Professional Learning Community: Emergent Literacy

Module 1: Print Knowledge (Sessions 1-3)

Participant Guide
Everything a preschool teacher needs to participate in this PLC including: an overview of the sessions, the five-step process for each session, a session schedule, self-study readings, activities to complete during and between sessions, slides with space to take notes, reproducible materials, and a glossary.

Facilitator Guide
Everything a facilitator needs to guide a team of preschool teachers through emergent literacy PLC sessions including delivery options, how to prepare for each session, a structured plan for each session, and slides with speaker notes. Given the rich content of emergent literacy instruction addressed in these materials, the ideal facilitator will be an educator with an understanding of emergent literacy, good communication skills, and the ability to relate well to adult learners.

Facilitator PowerPoint Presentation
Slides for the facilitator to project during each session. Slides for Sessions 1–3 are included in this PowerPoint presentation.

Videos
The videos include preschool teachers applying evidence-based language and literacy instructional practices and animations exemplifying literacy concepts. The videos and their key points are below. Video links and key points are also found in the Facilitator Guide and PowerPoint presentation.

Video 1: Letter Knowledge and Decoding Connection

Key Points About the Video

Print knowledge is a precursor to reading.
Children need to learn the alphabetic principle, the understanding that there is a predictable relationship between written letters and spoken sounds.
Learning letter sounds provides children a foundation for learning how to decode words.

Video 2: Small-Group Explicit Instruction Using Sound Bags (M and S)

Key Points About the Video

The teacher is teaching in a small group format.
The teacher introduced the new letter S by telling children the letter and having them repeat the letter name.
The teacher explained and modeled the concept.
Each child was asked to say the letter name as she traced it.
The teacher provided individual turns with scaffolding.
Scaffold: When the child called the M a W, the teacher showed the child a plastic letter M and said, "This is the letter M." She asked the child to trace it and say M. She turned the letter upside down and explained that if was upside down it would be a W. Then she asked the child which bag the M should go in: the M bag or the S bag. This provided the child two more opportunities to practice the letter M.
Scaffold: When the teacher asked if the M was lowercase or uppercase, she brought out both types of letters and discussed the differences.

Video 3: Implicit Print Knowledge Instruction in Multiple Contexts

Key Points About the Video

Explicit instruction usually takes place in small groups. Explicit instruction usually follows the I Do, We Do, You Do instructional routine whereas implicit instruction does not. During explicit instruction, the teacher always scaffolds instruction. During implicit instruction, children sometimes practice skills without a lot of teacher scaffolding.
Children practiced print knowledge skills during both explicit and implicit instruction.
Explicit instruction is useful when introducing a new skill, like a new letter name. Implicit instruction is useful when practicing skills already explicitly taught.

Video 4: Small-Group Explicit Instruction Using Letter Sound Spinners

Key Points About the Video

You would not use the same activity for every small group because you need to differentiate instruction. Implement different activities for different small groups based on their instructional needs.
For a child who is struggling, you may reduce the number of letters to identify. You could also have the child say only the letter name instead of the letter name and letter sound. You could also work one-on-one with the child to provide more practice opportunities and scaffolding from you.
For a child who is more advanced, you may have more letters from which to choose. You could also have the child write the letters and say their sounds as they write them.
An obstacle to implementing small-group instruction might be determining what the other children are doing while you teach in small groups.
A solution to that obstacle is to preplan engaging activities and have a teacher assistant monitor their implementation.

Video 5: Whole-Group Instruction Using Letter Sound Spinners

Key Points About the Video

Small-group instruction was more effective for this activity because children received more opportunities to practice the letter names and letter sounds and received more specific scaffolding from the teacher.
Children appeared to be more engaged in the activity during small-group instruction because each child had many opportunities to respond and engage with the teacher. During whole-group instruction, each child received only one turn.
Teacher feedback during whole-group instruction was specific to each child. However, she was not able to provide extra practice to children who needed it.
Small-group instruction provides more opportunities for the teacher to differentiate instruction because each child could get a turn to identify each letter, so the teacher could determine which children may need extra practice with certain letters and which have mastered certain letters.

Video 6: Scaffolding During Small-Group Explicit Instruction

Key Points About the Video

When children thought a lowercase M was a W, the teacher turned it upside down and said, "If you turn it that way it is a w, but if you turn it this way, it is an m."
When a child called the lowercase m an uppercase M, the teacher told him it was a lowercase m. Then, the teacher immediately asked the child the same question to provide an opportunity to practice again.
When a child wrote a lowercase M instead of an uppercase M, the teacher asked him to name the letter and then asked him to write an uppercase M.
At the end of the review of letter names, the teacher compares uppercase and lowercase M to show the difference and asks the children to name each again.
While describing the building of the alphabet caterpillar, the teacher provided another practice opportunity with naming M for the child who had the most difficulty with M.

Video 7: Print Referencing During Read-Alouds

Key Points About the Video

The teacher pointed (nonverbal) to the title as she read it (verbal).
The teacher pointed (nonverbal) to the author and the illustrator as she read (verbal) their names.
The teacher pointed to the first word on the page and left-to-right (nonverbal) as she explained (verbal) where to start reading and which direction to read.
The teacher pointed (nonverbal) to an uppercase letter as she asked (verbal) the children if it was an uppercase or lowercase letter.
Teacher pointed (nonverbal) to a sentence and asked (verbal) the children to count the words in the sentence.
Teacher pointed (nonverbal) to each word as children counted (verbal) the words in a sentence.

Video 8: Small-Group Explicit Instruction for the Letter M

Key Points About the Video

Visual aid: uppercase and lowercase M on letter card.
Mnemonic device: uppercase and lowercase M with a picture of a mountain.
Manipulatives: magnetic letters.
Individualized instruction worked with one child at the end of the lesson.

Module 2: Phonological Awareness (Sessions 4-6)

Participant Guide
Everything a preschool teacher needs to participate in this PLC including: an overview of the sessions, the five-step process for each session, a session schedule, self-study readings, activities to complete during and between sessions, slides with space to take notes, reproducible materials, and a glossary.

Facilitator Guide
Everything a facilitator needs to guide a team of preschool teachers through emergent literacy PLC sessions including delivery options, how to prepare for each session, a structured plan for each session, and slides with speaker notes. Given the rich content of emergent literacy instruction addressed in these materials, the ideal facilitator will be an educator with an understanding of emergent literacy, good communication skills, and the ability to relate well to adult learners.

Facilitator PowerPoint Presentation
Slides for the facilitator to project during each session. Slides for Sessions 4–6 are included in this PowerPoint presentation.

Videos
The videos include preschool teachers applying evidence-based language and literacy instructional practices and animations exemplifying literacy concepts. The videos and their key points are below. Video links and key points are also found in the Facilitator Guide and PowerPoint presentation.

Video 1: The Literacy Tree: A Representation of Foundational Literacy Skills

Key Points About the Video

Phonological awareness is a foundational skill that children will need when, in later grades, formal reading instruction begins.
Children who have good print knowledge skills and well developed phonological awareness can quickly understand the connection between the phonemes (the sounds) and the graphemes (the letters). This will help them benefit from phonics instruction in later grades.
Decoding skills support the development of reading fluency, and reading fluency is a bridge to reading comprehension.
Strong oral language skills and vocabulary knowledge support reading comprehension. When children hear a lot of words and know the meanings of words, they are more likely to understand what they read in later grades.

Video 2: Phonological Awareness Continuum

Key Points About the Video

Phonological awareness is an overarching term that is used to explain several levels of the sound structure of language. There are four levels on the phonological awareness continuum: word, syllable, onset-rime, and phoneme.
Children will enter preschool with diverse levels of phonological awareness.
The entire phonological awareness continuum does not need to be taught in preschool. The goal is for children to progress along the phonological awareness continuum throughout preschool. The phoneme level is typically not developed in preschool.
It is important to determine where each child is on the phonological awareness continuum and explicitly teach each children at their current level in small groups to help them make progress along the continuum.
Phonological awareness is not sequential. Children do not need to master one level on the phonological awareness continuum before moving to the next level.

Video 3: Small Groups in Action

Key Points About the Video

During center time, the teacher reinforced what was learned in previous phonological awareness lessons by providing a syllable puzzle piece activity at an independent center and by practicing syllables during discussions at the kitchen center.
The assistant was consistently engaged with the children. She taught a small group of children and engaged in conversations with them.
While teaching in small groups, the teacher/assistant always faced the other children in the classroom. The children she was working with faced her with their backs to the rest of the activity in the classroom. This allowed the teacher/assistant to be aware of what was happening in the classroom and allowed the children in the small group to focus on the instruction led by that teacher.
The teacher and assistant can discuss their classroom observations and observations during small-group instruction to determine how to maximize child engagement during center time.
Children changed centers by moving their picture to the center of their choice on the class center board. Centers were labeled by pictures with Velcro on the back.
Children placed completed artwork and other activities in a hanging file folder on the wall next to the center board.
To implement small groups in a smoothly run classroom, teachers must explicitly teach expectations and routines and provide many opportunities for children to practice the routines. During the days (or weeks) of practicing classroom routines, instead of teaching a small group, the teacher provides specific feedback to children as they work in small groups, pairs, and independently. Once children can engage in center time productively, then the teacher starts to teach small groups during center time.

Video 4: Word Level Phonological Awareness Lesson

Key Points About the Video

Scaffold example: The teacher held each picture up one at a time as she prompted the child to say each word. Then, the teacher put the pictures together and modeled how to say the words together. Finally, the teacher monitored as she provided the child an independent turn.
Scaffold example: The teacher separated the two pictures and prompted the child to say each picture's name. Then the teacher brought the pictures together and modeled how to say the two words together. She had the child repeat the word.
The teacher was very patient and allowed children ample time to respond.

Video 5: Syllable Level Phonological Awareness Lesson

Key Points About the Video

Scaffold example: When the child said there were two syllables in banana, the teacher asked her to try again and tapped the syllables with her.
Other scaffolds:
- When the child called the octopus a squid, the teacher told her the name of the picture (octopus). Then, tapped and had the child identify the number of syllables in octopus and the number of syllables in squid.
- The teacher used encouraging and specific words when providing feedback.
- When the children could not remember the word syllable, the teacher cued them by saying, /s/.
- The teacher was enthusiastic and warm.
- The teacher smiled and laughed with the children.
The pace of the lesson was just right because the children were actively engaged in the activity and on task throughout the lesson.

Video 6: Onset-Rime Level Phonological Awareness Lesson

Key Points About the Video

Scaffold example: When the child said that book and house rhyme, the teacher said the onset and rime for each word separately for the child to hear that the middle and end of the words do not rhyme. She said, "/b/ /ook/, /h/ /ouse/. They don't rhyme because they don't sound the same in the middle and the end, book, house."
Other scaffolds: This may have been the first time the children did this task. The teacher did a lot of modeling and explaining, which these children needed. She was also enthusiastic and gave specific and encouraging feedback.
The pace of the lesson was just right because the children were actively engaged in the activity and on task throughout the lesson.

Video 7: Phoneme Level Phonological Awareness Lesson

Key Points About the Video

Scaffold question 1: When the child was going to place the domino in the car backpack, the teacher pointed as she said, "This is car and it starts with a /k/ sound and deer starts with /d/." The child immediately corrected herself by placing the domino in the deer backpack.
Other scaffolds:
- When the child said, "d" the teacher responded, "That's the letter, what's the sound?"
- When the child called the comb a hairbrush, the teacher said a hairbrush has a handle.
- "I like how you thought about the first sound in comb and matched it to the first sound in car."
- The teacher used encouraging and specific words when providing feedback.
- The teacher gave high-fives to children.
The pace of the lesson was just right because the children were actively engaged in the activity and on task throughout the lesson.
The teacher was very patient and allowed children ample time to respond.

Video 8: Phonological Awareness Throughout the Day

Key Points About the Video

During small-group instruction, the tasks were blending (putting together) and segmenting (pulling apart) spoken words at the syllable level. Here are two examples of where (setting) and how (task) the teacher reinforced phonological awareness at the syllable level throughout the day.
- During read-aloud, the children segmented syllables in words from the story (sweeper, beeper, limousine).
- While waiting in line, the children segmented syllables in animal words (horse, alligator, gorilla).
Here are three examples of where (setting) and how (task) the teacher reinforced phonological awareness at the word level throughout the day.
- During the read-aloud, children blended and deleted the compound word, everybody.
- During lunch, the children blended and deleted compound words (corndog, popcorn).
- During recess, the children blended and deleted compound words (football, sidewalk, motorcycle).

Video 9: Phonological Awareness and Considerations for Intensive Instruction

Key Points About the Video

The teacher used:
- An explicit instructional routine (I Do, We Do, You Do).
- Visual prompts in the form of picture cards that represent the words.
- Positive reinforcement (e.g., "Kiss your brain!").
- Immediate corrective feedback.
- Simplified directions as needed.

Module 3: Vocabulary (Sessions 7-9)

Participant Guide
Everything a preschool teacher needs to participate in this PLC including: an overview of the sessions, the five-step process for each session, a session schedule, self-study readings, activities to complete during and between sessions, slides with space to take notes, reproducible materials, and a glossary.

Facilitator Guide
Everything a facilitator needs to guide a team of preschool teachers through emergent literacy PLC sessions including delivery options, how to prepare for each session, a structured plan for each session, and slides with speaker notes. Given the rich content of emergent literacy instruction addressed in these materials, the ideal facilitator will be an educator with an understanding of emergent literacy, good communication skills, and the ability to relate well to adult learners.

Facilitator PowerPoint Presentation
Slides for the facilitator to project during each session. Slides for Sessions 7–9 are included in this PowerPoint presentation.

Videos
The videos include preschool teachers applying evidence-based language and literacy instructional practices and animations exemplifying literacy concepts. The videos and their key points are below. Video links and key points are also found in the Facilitator Guide and PowerPoint presentation.

Video 1: Building a Network of Words

Key Points About the Video

Our mind stores words in networks (words that are related to each other and to a larger topic of interest). New words are remembered and retrieved more easily when they are connected. You can visualize a spider's web connecting many related words.
It is important to build a network of words prior to teaching vocabulary so you know which words to teach. When you teach words from a network of words, you are intentional about teaching vocabulary as opposed to teaching random words that are not connected to each other. Building and teaching from a network of words help children learn new words that connect to words they already know. Networks of words help children more quickly remember and recall words that are associated with the same topic.

Video 2: Dialogic Reading with Narrative Text

Key Points About the Video

The teacher asks labeling questions. Many of the labeling questions are followed by a color, shape, or function question to help children more deeply understand the concepts and the meaning of the words.
The children did not know the label for placemat. They called it a mat. The teacher prompted by asked, "What kind of mat?" When the children still aren't sure, the teacher labels the object and prompts everyone to say placemat. The teacher should not prompt the children to guess the label for an object. This could lead to other children misunderstanding the correct answer/label. For dining room, the children said, "table." The teacher asked a clarifying question, "What kind of room is this where they are eating?"
Examples of follow-up questions the teacher asked: What shape is the placemat? What do we use a refrigerator for? What is a menu used for? What do we use a booster seat for? What color is the spinach?
When the children point to a picture in Session 4, she prompts them by saying, "What is that?" She says, "Use your words." If the children just provide a one-word answer for what they see, the teacher can say, "Tell me more about that object."
In session 4 the children have more freedom to talk about what they know and what interests them. This can be a good time to encourage more reluctant speakers.
The plot of the story influences questions asked in session 5.
- The teacher asked plot-related questions: "What happened after D.W. pounded her fist on the table?" The teacher rereads part of the text in session 5 to help children remember parts of the story, such as how D.W.'s mom felt when D.W. pounded her fist on the table in a restaurant.
- The plot also leads to a discussion about children having tantrums in restaurants. One child asks what a tantrum is, which provides an opportunity for the teacher to teach the children another new word.
- When the mother in the story asks the waiter for the recipe, the children begin a discussion about using recipes with their families at home.

Video 3: Dialogic Reading with Expository Text

Key Points About the Video

During session 1 of Dialogic Reading, the teacher reads the entire book verbatim. She may pause to ask a couple labeling questions, but the main task is to read the entire story.
Teachers can ask follow-up questions after the initial labeling questions in Sessions 1–3. Follow up questions can include color, shape, or function questions. These questions help children more deeply understand the concepts and the meaning of the words.
Dialogic Reading with an expository book is different than Dialogic Reading with a narrative book, or a book that tells a story. Instead of plot-driven questions, questions/prompts for expository text may include cause and effect or sequencing type questions, particularly in Session 5. If the book is longer than a typical shared reading book, the teacher may decide to read half the book in one session and the other half in a second session later that day.
In Session 4, the teacher asks open-ended questions. The teacher can choose one of the listed objects or items and prompt the child to tell her more about that one item. The teacher could also let the child choose by saying, "You just named a lot of things. Which item do you want to tell me more about?"
The teacher reinforces target words by continuing to use the target word in her conversations with the children. She uses the target words when she is modeling answers on various pages.
In Session 5, the teacher asks recall questions, distancing questions, and retell prompts such as "What happened next?"
As the children progress through each of the sessions, their responses get longer and begin to include target words introduced or encountered in Sessions 1–3.

Video 4: Play-Based Interactions with Teacher Guidance

Key Points About the Video

The teacher prepares centers to encourage the use of target words: Paint to blend at the art center; dairy products at the kitchen center; cheese (dairy) at snack time; cows at the blocks center while building a dairy farm; blending mud and water to make mud pies outside.
The teacher asks questions that require the use of the target word to answer. She makes comments during play that include the target words. Examples: What do we need to do with the water and dirt to make a mud pie (blend)? What word do we use when we think something tastes really yummy (delicious)?
The teacher engages in conversation with each child. She keeps each child actively engaged. She works in small groups. She asks each child questions to elicit the target word.
The teacher prompts the child by saying the first sound in delicious. "How does it taste? /d/"
The teachers smiles and has fun with the children. She focuses on the activity—painting, making mud pies, shopping at the kitchen center.
Children can initiate/direct the play. Play-based does not use the I Do, You Do, We Do instructional routine.

Video 5: Explicit Instruction for Specific Words

Key Points About the Video

Evidence of explicit instruction includes the teacher providing simple, child-friendly definitions, opportunities for children to say the word multiple times, and activities that actively engage children.
The teacher prompts the children to say the word multiple times asking the children to say the target word when she provides an example.
The teacher keeps the children actively involved by using thumbs-up or thumbs-down, sorting objects, and turn and talk.
An example of how the teacher scaffolded instruction is when the child was trying to determine whether raisins were dairy or nondairy. The teacher shows milk and reminds the child that things made from milk are dairy products.

Module 4: Oral Language (Sessions 10-12)

Participant Guide
Everything a preschool teacher needs to participate in this PLC including: an overview of the sessions, the five-step process for each session, a session schedule, self-study readings, activities to complete during and between sessions, slides with space to take notes, reproducible materials, and a glossary.

Facilitator Guide
Everything a facilitator needs to guide a team of preschool teachers through emergent literacy PLC sessions including delivery options, how to prepare for each session, a structured plan for each session, and slides with speaker notes. Given the rich content of emergent literacy instruction addressed in these materials, the ideal facilitator will be an educator with an understanding of emergent literacy, good communication skills, and the ability to relate well to adult learners.

Facilitator PowerPoint Presentation
Slides for the facilitator to project during each session. Slides for Sessions 10–12 are included in this PowerPoint presentation.

Videos
The videos include preschool teachers applying evidence-based language and literacy instructional practices and animations exemplifying literacy concepts. The videos and their key points are below. Video links and key points are also found in the Facilitator Guide and PowerPoint presentation.

Video 1: Play-Based Language Interactions

Key Points About the Video

To prompt a child to say a syntax target:
- When the teacher's target syntax is time prepositions, she asks "when" questions. When the teacher's target syntax is adverbs, she asks "how" questions. When the teacher's target syntax is location prepositions, she asks "where" questions.
- When the teacher's target syntax is the conjunction or, she repeatedly asks "which one" will you "choose." Forced choice is used as a scaffold only when the children are unable to produce the target on their own.
- When the children are drawing, the teacher asks, "How are you drawing the rainbow?"
When a child does not say the syntax target spontaneously, the teacher provides a forced choice. For example, "How are you drawing—quickly or slowly?" The teacher can also model the response and have the child repeat.
To ensure that the language interactions stay play-based, the teacher inserts herself into interactions that are already taking place between the children. Interactions included block center, drawing time, and science center. She even follows their lead in those interactions.
Children with average to above-average language skills will benefit from play-based language interactions and will typically not need more explicit instruction. Children with below-average language skills may need more explicit support through small-group instruction and more frequent opportunities to practice language.

VIDEO 2: Small-Group Explicit Instruction (Sequencing)

Key Points About the Video

Not all children need small-group explicit syntax instruction. Children who have below average language skills will benefit most from small-group explicit syntax instruction. Most children with average or above-average language skills make appropriate progress from consistent experiences with modeling and play-based interactions without the explicit and systematic small-group instruction.
The teacher doesn't use the parts of speech labels (noun or verb) because the children don't need to know the parts of speech labels as much as they need to know the purpose and how to use those parts of speech in sentences.
The teacher emphasizes the correct word, missing word, or the correct way to say the word. She doesn't explicitly point out the error or tell children that they are wrong. For example, when the girl says, "The girl jump in the pool," the teacher repeated the sentence with correct verb conjugation. She said, "The girl jumps in the pool."
The teacher could scaffold instruction for a child who was able to get the three puzzle words in the correct order and then make a sentence.. For example, if the child got bike, ask, and mouse, the teacher could say, "What did the bike do?" After the child says "ask," the teacher could ask, "Who did the bike ask?" This should prompt the child to say, "the mouse." Then the teacher should put all the words together into a sentence and have the child repeat the sentence after the teacher: "The bike asked the mouse." The teacher also will stress that this sentence doesn't make sense or is silly.

Video 3: Engaging in Multiturn Conversations

Key Points About the Video

The teacher restated and expanded on children's utterances.
A child could not write with a pencil at the writing center, and another child said it needed to be sharpened. The teacher expanded the child's sentence by saying, "It needs to be sharpened. It is dull."
During transition to play time a child who has difficulty with language described how she was going to play on the slide. The teacher confirmed what she said and restated it in a complete sentence: "That's true! You can go and sit on the slide and go down the slide and go whee!"
The teacher encouraged a child to say more about a topic. During arrival time a child talks about how her mom did her hair, and the teacher asked, "Then what happened?" The teacher also commented, "Daddy brushed your hair. Oh, Mommy brushed your hair!"
At the sand center the teacher assistant asked open-ended questions: Where have you seen sand before? What do you do with sand at the beach?
Peer-to-peer language interaction opportunities were facilitated. The teacher provided plastic tracks for children to put together during outside play time. The teacher asked, "Can you tell Camille how you put it together?" and "Do you want to hear his idea?" Also, at the sand center the teacher assistant said, "Lewis, use your words and ask Sean, 'Can I get the green one?'" and "Tell Shannon what you are going to do with your sand."
Conversations occurred in multiple contexts such as outside, transitions, and centers.

Video 4: Interactive Reading

Key Points About the Video

The teacher prepares for interactive reading by reviewing multiple books that are both expository and narrative. All the books are connected to her classroom theme. The teacher writes down questions related to the target skill that she could ask during the read-aloud.
When planning for interactive reading, the teacher should consider the classroom theme, key concepts about the theme, and the network of words created around that theme.
The teacher focuses on cause and effect. Many expository books lend themselves to teaching cause and effect. This book about germs making you sick clearly has a cause for sickness (i.e., germs), and that concept is reiterated many times throughout the book.
The teacher asks an effect question simply. Then after the children have answered, she says, "Yes, you're sharing your germs when you drink your cousin's soda. Sharing your germs is the effect. Effect is something that happens after you do something. Everyone say effect." She introduces the term effect and has the children repeat it. She does the same thing for cause. Another example occurs when the teacher asks, "What causes cavities?" She responds to the children by saying, "Germs in our mouth cause cavities. Cavities happen because there are bacteria in your mouth. If we don't get the germs out of our mouth, the effect would be cavities."
After the interactive reading lesson the teacher evaluates how the children responded to the book and concepts being taught. Teachers should ask themselves–was the book too long or too short; were the children engaged; was the information too complex or too simple; and the like. This will help in planning the next lesson.

Video 5: Listening Comprehension (Story Cirlce)

Key Points About the Video

The teacher led instruction by explaining and modeling what was expected. She led a discussion about the story grammar (characters, setting, problem, solution) of a book she read aloud to them the previous day.
The teacher scaffolded instruction by asking, "Where was the character? Where was the caterpillar?" She went to a specific part in the book (the setting). She asked if the leaf was inside the house. Children were then able to determine the setting was outside.
The teacher supported peer-to-peer interaction by reminding the children whose turn it was to tell a story and modeling good listening skills. She encouraged taking turns talking and listening.
•The teacher modeled and encouraged attentive listening by reminding the children that good listeners pay attention to and look at the speaker. The teacher modeled attentive listening.
The teacher retold the children's stories and asked follow-up questions that included "What else happened?" and "What kind of food did you butterfly like to eat most?" The teacher also started a reluctant child's story by saying, "Start with once upon a time…" The children also knew that the teacher was listening because she remarked on the big word a child used and restated parts of the story during pauses.

Administrator Materials

The REL Southeast developed a series of webinars to help administrators learn more about planning for the PLC: Emergent Literacy. Each webinar focused on one of the four modules.

Webinar 1: Planning Emergent Literacy Professional Learning Communities in Preschool Settings: A Webinar for Administrators

Presentation Slides

Reflection Guide
This Reflection Guide can be used as a springboard for discussion focused on preparing to implement Professional Learning Community: Emergent Literacy in your context.

Webinar 2: Emergent Literacy Module 2 - Phonological Awareness

Presentation Slides

Reflection Guide
This Reflection Guide can be used as a springboard for discussion focused on preparing to implement Professional Learning Community: Emergent Literacy in your context.

Webinar 3: Emergent Literacy Module 3 - Vocabulary

Presentation Slides

Reflection Guide
This Reflection Guide can be used as a springboard for discussion focused on preparing to implement Professional Learning Community: Emergent Literacy in your context.

Webinar 4: Emergent Literacy Module 4 - Oral Language

Presentation Slides

Reflection Guide
This Reflection Guide can be used as a springboard for discussion focused on preparing to implement Professional Learning Community: Emergent Literacy in your context.

Train-the-Trainer Materials

A virtual 3-Day Train-the-Trainer Event was provided for educators interested in becoming facilitators to deliver the Professional Learning Community: Emergent Literacy. Explore the materials from the 3-Day Train-the-Trainer Event. These materials can be used to learn how to use PLC: EL to facilitate sessions with teachers. They can also be used by trainers to support others to become facilitators of the PLC: EL.

Train-the-Trainer: Introduction, Research, and Overview of Materials

Presentation Slides
Slides to present the introduction, opening activity about developmentally appropriate practice, research and benefits of a PLC focused on emergent literacy, and overview of the PLC: Emergent Literacy materials.

Opening Activity Handout
This handout can be used as an opening activity for participants to reflect on key messages about developmentally appropriate practice (DAP).

Train-the-Trainer: Overview of PLC: Emergent Literacy Modules

Module 1

Presentation Slides
These slides provide an overview of Module 1: Print Knowledge.

Module 2

Presentation Slides
These slides provide an overview of Module 2: Phonological Awareness.

Module 3

Presentation Slides
These slides provide an overview of Module 3: Vocabulary.

Module 4

Presentation Slides
These slides provide an overview of Module 4: Oral Language.

JeoPARDY

Presentation Slides
These slides present a review of Modules 1-4 using a JeoPARDY gameboard.

Train-the-Trainer: Role of Facilitator and Practice Session

Presentation Slides
Slides to present considerations for English learner students and Students With Disabilities, Characteristics and Role of the Facilitator, and Facilitator Scenarios.

Presentation Slides
Slides for Facilitator Practice, Reflection, and Next Steps.

Materials and Videos

Module 1: Print Knowledge (Sessions 1-3)

Video 1: Letter Knowledge and Decoding Connection

Video 2: Small-Group Explicit Instruction Using Sound Bags (M and S)

Video 3: Implicit Print Knowledge Instruction in Multiple Contexts

Video 4: Small-Group Explicit Instruction Using Letter Sound Spinners

Video 5: Whole-Group Instruction Using Letter Sound Spinners

Video 6: Scaffolding During Small-Group Explicit Instruction

Video 7: Print Referencing During Read-Alouds

Video 8: Small-Group Explicit Instruction for the Letter M

Module 2: Phonological Awareness (Sessions 4-6)

Video 1: The Literacy Tree: A Representation of Foundational Literacy Skills

Video 2: Phonological Awareness Continuum

Video 3: Small Groups in Action

Video 4: Word Level Phonological Awareness Lesson

Video 5: Syllable Level Phonological Awareness Lesson

Video 6: Onset-Rime Level Phonological Awareness Lesson

Video 7: Phoneme Level Phonological Awareness Lesson

Video 8: Phonological Awareness Throughout the Day

Video 9: Phonological Awareness and Considerations for Intensive Instruction

Module 3: Vocabulary (Sessions 7-9)

Video 1: Building a Network of Words

Video 2: Dialogic Reading with Narrative Text

Video 3: Dialogic Reading with Expository Text

Video 4: Play-Based Interactions with Teacher Guidance

Video 5: Explicit Instruction for Specific Words

Module 4: Oral Language (Sessions 10-12)

Video 1: Play-Based Language Interactions

VIDEO 2: Small-Group Explicit Instruction (Sequencing)

Video 3: Engaging in Multiturn Conversations

Video 4: Interactive Reading

Video 5: Listening Comprehension (Story Cirlce)

Administrator Materials

Webinar 1: Planning Emergent Literacy Professional Learning Communities in Preschool Settings: A Webinar for Administrators

Webinar 2: Emergent Literacy Module 2 - Phonological Awareness

Webinar 3: Emergent Literacy Module 3 - Vocabulary

Webinar 4: Emergent Literacy Module 4 - Oral Language

Train-the-Trainer Materials

Train-the-Trainer: Introduction, Research, and Overview of Materials

Train-the-Trainer: Overview of PLC: Emergent Literacy Modules

Train-the-Trainer: Role of Facilitator and Practice Session

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