Posted by Depending on your state, you can expect different learning objectives in kindergarten. While some states follow their guidelines, most follow the common Core State Standards, the national standards for kindergarten. By understanding the goals of the typical kindergarten curriculum Cambridge, MA, you can determine whether your child is ready for kindergarten. For example, while most children can use words by the time they start kindergarten, they will also develop their ability to read and write more sophisticatedly.
Lessons include letter-sound correspondence.
While numerous activities can be included in a lesson to teach letter-sound correspondence, the first step in teaching letter-sound correspondence is to identify the sounds used to form letters. Many children have an easier time identifying a letter or learning the sound before pronouncing the letter. Regardless of the type of student, teachers should take note of each child’s learning style and tailor the activities to their unique needs. In general, though, a typical kindergarten curriculum should begin with teaching letter-sound correspondence by learning the sounds of letters.
Phonemic awareness
In a typical kindergarten curriculum, phonemic awareness is taught through segmenting and blending words. The activities should be age-appropriate and progress from simple Consonant-Vowel-Consonant words with more difficult blends and rhyming patterns. In addition, teachers should use various strategies, including pictures, body movement, manipulatives, and listening activities, to help students learn how to recognize and process sounds.
Sight words
To help your child learn sight words, you can create flashcards with these important words on a blue background and place them in front of your child each day. You can use a different color for the fall, winter, and spring, using the same word cards throughout the year. Children can play games that include sight words to reinforce the concepts. Sight words are best learned and retained when they are read aloud.
Rhyming
Including rhyming in the kindergarten curriculum is an excellent way to get young children interested in reading. It’s especially important for English learners, as it is more difficult to learn than native English speakers. As children progress in English, their rhyming skills will improve in parallel to their reading abilities. Preschoolers can also benefit from rhyming activities and digital resources during the early years of school.
Word families
What do kids learn in a typical kindergarten education? Throughout the school year, they are expected to learn the alphabet and learn to write sentences and stories using their handwriting. In addition to learning to write in print, kindergarten students should understand sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling. They should also learn to correctly use capitalization, punctuation marks, question marks, and exclamation points. The Common Core English Language Arts Standards, require kindergarteners to write in upper and lowercase letters. Teachers also teach them to use rhyming words and to mix and match different shapes, among other things.
Concepts about print
The concepts about print are fundamental for the development of reading skills. Children learn how to read by orienting themselves to how print is organized. While many of these concepts are often taken for granted by fluent readers, they are not as common for children in the beginning stages of the reading process. However, these fundamental concepts play a vital role in developing fluency and accuracy as readers later in life.
Block scheduling
Introducing block scheduling into the kindergarten curriculum can be a great way to maximize learning for young children. This schedule enables students to take on projects, review material, and work in groups without requiring the teacher’s full attention. However, block scheduling is also quite taxing on teachers, and some teachers may find it challenging to adapt to the new format.