Child Development
Department of Early Childhood Studies
3214 Austin Street, Houston, TX 77004
713-718-6303 phone 713-718-6235 fax
CDEC 1356 Emergent Literacy for Early Childhood
Required Component – This assignment is required for completion of this course. If this assignment is not completed with 70% of possible points, you will not
receive a passing grade in this class.
NAEYC Accredited Center – All practicum assignments must be completed at a NAEYC accredited childcare center. To find an accredited center, go to the
NAEYC website, www.naeyc.org Click on Accredited Program Search and a new window will appear. Type the zip code of the area in which you would like to find
an accredited childcare center. Call any childcare center from the approved list of NAEYC accredited centers. Identify yourself as a HCC student and ask
permission to observe their child care center in order to complete the laboratory assignment.
Visit – You will be expected to visit for at least three (3) hours. This may be completed in one three hour period or several shorter times. Complete the lab
assignment required for your class by completing the checklist, answering the questions and/or writing anecdotes. Complete the form documenting your hours.
Have someone from the childcare center sign as documentation of your 3 hour visit.
Student's Name
Phone
Accredited Center Name
Address
City
Date
TX Zip Code
Time In
Date
Time Out
Contact person’s signature
Phone
Total hours
Paper – Complete the assignment per directions written on the assignment sheet and those provided by your instructor. After completion of the lab assignment,
write a minimum one-page summary. The summary must include:
(1) Reactions of your visit,
(2) Comparison of information obtained from your textbook, other readings and in class discussions to the lab assignment. (How are they alike? How are
they different?)
Return the completed assignment and summary to your instructor. Send a thank you note to the contact person of the center that you visited thanking them for
allowing you to complete the lab assignment at their center.
TECA 1356 practicum I – page 2
1. Observe the children during group time. Check the methods you observed the teacher using to encourage language development. Describe hoe the teacher
used each method you check. It is quite possible that you may not observe all these behaviors at any one-tome period. It may require several visits.
Instructional Strategy
Observed Comments and Reactions
Stories were read
Open-ended questions were
asked (how, what, if…)
Children begin conversation,
which the teacher continues
Music
Finger plays
Poetry
Flannel board
Office equipment
Puppets
2. Describe a transitional activity that you observed in the class. What did the teacher do? How did she facilitate the change in activity? What was the children’s
reaction?
TECA 1356 practicum I – page 3
3. It is important that children understand the important of print, so a “print rich” environment is important. Check the things you see which show the functional
uses of print. Give a brief description of each item checked.
Used of print
Observed Comments and Reactions
Names on artwork
Dictated chart stories
Dictated individual stories
Labels on items in the classroom
Lists
Posters
Signs
Books
Notes to parents
Teacher’s records
TECA 1356 practicum I – page 4
4. Listening skills are important for pre-reading. Check the materials you see which encourage listening. How was each item used in the classroom?
Listening opportunities
Observed Comments and Reactions
Reading stories
Poems
Headphone, cassettes, CD’s
Instructions given (get your coat)
Finger plays
Songs
Conversation with adults
Conservation with children
Teacher modeling listening
TECA 1356 practicum I – page 5
5. Locate the manipulative shelf. Check the materials available that develop pre-writing skills. Describe how the children are using the materials.
Materials
Observed Comments and Reactions
Scissors
Pen, pencils, crayons, markers
Hole punch
Stapler
Envelopes
Different kinds of paper
Stringing beads
Play dough
Lacing cards
Put together blocks
Games
TECA 1356 practicum I – page 6
6. The book or reading area and general classroom environment should include anti-bias and multi-cultural materials. Check the books as well as other items you
see in the environment that support this approach.
Books/Materials with
Observed Comments and Reactions
African American characters
Caucasian characters
Hispanic characters
Asian characters
Different languages
Different family styles
Differently able characters
Non stereotyping roles for men
and women
Pictures and Posters
Dramatic play props
Revised August 2010