4’s Skills
Heritage Learning Center
Skill Sheet
Language Skills
Tells First and Last Name
As preschool children begin to venture out into the larger world beyond
home and preschool, they need some basic skills. Children need to be
taught how to greet others, how to enter into conversations and feel
comfortable in small groups. A beginning step is having the confidence to
speak up and tell your first and last names. Very young children sometimes
do not know their last name; it may not occur to parents to teach it as it is
so basic a concept.
We ask the children to tell us their first and last names. We want them to
know their complete name and have the confidence to tell us what it is.
We want them to be proud of themselves and their families. You can help
by telling them about why you chose their name; a little history about their
last name if you know it (and as it is appropriate to their age), and stories
about their extended family that will make them feel they belong to a
great clan!
Speaks Clearly and Conveys Ideas:
Parents can use various methods to help with their child’s speech and
language development.
Speak clearly, naturally and, most of all, correctly.
Model the correct way to say a word.
Repeat or expand on what your child says using correct sounds and
words. Don’t call attention to speech errors your child may have. If your
child says a word incorrectly, give your child many opportunities to hear
the sound modeled (said) correctly.
4’s Skills
To help your child convey ideas –
Use photographs of familiar people and places and retell what
happened or create new stories.
Follow your child’s directions as she or he explains how to do something.
It is important for you to encourage and expect your child to speak the
best he can. Most of all, be patient, and also tell him how proud you are
when he tries his best.
Identifying Body Parts
As preschool children develop their language abilities an important skill is
the ability to label objects in the environment. We begin with identifying
body parts—head, stomach, arms, legs, hands, feet, fingers, toes, knee,
wrist, shoulder, neck, elbow, ankle, waist and hips.
To specifically work on labeling body parts you might:
Play games such as “Simon Says” using body parts (good for listening skills
too).
Use bath time and dressing time to emphasize the names of body parts.
Play the “Hokey Pokey” and similar games.