Jennifer Kearns Fox, Mary Lu Love & Lisa Van Thiel
Institute for Community Inclusion
University of Massachusetts Boston
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With your teaching partner(s), spend a few
minutes describing your favorite summer
environment and why it was special.
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Design classroom environments that are
developmentally appropriate and support
children’s learning.
Reflect on key classroom activities and
instruction throughout the day.
Examine best practices for engaging families in
their children’s education.
Model developed by Dodge & Colker, 1992
Intentional teaching is the core of
developmentally appropriate
practice:
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Child development to inform decisions
and scaffold learning
Clear goals for all children
Individual differences, developmental
levels, and ability to learn
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Background knowledge and prior learning
experiences impact children’s development.
Early teaching of language/literacy and
mathematics in the early years is key to
increasing school readiness and closing the
achievement gap.
Children’s social and emotional competence has
been linked to academic achievement.
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Robust curriculum content
Relationship-based teaching
Differentiated instruction
Active, meaningful, and connected learning
Intentional teaching
Knowledge of child development & individual
children
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Break into 5 small groups:
Identify a recorder
Identify a facilitator
Each group will take one developmental domain
and list the expectations for children at the end of
the year:
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Physical
Cognitive
Social
Emotional
Language and literacy
Present to the whole group
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Emotional competence
Development of conscience
Stress coping and resilience
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Physical growth and
maturation
Sensation and
perception
Gross motor
development
Fine motor development
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Social interactions,
relationships with
teachers and peers
Development of prosocial behaviors
Control over aggression
and other challenging
behaviors
Sense of self in
relationship to others
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Executive functioning (attention,
memory, mental representation)
Logic
Reasoning
Concept acquisition and
classification
Magical thinking
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Oral language and communication
Vocabulary knowledge
Early literacy skills
◦ Phonological awareness
◦ Print awareness
◦ Alphabetic principles
◦ Random Automatic Naming (RAN)
In 5 small groups:
 Identify a recorder
 Identify a facilitator
 Each group will take one developmental domain
and list the DAP expectations for children at the
end of the year:
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Physical
Cognitive
Social
Emotional
Language and literacy
Present to the whole group
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Improve language and literacy outcomes for all
preschoolers
Provide high-quality, language- and literature-rich
classrooms
Increase teachers’ knowledge and skills in using SBRR
practices
Support teachers’ implementation and integration of
SBRR practices and knowledge through coaching
Integrate ERF services and activities with the community
to build children’s language and literacy skills; enhance
home support
A
B
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Physical Environment: Setting, equipment,
materials, arrangement
Social Environment: Relationships (adult:child,
child:child, adult:adult)
Temporal Environment: The use of time
(schedule, transitions, units or projects,
reflection across the year on children’s growth
and classroom activities)
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Softness and hardness
Open and closed
Simple and complex
Intrusion and seclusion
High mobility and low mobility
Traffic flow
Adapted from: Jones, Elizabeth and Prescott, Elizabeth (1984) Dimension s of
the Teaching Learning Environment: A Handbook for Teachers in Elementary
Schools and Day Care Centers. Pasadena, CA: Pacific Oaks College
simple
complex
super-complex
• Messy zone (sink)
• Entry zone (cubbies)
Dry
• Sleeping
• Quiet zone (corners
and protection)
• Active zone: dramatic
play, movement, circle
Wet
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With your teaching team partner(s),
develop a draft floor plan.
After you have drafted your plan,
you will work with another team for
feedback.
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After you have drafted your plan, work with
another team to review and reflect on each
other’s plans.
Please identify missing components, offer
suggestions, and share ideas.
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Start of the day centers
Circle or meeting time
◦ Let’s Find Out About It/Let’s talk About It
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Introduction to Centers
Center time
Small groups
◦ Let’s Find Out About It/Let’s talk About It
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Songs, Word Play, and Letters
Story time
Routines and transitions
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Both OWL and math curricula have a strong
literacy focus.
Both use the same learning centers and share
many educational goals.
The two curricula can be combined to work
together in a half- or full-day program, and include
instructional supports for age differentials and
English language learners.
Key Activities in the Daily Schedule
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Each group will have 2
minutes to list what
happens during this time
period.
On the signal, move to the
next chart.
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In small groups, revisit the key activities listed on
the wall chart for each section of the day.
Use the checklist in your packet to discuss the
activities as a group.
Place a colored sticker next to activities that
support the area of language and literacy in which
your group is focused.
Then return to your table and discuss, using the
template as a guide.
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Look at the carousel
activity.
◦ What does it mean?
◦ What does it tell us?
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Apply knowledge to setting up
classroom environment
Plan daily schedule to provide time for
learning
Set high standards
Remember the MOTTOs we developed
for ourselves and children
Brainstorm at your table:
 Positive ways to foster home/school
connections
 Successful strategies to engage families in
their children’s education
 Successful home/school literacy activities
or strategies
Alon
l Terms
North Shore Community College
UMass Boston