- Children are "reading" in the library area, are absorbed in story tapes in the listening center, drawing and writing in journals at the writing center, making a SIGN for a block building, jotting a shopping list in the dramatic-play area, and walking around reading the room.
- The joy of reading and writing is reflected by the number of books available in all learning centers of my classroom.
- Bulletin boards and handmade books throughout the room display many examples of children's writings.
- I write a "Morning Message" for children to read at group time.
- Together at group time, we create experience charts, prediction charts, and graphs that model reading and writing for a purpose.
- I model different forms of writing for children at group time (including letters, shopping lists, to-do lists, recipes, phone messages, stories, poems, and titling art/illustrations).
- I model and emphasize reading and writing processes when I write on an experience chart (left-to-right progression, punctuation, vocabulary, and sequencing).
- I use song (or pocket) charts for singing and reading our favorite songs.
- I accept and view every child (no matter what level he is on) as a reader and a writer.
A Language & Literacy Check List
This checklist will help you to take a second look at your own language and literacy program, offering ideas that you may want to incorporate into your existing curriculum: