VPS Early Learning Newsletter
November 2018
Dear Early Learning Families,
As a mom and a preschool teacher, I am often exposed to different (and often, adorable) speech articulation and pronunciation. Although, it is a natural inclination for adults to correct speech errors, try hard not to; instead, repeat the word/statement back to him using the correct word or pronunciation. For instance, my 20 month old niece requests her sippy cup by saying, “Wa-wa peese” (translation: “Water please”). When I hand her the cup of water, I may say, “What nice words. Thank you for saying ‘please’. Here is your water.” By repeating your child’s statement with correct pronunciation and word usage, along with lots of praise, your child gains confidence and pride; both of which lead to less frustration, more talking and expanded vocabulary.
Enjoy!
Kendra Yamamoto
Early Learning Teacher
Dates to Calendar:
November 5th - 40 minute early release
November 12th - No school due to Veteran's Day
November 19th - 40 minute early release
November 21st - 23rd - No school due to Thanksgiving break
November 26th - 40 minute early release
Language at 18 months:
This is the age where vocabulary increases rapidly! Often, toddlers around this age gain 5 – 6 new words a week. The most common words in his/her vocabulary will be those used most in everyday interactions with people, objects and events (such as, “mommy”, “daddy”, “spoon” and “park”).
Help Your Child Get Ready to Read
Six Pre-Reading Skills your child can start learning from birth:
- Narrative Skills: being able to describe things and events and tell stories.
- Print Motivation: being interested in and enjoying books.
- Phonological Awareness: Being able to hear and play with smaller sounds in words.
- Vocabulary: knowing the name of things.
- Letter Knowledge: knowing letters are different from each other, knowing their names and sounds and recognizing letters everywhere.
- Print Awareness: noticing print, knowing how to handle a book and knowing how to follow the words on a page.
- The Early Literacy Institute
Kindergarten Readiness: Cognitive Skills
Parents and families have a very important first role as their child's first teacher. Children learn in different ways and at different rates. These guidelines highlight some of the skills children need to be prepared for kindergarten:
My child can think of more than one way to solve a problem.
My child shows curiosity and seeks answers to questions.
My child shows flexibility and creativity in play and problem solving.
My child can group things by color, shape or size.
My child can sit still, stay focused and stick with an activity.
-PreK-3 Cross District Coalition (January 2014)
Dental Care for Young Children
Brushing
-Brush your child's teeth at least twice a day.
-Always brush at bedtime.
-Use a small, soft toothbrush and a rice-sized amount of toothpaste with fluoride.
-Brush or at least 2 minutes, brushing every surface of every tooth and the tongue.
-Replace the toothbrush every 3 to 4 months.
To Keep Teeth Healthy
-Lift your child's lip to get a good look at all of the teeth. If you see white or brown spots, contact your child's dentist.
-When you think your child is ready, let her practice brushing her own teeth - around 4 or 5, but still brush your child's teeth once daily until she is about 6 to 8 years old.
-Take your child for a dental check-up at least once a year.
Washington Dental Service Foundation
1-2-3 Grow and Learn 2018-19 Schedule
Get ready to observe, wonder and learn with your child! Join us, it’s free!
Monday Sessions:
9am – 10:30am @ Washington Elementary
9:15am – 10:45am @ Minnehaha Elementary
12pm – 1:30pm @ Walnut Grove Elementary
Tuesday Sessions:
9am – 10:30am @ Roosevelt Elementary
9am – 10:30am @ Hough Elementary
1pm – 2:30pm @ Truman Elementary
1pm - 2:30pm @ King Elementary
Wednesday Sessions:
9am – 10:30am @ Fruit Valley Elementary
Thursday Sessions:
9am – 10:30am @ Anderson Elementary
9am – 10:30am @ Hazel Dell Elementary
2pm – 3:30pm @ Lincoln Elementary
Friday Sessions:
8:30am – 10am@ Ogden Elementary
9am – 10:30am @ Marshall Elementary
1pm – 2:30pm @ Harney Elementary
And finally...
Research has shown that children from talkative families may have heard 30 million more words directed to them by age 3 than children from less-talkative families! And the same research study showed that the more words children had heard by age 3, the better they did on tests of cognitive development.
- Talkwithyourbaby.org