A Look at Learning: Early Literacy and English Learning Helps Children Thrive
By Emily Pope, Starling Lead Teacher
Early exposure to literacy goes hand in hand with new or second language acquisition. At Starling, we approach language acquisition on two levels — the first being communicative, meaning that all instruction, conversation, and media are presented in the target language: English. This creates a true immersion atmosphere, so the children associate being at school — and even seeing the teachers’ faces — with speaking and listening in English.
The second approach is through instruction. The learning environment at Starling is carefully balanced between independent play, focused instruction, and hands-on learning. To achieve this, a day at Starling follows a structured routine of phonics lessons, writing instruction, read-aloud lessons, and independent reading — all in the target language, English. This comprehensive approach allows for many forms of learning to take place and for the language to be acquired hand in hand with reading instruction.
Phonics: The Building Blocks of Reading
Letters and letter sounds are the building blocks of any language, whether it is the first or second language being acquired. Phonics lessons at Starling typically begin with an overview of all the letters in the alphabet — naming the letter and its sound, accompanied by a physical action.
Phonemes are the tiniest building blocks of learning to speak and read, and in terms of phonics instruction, they are the first things to teach, as they represent the initial letter sounds. Once those sounds are learned and memorized, true reading and language acquisition begin.
At Starling, letters are not taught in alphabetical order, but rather in an order that has been scientifically proven to improve reading development. Teaching letters in this order — S, A, T, P, I, N — allows for the early acquisition of many three-letter CVC words in combination. The following letters are taught in a similar sequence, all with the goal of making reading happen faster and more easily for young learners.
Learning to Write at Starling: Every Stage Celebrated
Preschool-aged children are typically first interested in the letters in their names and in learning to write them. To honor this, writing lessons are usually aimed at specific practice with writing the child’s name, as well as targeted practice with each letter of the alphabet (following the SATPIN order previously mentioned).
Children are honored for their stage of writing — preliterate, emergent, transitional, or fluent — and are always encouraged and praised for their efforts, no matter their level, rather than rushed or told they are not “doing it right.”
Accompanying activities are incorporated throughout the day, and children are exposed to letters through many avenues, including books and independent reading, songs, games, and activities designed to spark creativity and strengthen fine motor skills.
Read-Aloud Lessons: Windows to the World
Read-aloud texts are typically selected according to a weekly theme based on topics that are already of interest to preschool-aged children. Rich and colorful texts are carefully chosen by teachers to support the child’s imagination and natural curiosity about the world.
Topics spanning from farm animals to planets in the solar system, seasons, months and weather, numbers and letters, transportation, and community helpers all work in harmony to give children a better understanding of their surroundings and their world around them. A wide range of visually engaging stories are presented to support each child’s individual stage of development.
Read-aloud lessons are often supplemented by creative activities or art projects that further reinforce the themes at hand and bring the information to life. Vocabulary cards are added to lessons to enhance the story and support new word learning and language acquisition.
Independent Reading: Building Stamina, Resilience, and Character
Lastly, the Preschool program at Starling incorporates silent or independent reading time, designed to help children wind down during the busy and often stimulating school day by either resting or reading. During this time, children can select texts chosen in advance by the teacher that relate to that week’s theme.
Through this independent selection of reading material, children make meaningful connections between classroom themes and the natural discoveries made on their own through reading. This practice helps develop a lifelong love of reading and reinforces the joys of exploration and discovery.
Literacy and Language: The Starling Way
The approach to literacy and language acquisition at Starling is a supportive one — honoring the whole child and their unique abilities. Children at Starling are not rushed along, but rather celebrated for their efforts and for where they are individually in their stage of literacy as it relates to phonics, writing, and reading.
Early literacy is a crucial tool in whole-language learning, and at Starling, children are not only given the chance to learn — they are given the opportunity to thrive.
Want to Learn More?
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