Practical Strategies for
Observing Children to Support
Differentiated Instruction
Boces, 11/3
What are you expecting to learn
from this workshop?
Goals
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Write an objective observation
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Observe young children with a purpose
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Use observations to guide Intentional
Instruction
Use observations to support learning that
leads to indicators of the NYS Prek Foundation
for the Common Core
Seeing is Believing
Objective/Subjective Observation
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Write down what you see, what you smell,
what you feel.
In your small group talk about your
observation. As a group write down on a piece
of paper two columns - “Objective” and
“subjective”.
How do you feel about Observing
Children?
Clip chapter 3 video 5
Chap 4 video 8
Chapter 4 video 9
Chapter 4 video 10
Chapter 4 video 12
Linking Observations to Prek
Foundations indicators
Approaches to Learning
chapter 5 video 14
Strategies to promote
development and learning
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Provide time for children to explore a variety
of activities and materials
Assist child to find answers to own questions
by exploring together
Provide tasks where the goal is trying different
strategies rather than right or wrong answer
Try child’s suggested interventions when
problems are encountered; talk to child about
what worked and what did not work
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Comment positively on child’s persistence and
concentration
Help child focus attention (i.e. “look at this.”
“I want you to pay attention to the
experiment.”)
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Encourage children to pursue favorite
activities
Help children remember experiences with
Reading Standards for Literature
chapter 4 video 11
Strategies to Promote
Development and Learning
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Use the letters of the alphabet as they come
up in real life situations
Print in upper and lower case letters
Provide paper and writing tools for child to
use for specific purposes (i.e. card for sick
child)
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Ask child to sign artwork, cards, and letters
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Point out shapes of individual letters to help
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Provide opportunities for child to draw a story
or idea and write out the dictation for that
idea
Model making lists (i.e. grocery list)
Scientific Thinking
chapter 7 video 17
Strategies to Promote
Development and Learning
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Provide opportunities for children to learn
through all the senses
Provide opportunities for children to share
observations through pictures and words
Help children represent his/her observations
using charts/graphs
Invent and conduct simple experiments with
children (i.e. sink and float)
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Demonstrate, explain, and engage child in
activities that make predictions about natural
events
If possible, go to museums or community
events that focus on the natural world