Alejandra Soto October 17, 2013 CD 109 Observation of Language and Literacy

For my observation of language and literacy I observed a preschool classroom. In the preschool classroom there were a total of nineteen children, fourteen girls and five boys. In the classroom eighteen children are four years old and one is three. In the classroom there are three teachers but one of the teachers is temporary. The purpose of my observation was to evaluate the classroom and see how much language and literacy is used and taught to the children. I observed the interactions with children communicating with each other. Most importantly, the way the teacher interacted with the children. Another important thing I observed in the classroom was writing opportunities. For example, do the children have enough materials to write and does the teacher engage with children in writing. The most important thing in literacy is books. I went around the classroom looking and counting for books. I also observed how much were books used throughout the time I was in the classroom. During my observation I found both strengths and weaknesses in the classroom. I would like to first discuss about the strengths that I saw in the classroom. Books are important in literacy, I went around the classroom looking and counting for books. I counted more than 180 books. The classroom has a house keeping area, science area, writing area, block area, art area (easel table), sand and water area, loft area, and the library. I did see books in all of the areas. Each area had about twenty books and they were in a plastic box. Children need to learn how to write I saw the each child had their own journal. Inside the journal the children will

write their names, they days of the week, and the months. The writing area has a lot of writing materials the children can use. For example, markers, crayons, pencils, white paper, construction paper, paper with lines, white board, big colored construction paper, and brown soft paper small and big. I also saw charts around the classroom. The charts were days of the week, months, numbers one to one hundred, shapes, children vocabulary, and pictures of multicultural children, alphabet, and colors. I think it is a good idea to have different types of charts in the classroom because they help the children to learn. In the morning the teacher was in the carpet with the children. The teacher went over the alphabet, days of the week, months, and the numbers. The children will follow after her and she used the charts to show the children. Another important thing and language and literacy are the interactions between the children and the teacher and children. I did like the way the teacher and children had good communication. Throughout the time I was in the classroom when the child had a problem the teacher would go ask what was the problem; also when the child needed help he would go ask the teacher for help. The teacher does circle time twice a day and reads a book in the morning and in the afternoon. In the morning before reading the book the teacher asked each child how are you feeling today. The teacher read to the children The Gingerbread Man. I enjoyed watching them because the children and teacher were really engaged in the book. The children knew almost all of the lines from the book and they would say them out loud with the teacher. After reading the book the teacher asked the children questions about the book. Each child chose an area they wanted to go to. When all the children where in areas the teacher called out six children to go sit on the table with her and they were going over their names. After going over each letter of their names the teacher gave them a sheet with their name already on the sheet, they had to trace the letters. After they were done she

called for six more children to come to the table with her. The classroom followed good qualities from the ELLCO. Even though the classroom had really good strengths; the classroom also had weaknesses. The classroom did not have any childrens writing. I only saw pictures of the childrens drawings. It is very important to have childrens writing around the classroom. If I was a parent I would think that my child is not learning how to write because I do not see any writing in the classroom. I mentioned that the classroom has plenty of writing materials but when I was there I did not see the children using them. I only saw three children using writing materials. The teacher asked each child what area would they like to go and none went to the writing area. Books are all around the classroom in each area but when they were playing in that area none of the children ever grabbed book. The area that does not have books is the housekeeping area. Even though each area has books I looked over the books and the books did not go with the area. I felt that random books where just placed in those areas. I counted a total of fourteen puzzles and all of the puzzles were pictures. I puzzle was on the traffic signals and it had the name of the signal. When a child had a problem with another child I saw and heard yelling, several times I did see hitting. Therefore, the teacher would go to the children and talk to them about what just happened. The classroom had two poster boards with the alphabet. Therefore, the alphabet was not visible. It was only visible if the child goes up to the poster board. The alphabet should be big that way the children are able to see it. After going over the ELLCO the teachers should do some changes in the classroom. Overall, I had a really good experience going into the classroom and observing. I enjoyed going around the room looking for books and for writing materials. In my opinion, no classroom is perfect and by me going over the checklist to see what the classroom has and what the

classroom needs. It gives me a better understanding on what I need to do when I become a teacher and work in a classroom. Before I did not know how important language and literacy is to children. As teachers we really need to implement language and literacy into our classroom. After going over there are things that I would like for the classroom to improver. First, puzzles are really important. I would bring in a lot more puzzles with letters and words rather than picture puzzles. Second, I would make sure I have my childrens writing around the classroom. They will be able to see their own writing and also when people come into the classroom. Third, I would like to implement the children with reading more books when they are in their areas and just in general throughout the day in the room. Last, when a child has a problem with another child it seems it is difficult for them to work out the problem on their own so they usually go with a teacher. I would want them to be able to talk to each other instead of fighting. I think it will take time for children to be able to communicate with one another when they have a conflict but the teacher should talk to all the children on how it is important for them to know how to communicate with their friends. Implementing language and literacy to the children is very important and I believe all teachers should really focus and teach children to read and write and to communicate.