Of all the topics about preschool literacy that I teach, the most hotly debated among teachers is that of tracing. A simple google search on preschool writing or curriculum ideas will no doubt result in some form of tracing. In fact, even some handwriting curricula encourage the practice. Whenever I introduce the idea of no…
Using worksheets in preschool classrooms is problematic. I was teaching a class recently, and I noticed a common theme. As much as teachers have heard that using worksheets in preschool is not appropriate, they seem to have a hard time letting go of them. Some teachers believe that worksheets have value to children. Others think…
Creating literacy-rich environments is certainly a buzz phrase in preschool classrooms. It seems that everyone is always looking for new literacy activities to make their preschool classrooms literacy-rich. But, unfortunately, what appears to be missing from a lot of these conversations is meaning. It’s not enough to just have a lot of print in your…
Not all classrooms should try to teach a second language. This article explores the pros and cons of teaching another language in your classroom.