledge or skill to a higher level of competence. It structures the interactions that teachers have with children. The 3N Strategy can be used to turn any activity into a learning experience for the child. Teachers first "notice" a child's skill level. Then, they verbally "nudge" a child to do more. Finally, they "narrate" a child's actions or activities. The 3N Strategy is the basic instructional strategy used forLiteracyGames.

Extended Teaching

Teaching throughout the day - Extended Teaching - promotes language and cognitive development. Teachers can use Extended Teaching practices to turn everyday routines, activities, and transitions into important learning opportunities. Teachers use the 3N Strategy during Extended Teaching to notice a child’s skill level then purposefully nudge the child to a slightly more challenging level.

Problem Solving

Problem solving strategies are used in many ways throughout the PfL Curriculum. These strategies are used to help children develop social skills and learn how to manage their own emotions. Teachers help children learn to recognize feelings, identify wants and needs, develop empathy, recognize problem situations, learn to think of simple solutions and consequences, and develop competence in decision making, at age appropriate levels. Children can develop these skills during both formal and informal instructional times thoughout the day.

Curriculum-Embedded Assessments

Assessment is used to inform instruction in the Partners for Literacy Curriculum. A variety of assessment resources provide teachers with information on each child's skill level, making it possible to monitor progress and differentiate instruction. Assessment resources include:

• Record of Mastery for LiteracyGames
• Partners for Literacy Child Progress Record, which includes Letter/Sound Recognition Assessment, Concepts of Print Assessment, and Drawing/Writing Assessment.

In the PfL Curriculum, individual portfolios are used to store records and samples of each child’s work. Teachers are encouraged to make anecdotal notes to include in each child's portfolio.

Curriculum Materials for Early Childhood Education

The PfL Curriculum includes instructional strategies and materials to promote oral language, vocabulary, phonological awareness, print awareness, and alphabet knowledge throughout the entire day. Incorporating strategies, into both formal and informal instructional settings, assures an intensive, integrated language and literacy experience for each child.

The Partners for Literacy classroom is warm, inviting, and literacy-rich. Teachers begin and end each day with circle time, a large group instructional time, during which the teacher promotes early language and literacy skills through a variety of brief learning activities. Center time is also an essential part of each day. Centers are designed to engage children in independent learning opportunities, including books, blocks, music, art, dramatic play, science, math, writing, computers, and words and letters. The Partners for Literacy classroom is distinguished from other early childhood classrooms by the teacher spending time every day with each child, individually or in pairs, promoting early literacy skills by playing LiteracyGames and Interactive Book Reading.

LiteracyGames

LiteracyGames is a set of 100 purposeful “games” that are played in small groups, usually with one adult and two children. LiteracyGames includes 50 games for 3 year olds and 50 games for 4 year olds. Every game has three cycles, each with its own goals and objectives. Children progress through the cycles by mastering the identified goals and objectives.

Using LiteracyGames allows teachers to create a playful, accepting environment in which children engage in and enjoy learning. Children’s abilities grow as teachers help them investigate the following five components of early literacy: Concepts of Print, Letter Knowledge, Oral Language, Phonological Awareness, and Developmental Writing.

Children’s Books

Little Conversation Books are a set of more than 120 small books designed to foster meaningful conversation between an adult and a child during Interactive Book Reading. Little Conversation Books have simple text and pictures and are easily reproducible. Children can read these little books at school and then take them home to share with their families.

Conversation Books- Bilingual Conversation Books (English and Spanish) provide teachers with the instructional support and strategies they need to help young children get ready to read.

Classroom Books- The Partners for Literacy Curriculum also recommends a variety of children's books, both fiction and non-fiction, that can be added to the classroom library. These titles serve to support the curriculum and its implementation.