In the first week the children will spend time learning how to use the stations. During the weeks that follow they will explore environmental pictures and objects and the sounds that they make. The activities are designed to develop auditory skills through listening activities and games. Language and vocabulary skills will expand by talking about sounds all around them in their environment. 

By spending intentional time listening to and playing with the sounds around them (animal sounds, nature sounds, city sounds, etc.) children will strengthen auditory skills, sound/object association, memory, and sequencing.

These are the skills needed to make the later transition to letter identification and sound knowledge a natural step in the reading process. When letters are introduced, the children will be able to easily associate naming objects along with their sounds. This station is significant to the reading success of these early learners.

Language 3-year-olds

Pre-writing

Building Fine Motor Skills 

On Tuesdays and Thursdays activities are designed to target the development of fine motor skills to increase control, strength, and coordination of the small muscles in their hands.

Open-Ended Questions and Statements

When talking with children it is important to encourage conversation and thinking about what is happening in their play, learning, and other activities. Open-ended questions and statements have more than one right answer and help to stimulate more language use, helps them understand that there can be several solutions to a problem, values their ideas, and encourages creative thinking.

Remember that a 3-year-old child should be able to have a give and take oral conversation with the teacher containing three give and take responses. A 4-year-old child should be able to have four give and take responses.

Example of three give and take responses: 

Teacher: Tell me about why you used red for the flowers in your picture.

Child: Responds 

Teacher: Can you think of something that is red if the classroom?

Child: Responds

Teacher: What might you see that is red outside? 

Child: Responds 

You can find the open ended question and statement cards in the teacher resource area.  These small cards can be put on a ring to carry while walking and observing in different centers around the classroom for a quick reference when talking with children.

Language and Writing Exploration Station

It is important to provide language and writing experiences where children are able to play with materials that encourage them to use new vocabulary, categorize words and understand their meaning as well as build the small muscles in their hands with pre-writing activities. Teachers can provide one or more of the materials for children to practice. 

Materials to add to the language and writing exploration station:

• Various sizes and textures of paper
• Various sizes of envelopes
• Markers, crayons, colored pencils and chubby pencils
• Rulers
• Children's journals
• Round dot stickers (found at office supply stores)
• Line play dough mats 
• Mini white board and erasable markers
• Activities from the lessons
• These items should not all be put out but rotated monthly or quarterly. Add any other items that will enhance your exploration station.