Components of the Secondary

English Language Curriculum

Goal 1: Listening

Children will develop the ability to

listen in order to make sense of their
environment. In order for children to
learn, they need to take information in
and process. Listening to and
comprehending information is an
essential step in acquiring
knowledge (Cassell, 2004; Jalongo,
1996).

 Broad goals for the English Language

curriculum focus on the increasing
childrens skills in listening, speaking,
reading, and writing. It is neither
possible nor advisable to totally
separate the learning of one skill
from the learning of another;
however, at times you will focus
more on one area of English
language than another.

 Listening is not a natural, innate

ability. Instead, it is learned
through the guidance and
teaching of parents, teachers,
and other people in young
childrens environment (Kupetz
& Twiest, 2000).

 Strategies such as a hand signal or

environmental cues such as turning
the lights off to signal to quiet are
helpful in alerting children that it is
time to stop what they are doing and
listen

Goal 2: Speaking

In order to learn language,

children need opportunities to
talk and be heard (Dickinson &
Snow, 1987).

Goal 3: Reading
Although formal reading instruction
typically in first grade,
kindergarteners develop many skills
that prepare them to learn to read.
Children whose daily routines
and activities provide them with
reading opportunities will
begin to identify environmental
print (West & Egley, 1998).

 An environment that is rich in books

and print helps children begin to
discern the meaning of print (Vacca &
Vacca, 2003).
What seems like scribbling on a page
begins to develop meaning as
children begin to understand that
print communicates a message
(Sulzby, 1992)

 Children learn to recognize

letters and words and eventually
become aware of the
relationship of sounds to letters
and words (Bowman, 2002).

 Some kindergarteners effortlessly

crack the code and begin to
identify and sound out words with
continued exposure to print. For
other kindergarteners, reading will
take more effort and require more
formal instruction in first and second
grade.

Goal 4: Writing
Children will learn to write in an
increasingly complex and precise
manner to communicate their ideas,
request things, document their
activities, and provide pleasure and
amusement. To foster this develop,
three-, four-, and five- year olds need
experiences that encourage them to
make marks on paper and write.

 Children begin writing by scribbling

and pictures. As their knowledge
of print increases, letters are
formed, and the collection of
nonsense letters comes closer to
phonetic spellings (Sulzby &
Teale, 1985).

 From these beginnings, children

begin to learn the often difficult but
exciting task of putting their words
and thoughts on paper. They
eventually learn that there are
different purposes for writing and
that the style of writing changes with
the purpose.