2022 Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines

PK3 and PK4 Comprehensive Guide

Table of Contents

Introduction

i. Guiding Principles | 3

ii.

Inclusive Practices | 4

iii

. Organization of the Prekindergarten Guidelines | 6

Domains and Skills

I. Socia

l and Emotional Development | 9

II. Emergent Literacy: Language and Communication | 19

III. Emergent Literacy: Reading | 28

IV. Emergent Literacy: Writing | 42

V. Mathematics | 48

VI. Science | 59

VII. Social Studies | 65

VIII. Fine Arts | 71

IX. Physical Development | 75

X. Technology | 79

App

endix | 82

Phonological Awareness Development Timeline

Writing Development

Introduction

3 3

Introduction

The Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines have been developed to provide guidance for planning quality

learning experiences for all children three to five years of age. They are based on current knowledge of

theory and scientific research about how children develop and learn. The guidelines reflect the growing

consensus among early childhood professional organizations that a greater emphasis should be placed

on young children’s conceptual learning, acquisition of basic skills, and participation in meaningful,

relationship-based learning experiences.

The Tex

as Prekindergarten Guidelines include multiple domains of learning, each with a broad range of

skill development. The intent of this document is to help prekindergarten programs identify the

essential foundational learning skills that will help children from all backgrounds, experiences, and levels

of development to be successful.

The Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines were designed to help educators identify the types of knowledge

and skills that are typical of prekindergarten aged children. It is important to note that there is

considerable variability in development among children that is influenced by their individual and unique

experiences. Responsive to this variability, the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines are not intended as a

rationale to either accelerate or postpone instruction; instead, they define the outcomes as to which

children are able to reach or move towards. In addition, they are intended to help educators better

understand how they can provide effective instructional practices and learning experiences that support

these important early learning outcomes. The Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines also directly align with

the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), to ensure that all children in Texas receive equitable

learning experiences and are ready for kindergarten.

The Texas P

rekindergarten Guidelines are intended for use by all those who support young children’s

learning including school districts, Head Start programs, childcare programs, and, most importantly,

children’s families. They are designed as a resource to help educators and administrators make informed

decisions that pertain to curriculum and instruction. Aligning intentional instructional practices and

opportunities for play, exploration, discovery, and problem-solving with the learning outcomes

described in the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines will promote successful learning for all children.

Guiding Principles

The Guiding Principles that align to the purpose of the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines include the

following:

1. Each child is unique and can succeed at their optimal level with appropriate support. Children

can be successful learners and achieve the outcomes outlined in these guidelines.

2. Children are capable and competent, regardless of their levels of development. Teaching should

be responsive to the individualized needs of each child.

3. All young children learn and thrive in the context of secure, caring, responsive, and stimulating

relationships as they explore the world around them.

Introduction

4 4

4. Children learn best when their social, emotional, physical, and cognitive needs are met and

nourished within their environment.

5. Families are children's primary caregivers, teachers, and advocates. All families must be

respected and encouraged in their efforts to support their child's learning.

6. Young children flourish when their experiences integrate multiple areas of development and are

built on prior knowledge.

7. Effective teaching practices are intentional and build on children’s intrinsic strengths and

interests by providing developmentally appropriate instruction that incorporates many

opportunities for interactive experiences, exploration, meaningful play, and problem-solving.

8. Every child has diverse strengths rooted in their family's culture, background, language,

traditions, and beliefs. Responsive and respectful learning environments welcome children from

all cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Effective teaching practices include learning

opportunities that build on the unique experiential backgrounds and prior knowledge of each

child.

9. Children demonstrate growth in many ways. The systematic monitoring of children’s progress

plays a vital role in revealing a child’s prior knowledge, concept development, and

understanding of the world around them.

10. Teaching and learning are dynamic, integrated, and include reciprocal processes. Children build

awareness and knowledge through play, exploration, inquiry, and application. Skill development

occurs when children are provided with multiple opportunities for practice, reflection, and

intentional feedback

Inclusive Practices

Multilingual Learners

The Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines employ the term multilingual learner to capture the spectrum of

language learners in Texas schools. This term is inclusive of students from two or more language

backgrounds as well as native English speakers participating in a two-way dual language immersion

program. Whether students qualify as English learners or not, the multilingual aspect of their

background includes culture and traditions that may be different than that of school culture in the

United States. The uniqueness of these students should be leveraged as an asset to the culture of the

classroom.

The T

exas Administrative Code §89.1210 describes the program content and design of English as a

Second Language (ESL) and bilingual programs. English learners may be enrolled in an ESL program, a

transitional bilingual education program, or a dual language immersion program model.

In ESL programs, English learners receive linguistically and culturally responsive teaching from an ESL

certified teacher to attain full proficiency in English and to participate equitably in school.

In Tr

ansitional Bilingual Education programs (TBE), English learners receive instruction in literacy and

academic content in their primary language as well as English from teachers certified in bilingual

Introduction

5 5

education. As each child acquires English, the amount of instruction provided in the primary language

decreases until full proficiency in English is attained. Early Exit and Late Exit models are both provided

throughout the duration of elementary grades with differences in the rate of transition to English

proficiency.

In dual language immersion programs (DLI), participants receive instruction in literacy and academic

content in the program’s partner language (i.e., Spanish, Vietnamese) as well as English from

appropriately certified teachers. At least half of the instruction is delivered in the partner language for

the duration of the program. One-way models serve English learners only but include participation of

former English learners who are continuing after reclassification. Two-way models include English

learners as well as participation of English proficient students learning the partner language.

Regardless of program participation, children's current strengths, skills and experiences are assets that

serve as the foundation upon which new knowledge is built. During the prekindergarten year(s),

multilingual learners can receive the message that they are valuable just as they are, full of ideas,

preferences, and potential. The prekindergarten classroom is where this seed will be planted as teachers

address the unique strengths of both linguistic and cognitive needs of these children.

Children with Disabilities

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), children with disabilities are entitled to a

free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). Children with

disabilities who receive special education services must be provided with opportunities to learn and

make progress in the general education curriculum available to all children, and to the greatest extent

possible, alongside their non-disabled peers to allow all children to reach their full potential. The

Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee determines the LRE for children who receive special

education and related services. The LRE is based on the child’s individualized education program (IEP).

Once the ARD committee has identified the child’s strengths and needs, they consider a continuum of

services and supports to ensure the child with a disability has equal access to meaningful participation in

the general education curriculum through the development of the IEP.

Three a

reas have been identified as critical for ensuring a child can meaningfully participate in school

and society. For children with disabilities to be fully included in school and to ultimately achieve a high-

quality of life, they need opportunities to:

• Develop positive social-emotional skills, including enjoying successful social relationships with

peers and adults, expressing emotions, managing self-concepts and self-control, learning about

empathy and the perspective of others, and following rules and expectations.

• Acquire and use knowledge and skills, including early language and communication, thinking and

problem-solving, imitation, use of symbols, and early literacy.

• Use appropriate behaviors to meet their own needs, including adaptive or self-help skills such as

toileting, feeding oneself, and practicing safety.

(Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA)

For

children with special needs, expectations for meeting the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines student

outcomes requires thoughtful consideration by a team, which includes the child’s family and other

Introduction

6 6

identified professionals. For instance, some children can be expected to work toward the same level

outcomes as their typically developing peers. Other children may be able to meet these outcomes with

adaptations in materials or instructional strategies. Some children may require modified goals.

Regardless, it is important not to make assumptions about a child’s ability to meet the outcomes in each

domain without conducting a careful appraisal of the individual child's capabilities and needs. If the child

has an existing IEP, it should be carefully reviewed to determine which student outcomes from the Texas

Prekindergarten Guidelines are possible for the child to work toward without modifications or

accommodations and which are attainable with some accommodations, and/or modifications. Decisions

resulting from this process should be documented in writing per the IEP, so that all members of the ARD

team are clear about how the child’s needs will be met, what types of accommodations and

modifications will be made in different domains, and how the child’s educational goals will align with the

student outcomes described in Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines.

Note:

Removal from the general education classroom should occur only if the use of supplementary aids

and services do not permit the child to achieve success. Research indicates that early childhood inclusion

is beneficial to children with and without disabilities in reaching their full potential and result in broad

societal benefits, including higher productivity in adulthood and fewer resources spent on interventions

and public assistance later in life (Policy Statement on Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early

Childhood Programs, U.S Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Education,

September 14, 2015).

Organization of the Prekindergarten Guidelines

The Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines are organized into the following categories: Domains, Skills,

Outcomes and Child Behaviors.

Domains: The d

omains are broad areas of early learning and development from birth to 5 years that are

essential for school and long-term success. The Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines are organized into ten

domains:

I. Social and Emotional Development

II. Emergent Literacy: Language and Communication

III. Emergent Literacy: Reading

IV. Emergent Literacy: Writing

V. Mathematics

VI. Science

VII. Social Studies

VIII. Fine Arts

IX. Physical Development

X. Technology

Skills: The skills are specific components of development within the domain. Although the Texas

Prekindergarten Guidelines are organized into specific domains of learning, and each domain is

comprised of skills, the intent is not to suggest that children’s skills develop separately or apart from

each other. Nor is it the intent that isolated skill instruction be used as an appropriate way to support

learning during the prekindergarten years. The Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines are based on the

premise that learning occurs on a continuum and that developmental domains are highly interrelated.

Introduction

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Children succeed to their highest potential in nurturing environments that support their learning across

all domains.

Outcomes: The outcomes are statements of end-of-year expectations of learning and development for

children 48 months (PK3) and 60 months (PK4) of age. They describe specific, observable skills,

behaviors, and concepts that children should know and be able to do at the end of prekindergarten.

Given children’s individual differences, some children may demonstrate these indicators sooner, and

some may demonstrate them later. The indicators listed for each age are not exhaustive.

Outcomes are numbered in the following manner:

• Student a

ge is identified by “PK3” (up to 48 months) or “PK4” (up to 60 months).

• Learning domains are indicated with Roman numerals.

• Within each domain, separate skills are listed with an alphabetic indicator.

• Under each skill, the outcomes are then numbered sequentially.

The child outcomes are:

• COMPREHENSIVE–Cover the central domains of early learning and skills children need to succeed in

school and provide sufficient scope and depth in each area.

• INCLUSIVE–Relevant for children with varying ability levels and diverse linguistic, economic, and

cultural backgrounds.

Six domains (Social and Emotional Development, Emergent Literacy: Language and Communication,

Emergent Literacy: Reading, Emergent Literacy: Writing, Mathematics, and Physical Development)

include outcomes for both PK3 and PK4. Four domains (Science, Social Studies, Fine Arts, and

Technology) do not include PK3 student outcomes as there is not sufficient research to clearly define

typical behaviors of three-year-old children related to these skills. This does not mean that children of

this age group should

Introduction

8 8

not participate in the experiences related to the learning outcomes, but rather, the focus should be on

engaging three-year-old's in the beginning stages of exploration of these concepts. This exposure will

support children to develop a solid foundation of understanding, which will allow them to build and

deepen their knowledge as they continue to learn and grow.

Child Behaviors: The child behaviors are examples that explain the competency of the outcome. The

behaviors are not exhaustive of what a child may be able to demonstrate, rather they are behaviors that

a child may demonstrate towards competency of the outcome.

Ultimately, the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines are not intended to be used as a curriculum,

assessment tool or checklist. They are not meant to be used in isolation, or to stifle the creativity of

caregivers and educators. Rather, they are meant to serve as a resource for families, educators, and

administrators to provide developmentally appropriate guidance and practices around young children’s

development and learning in the prekindergarten environment.

Social and Emotional Development

I. Social and Emotional Development Domain

While a prekindergarten education should include activities that strengthen cognitive skills, it must also

provide for the development of the social and emotional competencies required for school readiness

and success in life. The development of these personal and social skills enables children to build a sense

of who they are and what they can do. Supportive, positive relationships between teachers and children

are essential to implementing effective practices that support a child’s social and emotional

development. Children must establish positive relationships with adults and peers to participate

effectively in the classroom community, assert independence in appropriate ways, and accomplish tasks

that are meaningful to them without infringing on the rights of others. Children who can follow

directions, communicate their wants, and needs effectively, and get along with other children are better

prepared for kindergarten and beyond.

Early experiences influence brain development by establishing the neural connections that provide the

foundation for language, reasoning, problem solving, social skills, behavior, and emotional health. Daily

experiences such as transitioning from home to school, sharing a space or materials, resolving conflicts,

and demonstrating empathy contribute to a child’s social and emotional development. However,

children benefit from direct instruction and repeated opportunities to practice these skills.

The Social and Emotional Development Domain of the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines is divided into

the following skills: self-concept, self-regulation, relationships with others, and social awareness.

A. Self-Concept

Central to understanding emotional development is the idea of self-concept: an ever-increasing level of

conscious awareness of one’s feelings, thoughts, abilities, likes, and dislikes, as well as awareness of

one’s body in space. Prekindergarten children’s emerging ability to perceive these aspects of themselves

at a conscious level distinguishes them from toddlers, who lack such awareness. Children begin to

generate multiple answers to the question “Who am I?” which is an essential aspect of becoming

competent in related areas, such as self-control and social/friendship skills. A child’s identity includes

cultural and linguistic factors, and the prekindergarten environment is one of the first public

opportunities for children to recognize the uniqueness of their own home culture and language as well

as accept and value cultures and languages different from their own. Early childhood educators must

model the mindset of diversity as an asset in the classroom, school, and community.

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

PK3.I.A.1 Child is building competence in

controlling own body movements.

PK4.I.A.1 Child is aware of where own body is in

space and respects personal boundaries.

Social and Emotional Development

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• stay in designated personal spaces without intruding upon others (e.g., stays in own seat at

lunch table without kicking feet or leaning against neighboring children or stays seated on

assigned space during whole group instruction without distracting others)

• move around the classroom without stepping on materials or disrupting others’ activities

• maintain appropriate personal space when speaking with others

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.I.A.2 Child can identify own

physical attributes and indicate some likes and

dislikes when prompted.

PK4.I.A.2 Child shows self-awareness of physical

attributes, personal preferences, and own abilities.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• use basic physical characteristics to describe self (e.g., hair color, eye color, or height)

• identify with a group or groups to which they belong (e.g., race/ethnicity, speaker of another

language, family member, classroom group)

• use personal inclinations to describe self (e.g., favorite color, food, or game)

• use specific competencies to describe self (e.g., “I can tie my shoes.” or “I am good at drawing.”)

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

PK3.I.A.3 Child begins to show awareness of own

abilities.

PK4.I.A.3 Child shows reasonable opinion of his

own abilities and limitations.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• choose to use the stairs instead of the climbing rope on the playground

• request help from adults when appropriate

• decline help politely when not needed (e.g., “No thanks, I can do it myself.”)

Social and Emotional Development

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.I.A.4 Child shows initiative in trying

new activities but may not persist when obstacles

or challenges arise.

PK4.I.A.4 Child shows initiative in trying new

activities and demonstrates perseverance when

attempting to overcome obstacles or challenges.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• independently select a new book or game in a learning center

• work on a puzzle until it is complete

• try several strategies to solve a problem before seeking adult assistance (e.g., when a crayon

breaks, the child replaces the broken crayon with a new crayon instead of raising their hand to

tell the teacher)

B. Self-Regulation

Prekindergarten children feel safer and function more successfully in the classroom when rules and

routines are consistently implemented. A well-organized classroom with well-prepared activities helps

children expand their attention span and build self-control and personal responsibility. As they

encounter and overcome new and various social obstacles when interacting with peers, guidance from

teachers will enable them to learn acceptable ways of dealing with social and emotional stress and/or

excitement.

Self-regulation skills include three subskills: behavior control, emotional control, and control of

attention. Subskills only appear in this section of the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines and are

represented by a lowercase letter at the end of the citation.

1. Behavior Control

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.I.B.1.a Child follows simple rules and routines

when assisted by adults.

PK4.I.B.1.a Child follows classroom rules and

routines with occasional reminders from adults.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• demonstrate understanding of classroom rules

• respond appropriately to classroom behavior expectations

Social and Emotional Development

• identify and follow the sequence of the day’s events, (e.g., “After centers, it’s time to go

outside.”)

• participate in daily transitions when changing centers, moving from whole group to small group

instruction, getting in line, etc.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.I.B.1.b Child takes care of and manages

classroom materials with adult assistance.

PK4.I.B.1.b Child takes care of and manages

classroom materials.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• appropriately handle materials during activities

• clean up and place classroom materials in appropriately labeled spaces

• put away personal belongings in their designated space

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

PK3.I.B.1.c Child manages own behavior with

adult guidance and assistance.

PK4.I.B.1.c Child regulates own behavior with

occasional reminders or assistance from adults.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• communicate appropriately to make needs known

• wait for a turn (e.g., waits patiently at the water fountain for a classmate to finish drinking or

selects another learning center when the learning center of choice is full)

• refrain from impulsive responses (e.g., waits for turn to be called on during group discussion or

requests materials rather than grabbing them)

2. Emotional Control

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.I.B.2.a Child recognizes and expresses a range

of emotions.

PK4.I.B.2.a Child begins to

understand the connection between emotions and

behaviors.

Social and Emotional Development

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• express feelings or respond with appropriate behavior (e.g., Child does not grab a toy back from

a friend, but rather says, “I feel sad when you take my toy!”)

• verbalize understanding that all feelings are okay even though some behaviors may not be okay

• identify appropriate and inappropriate behaviors to common feelings

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.I.B.2.b Child is familiar with basic feeling

words (e.g., happy, sad, mad, scared).

PK4.I.B.2.b Child uses verbal and nonverbal

communication to communicate basic

emotions and feelings.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• demonstrate familiarity with a variety of feeling words (e.g., happy, sad, mad, scared, proud,

worried, excited)

• label own feelings when prompted

• identify feelings of characters in stories or movies

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.I.B.2.c Child manages intensity of emotions

with adult assistance.

PK4.I.B.2.c Child is able to manage intensity of

emotions more consistently, although adult

guidance is sometimes necessary.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• use appropriate strategies to decrease level of distress (e.g., requests help when feeling

frustrated with a task or seeks comfort from teacher when feeling sad)

• respond positively to adult guidance in using calming strategies (e.g., suggestions to separate

self from frustrating situations or take a deep breath)

• show enjoyment while participating in activities that stimulate different types of emotions

(e.g., playground games or music activities that require alternation of loud/quiet, fast/slow)

Social and Emotional Development

3. Control of Attention

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

PK3.I.B.3.a Child focuses attention on one task at

a time but may not stay with it to completion.

PK4.I.B.3.a Child sustains attention to personally

chosen or routine (teacher-directed) tasks until

completed.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• select and complete an activity before moving on to a new one

• create and carry out a sequence of dramatic play plans with a peer

• follow a familiar daily routine until the task is finished

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.I.B.3.b Child remains focused on engaging,

teacher-led group activities for up to 10–15

minutes at a time.

PK4.I.B.3.b Child remains focused on engaging,

teacher-led group activities for up to 20 minutes.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• increase stamina on ability to pay attention during story time

• actively participate by sitting attentively (e.g., eye contact, raising hand, contributing to

discussion) during circle time

• en

gage in a teacher-led small group activity despite what may be occurring in other small groups

around her

C. Relationships with Others

As prekindergarten children enter school, they start forming relationships with the adults and other

children in their school environment. Effective teachers offer support and assist children as they develop

meaningful and rewarding relationships. During this developmental period, children often begin to

develop special friendships with peers that increase their feelings of comfort, joy, and confidence in

their social world. These experiences also help build a sense of empathy and caring for others.

Social and Emotional Development

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.I.C.1 Child forms positive relationships

with adults and peers.

PK4.I.C.1 Child uses effective verbal and nonverbal

communication skills to build relationships with

adults and peers.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• greet teachers and/or peers in the morning and say goodbye when leaving

• demonstrate they are listening to adults and/or peers when communicating (e.g., looks at

speaker, responds to verbal or nonverbal exchanges)

• engage in conversations with adults and/or peers about what they are doing (e.g., shares stories

and experiences from outside of the school)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.I.C.2 Child assumes roles and responsibilities

as part of the classroom community with adult

assistance.

PK4.I.C.2 Child assumes various roles and

responsibilities as part of the classroom

community.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• readily accept and carry out “classroom helper” assignments with adult assistance

• remind his teacher that it is his turn to shut off the lights

• respect other’s workspace and time with shared materials

• take responsibility for cleaning up classroom materials after use (e.g.,” We need to put the cars

away, let’s get the box.”)

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

PK3.I.C.3 Child shows interest in peer play but may

be less skilled in initiating and joining a group.

PK4.I.C.3 Child shows competence in initiating

social interactions.

Child Behaviors

Social and Emotional Development

The child may:

• participate spontaneously in a variety of group activities, tasks, and play

• actively seek out partners and appropriately invite them to play (e.g., starts a game with

classmates on the playground)

• seek out the teacher to ask questions, when appropriate

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.I.C.4 Child enjoys parallel and associative play

with peers.

PK4.I.C.4 Child increasingly interacts with

peers during cooperative play scenarios that share

a common plan and goal.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• demonstrate the ability to negotiate and compromise with peers to achieve a cooperative goal

• follow the lead of others (e.g., enters a center and adapts to the ongoing play of others)

• generate joint play goals and carry them out with at least one other peer

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.I.C.5 Child seeks adult help when experiencing

conflicts with another child.

PK4.I.C.5 Child initiates problem-solving

strategies when experiencing conflicts with

others and seeks adult support when necessary.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• follow conflict resolution steps, with teacher’s guidance, to solve a dispute with a classmate

• ask an adult or peer for help when needed (e.g., “Teacher, Johnny isn’t listening to me; he took

my toy and won’t give it back.”)

• attempt to work out problems with a peer independently before seeking adult help

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.I.C.6 Child responds with concern when a child

or adult is distressed.

PK4.I.C.6 Child demonstrates empathy and caring

for others.

Social and Emotional Development

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• show emotions related to another’s experience (e.g., expresses sadness for a character in a book

or shows excitement when a classmate crosses the finish line in a race)

• demonstrate a desire to be helpful (e.g., volunteers to help a classmate clean up a spill)

• demonstrate consideration for a classmate (e.g., comforts a classmate who is crying, slows down

to walk with a classmate who has an injury, befriends a classmate who is shy)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.I.C.7 Child interacts with peers and may have

preferred friends.

PK4.I.C.7 Child interacts with peers and has

preferred friends.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• talk with friends to plan their play (e.g., planning to play ‘house’ in the dramatic play/pretend

and learn center)

• express interest in playing with a preferred playmate outside of school

• independently choose a work or play partner

D. Social Awareness

Prekindergarten children need adult support and guidance in learning how to socially interact with

others. It can be a challenge for a young child to sense other people’s emotions or to imagine what

someone else might be thinking or feeling. Teachers can reinforce children’s social awareness

skills by facilitating peer-to-peer and adult-to-child interactions and asking thought-provoking

questions with the support of rich, socially relevant educational materials.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.I.D.1 Child shows interest in other people and

their feelings.

PK4.I.D.1 Child demonstrates an understanding

that others have perspectives and feelings that are

similar and/or different from her own.

Child Behaviors

Social and Emotional Development

The child may:

• use words to express own and other’s preferences (e.g., “I like to paint with red and Mary likes

to paint with blue.”)

• use words to express own and other’s feelings (e.g., “Michael thinks that’s funny, but I don’t!”)

• ask questions that indicate understanding that others may have a different perspective (e.g.,

“Do you like cats or dogs?” or “Were you scared of the thunder?”)

Emergent Literacy: Language and Communication

II. Emergent Lite racy: Language and Com munication Doma in

II. Emergent Literacy: Language and Communication Domain

During the prekindergarten years, children’s expanding language skills have a tremendous impact upon

their ability to read and write as they progress successfully through school. Explaining the differences in

words and sounds, talking to children about objects and their names (labeling), using expanded

vocabulary, and modeling language with grammatical complexity are all ways in which teachers can help

to build children’s oral language development. Additionally, the pragmatics of oral language in an

academic setting, such as conversational skills and the development of storytelling and oral

explanations, are an important part of all children’s oral language development. Given adequate

opportunities to interact with responsive adults in language-rich classrooms, young children’s language

abilities will expand rapidly during these years. The language and communication domain of learning

includes not only receptive (listening) and expressive (speaking) skills, but also vocabulary and sentence

structure skills. Mastery of these skills will build young children’s ability to understand what they hear

and communicate their own ideas and experiences effectively.

Many prekindergarten students in Texas are multilingual learners. A multilingual learner is a student

who is exposed to more than one language. A multilingual learner who is also identified as an emergent

bilingual student is not as proficient in spoken English as their native English-speaking peers. An

identified emergent bilingual student will be offered the opportunity to participate in a state approved

bilingual education or English as a Second Language (ESL) program.

Developing language and communication skills across two languages is an important part of a child’s

unique identity regardless of program placement or participation. It will be important for

prekindergarten teachers to intentionally make connections between home and school, honor children’s

native language, and send the message that knowledge of a language other than English is an inherently

valuable asset. Prekindergarten educators help all children develop academic vocabulary and the

language skills required for basic social communication, but they should also provide targeted language

opportunities for multilingual learners. The guidelines in this domain outline end-of-year language

outcomes for 3- and 4-year-old children in their language of instruction.

The Language and Communication Domain of the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines is divided into the

following skills: listening comprehension, speaking (conversation), articulation, vocabulary, and sentence

structure.

A. Listening Comprehension

From birth, children begin learning by listening to the world around them. As their exposure to

language(s) increases, so does their understanding. Multilingual learners understand that they are

hearing two language systems from a very early age. Prekindergarten-age children are able to

comprehend (with increasing accuracy) what they hear in conversations and in stories read aloud.

Children demonstrate understanding through their questions, comments, and actions.

Emergent Literacy: Language and Communication

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.II.A.1 Child responds to situations in ways

that demonstrate an understanding of what has

been communicated.

PK4.II.A.1 Child shows understanding by

responding appropriately to what has been

communicated by adults and peers.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• use nonverbal gestures to show a response to adults and peers (e.g., nodding/smiling to show

understanding/agreement, tilting head/frowning face to show confusion, or giving a thumbs

up/down or to respond to questions)

• respond to requests by completing the appropriate actions (e.g., passing a pencil when a friend

asks for it)

• appropriately contribute to discussions by commenting or asking questions

• provide appropriate verbal responses to questions asked by peers or adults

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.II.A.2 Child shows understanding by following

two-step verbal directions.

PK4.II.A.2 Child shows understanding by following

three-step verbal directions.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• follow multi-step directions given by the teacher (e.g., “Please put your things away, then find

your square on the carpet, and sit down.”)

• repeat previously given multi-step instructions to a peer or adult

• participate in songs and/or dances that require the response of various movements or gestures

(e.g., “march your feet, then find a friend, grab their hand and dance with them.”)

• participate successfully in games such as “Follow the Leader” or “Simon Says”

B. Speaking (Conversation)

Prekindergarten children become increasingly able to describe their wants and needs, carry on

conversations with others, and share information with both peers and adults. The ability to engage

others in conversations involves asking questions, listening, and responding, as well as using verbal and

nonverbal communication. Additionally, multilingual learners become increasingly aware of language

context. For example, a staff member with knowledge of Spanish and English learns that he can have a

conversation in Spanish with a bilingual librarian but will use English to express a preference to the non-

bilingual art teacher.

Emergent Literacy: Language and Communication

Children who are multilingual learners may require more time to respond because they are learning and

processing two languages at once. Multilingual learners may also respond in one language and use the

other language to fill in a word or phrase within a sentence. Both are normal parts of bilingual

development. Multilingual learners should be encouraged and expected to demonstrate their

speaking/communication skills in their home language as well as in English.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.II.B.1 Child uses language to communicate

basic needs and wants.

PK4.II.B.1 Child uses language for multiple

purposes.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• request help from an adult or peer when needed

• communicate feelings, needs, and wants

• participate in one-on-one or group discussions during learning activities

• share information or stories

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.II.B.2 Child begins to use appropriate

language, style, and nonverbal cues during

communication with familiar adults and peers.

PK4.II.B.2 Child engages in conversations in

appropriate ways, demonstrating knowledge of

verbal and nonverbal conversational rules.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• initiate, participate in, or terminate conversations appropriately (e.g., engages in appropriate

greetings, contributes to an interactive conversation)

• participate in a conversation with a peer or adult, taking turns talking and not interrupting

• have multiple-turn conversations with others, listening to others or extending/connecting to an

idea expressed by the other person

• use nonverbal gestures appropriately (e.g., makes eye contact with the speaker, uses facial

expressions to illustrate emotion, stands an appropriate distance from the speaker, uses

gestures to communicate basic needs when vocabulary is limited)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

Emergent Literacy: Language and Communication

PK3.II.B.3 Child is able to communicate basic

information in familiar social settings.

PK4.II.B.3 Child provides appropriate information

in various settings.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• answer questions from adults within the school, other than the classroom teacher (e.g., nurse,

secretary, cafeteria staff)

• provide adequate information to update someone new to a situation about what is currently

taking place (e.g., if someone walks up to a group of children playing, the child will explain what

they are playing so the new person can join in)

• communicate emotions and needs/desires appropriately, (e.g., "I'm feeling sad today

because...", asking permission to use the restroom, inviting others to join an activity)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.II.B.4 Child begins to use appropriate

language for different situations.

PK4.II.B.4 Child matches language to social

contexts.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• use proper titles when speaking to people (e.g., refers to classmates by first name but uses the

title “Mrs.” or “Mr.” when addressing the teacher)

• adjust voice appropriately based on the activity or situation (e.g., moves close to a teacher and

speaks quietly as classmates read a book in the library, yells for a friend across the playground,

uses a caring voice when talking to a friend who is crying)

• align vocabulary to match the situation (e.g., uses academic words in the classroom and more

informal word choice when in the cafeteria)

C. Articulation

Prekindergarten children must learn to vocalize, pronounce, and discriminate sounds and words within

languages. Learning to accurately perceive the difference between similar-sounding words will support

children’s development of early literacy skills and help set them up for future reading and writing

success. Young children will continue to acquire the ability to recognize new sounds but may

mispronounce some words in their own speech. Difficulty with producing some speech sounds (e.g., /l/,

/r/, or /th/) is common for prekindergarten children but may improve with practice and age. Similarly,

multilingual learners may need repeated, meaningful opportunities to more closely approximate the

sounds of the language with which they are less familiar.

Emergent Literacy: Language and Communication

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.II.C.1 Child's speech is understood by familiar

adults and peers.

PK4.II.C.1 Child’s speech is understood by both

familiar and unfamiliar adults and peers.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• speak loud enough so that what is being said can be heard

• articulate individual words in a sentence

• enunciate each sound or syllable in words

• distinctly produce voiced and unvoiced English consonant pair sounds (e.g., /b/- /p/, /d/- /t/,

/z/- /s/, /k/- /g/, and /v/- /f/)

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

PK3.II.C.2 Child begins to mimic intonation of

language through songs and fingerplay.

PK4.II.C.2 Child demonstrates growing

understanding of the intonation of language.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• recite nursery rhymes and songs with the correct intonation

• use appropriate intonation to represent emotion

• match intonation to the situation (e.g., talking to a baby vs. talking to an adult)

D. Vocabulary

Vocabulary development is one of the most important predictors of later reading achievement.

Prekindergarten children experience rapid growth in their understanding of words and word

meanings when they are learning in a language-rich environment. Vocabulary acquisition is largely

developed by exposing children to new words through stories and engaging them in meaningful and

intentional interactions with adults who incorporate new language into daily conversations.

Vocabulary development occurs when educators create a space in which there are many

opportunities to talk about personal experiences, read familiar stories, sing familiar songs, and play

word games on a regular basis. Vocabulary knowledge reflects children's previous experiences and is

increasingly refined as they learn new words and concepts through their growing knowledge of the

world around them.

Emergent Literacy: Language and Communication

Multilingual learners in a bilingual education program will develop vocabulary in both the program

language and English via learning opportunities in each language as well as direct instruction in

cross-linguistic connections. Both languages are honored and valued, and there is a diminished

linguistic barrier between home and school. Educators of multilingual learners outside of bilingual

programs should intentionally leverage families’ linguistic resources as a foundation for second

language learning. Consider Katie, a multilingual learner who speaks mostly Vietnamese at home.

During a study of fairy tales, Katie’s teacher invites Katie’s mom to read a portion of a Vietnamese

version of the Cinderella tale in Vietnamese. Katie’s language and culture is validated, and Katie’s

peers get to practice making meaning based on prior knowledge, pictures, etc. The class learns a few

key vocabulary words from the story in Vietnamese.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.II.D.1 Child understands (receptive) and uses

(expressive) expected words to label and describe

common objects, people, places, actions, and

events.

PK4.II.D.1 Child understands (receptive) and uses

(expressive) a wide variety of words to label,

describe and make connections among objects,

people, places, actions, and events.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• appropriately identify items seen in real life, books, or pictures, naturally incorporating new

terminology

• use newly learned words to describe or explain in detail things seen in real life, books, or

pictures

• use descriptive words when asking questions or giving directions to peers in authentic situations

(e.g., “Can you give me that small brown crayon?" or “Please grab that red cup so we can use it

in the kitchen center.")

• use descriptive language to compare, contrast, and categorize objects, people, and actions

• provide opposites (antonyms) or words with similar meaning (synonyms) to demonstrate

understanding of key vocabulary words

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

PK3.II.D.2 Child understands (receptive) the

instructional language of the classroom.

PK4.II.D.2 Child understands (receptive) and uses

(expressive) the instructional language of the

classroom.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

Emergent Literacy: Language and Communication

• participate in activities that reinforce the use of instructional language (e.g., circle time

discussions, observational conversations, recall & review)

• respond appropriately to questions related to content-area instruction (e.g., If a teacher asks,

"how many sides does a triangle have?" the child would immediately respond "three")

• follow directions that include language from instruction (e.g., "Please draw a small red square.”

or "Sort the pictures into two categories: pairs that rhyme and pairs that do not rhyme.")

• use language from previous instruction to describe something (e.g., when retelling a story, the

child might use the word "character" or when describing an object, the child might use words

like "heavier" or "lighter")

• incorporate instructional terms into learning center interactions (e.g., in library, the child might

point to the cover of a book and tell a friend “Look, that is a seed, this book must be about

plants.")

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.II.D.3 Child shows a steady increase in

understanding (receptive) and using (expressive)

language learned from books, conversations, and

play.

PK4.II.D.3 Child consistently understands

(receptive) and uses (expressive) new vocabulary

acquired through books, conversations, and play.

Child Behaviors

The

child may:

• add a connected idea to another child’s comment (e.g., a child says, “My rock went to the

bottom.” and then the other child responds with: “Your rock sank!”)

• respond to and use thematic vocabulary when engaging in child-initiated play

• use specific terminology when recalling facts from a book that has been read aloud or when

describing the events in the story

• use new vocabulary words when asking and answering questions

• incorporate new vocabulary into comments when contributing ideas related to the current topic

of conversation

E. Sentences and Structure

Prekindergarten children become increasingly adept at using language to express their needs and

interests, share ideas, and participate in conversations with their peers. The grammatical

complexity of a spoken sentence expands when they have plenty of opportunities for rich

conversations with other children and adults. Children’s overgeneralization of language rules, which

results in the use of invented words (e.g., saying “foots” instead of “feet”), is a normal part of

language acquisition. Multilingual learners may also overgeneralize across languages (e.g., saying

“the dog big” instead of “the big dog” is an example of applying the Spanish language structure “el

perro grande” in an English sentence). This flexibility of usage is not a sign of confusion but

Emergent Literacy: Language and Communication

evidence of a developing bilingual brain. Another sign of developing bilingualism is the use of words

from two languages in one sentence. For example, a sequential bilingual student learning Spanish in

a dual language immersion program may say at the class party “Quiero el cookie.” This child is

beginning to use Spanish to communicate thoughts and fills in the gap in vocabulary knowledge

with a known English word in order to make preferences known.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.II.E.1 Child typically uses simple sentences of

three to four words, usually in correct word order.

PK4.II.E.1 Child typically uses complete sentences

of four or more words with age-appropriate

grammatical complexity, usually in standard word

order.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• share a personal experience using longer, detailed sentences with complex language (e.g.,

nouns, adjectives, verbs, prepositions, etc.)

• participate in interactive discussions accurately using sentences with complex language (e.g.,

nouns, adjectives, verbs, prepositions, etc.)

• respond to questions and add ideas using complete sentences

• speak using complete sentences, with standard word order when engaging in classroom

activities

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.II.E.2 Child begins to use regular plurals and

regular past tense correctly.

PK4.II.E.2 Child correctly uses regular and irregular

plurals, regular past tense, personal and possessive

pronouns, and subject-verb agreement.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• correctly use regular plurals when speaking (e.g., "I have one sister right now, but when my

mom has her baby, I will have two sisters.")

• correctly use irregular plurals when speaking (e.g., "If I brush my teeth every day, how come I

still lost a tooth?")

• use the correct tense when describing something he did yesterday or last week (e.g., says

“went” although a younger classmate says “goed.”)

• use correct personal and possessive pronouns when speaking (e.g., uses “my” and “mine” to

identify own work or “his” and “hers” to identify a peer’s work)

Emergent Literacy: Language and Communication

• use proper subject-verb agreement when telling a story (e.g., "First, the black dog chases the

cat. Then the brown dog joins him. Now both dogs chase the cat.”)

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

PK3.II.E.3 Child uses simple sentence structures

with at least one idea.

PK4.II.E.3 Child uses sentences that combine

multiple phrases or ideas.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• use sentences with more than one phrase when talking with a friend during centers, classroom

activities, or play time (e.g., “Let’s go to the store and get milk for the baby.” or "Since I am

older, I will go first.")

• add information in multiple phrases during circle time or class discussions (e.g., “Birds build

nests in the trees and then they lay their eggs.”)

• combine phrases to show a sequence of events when describing personal experiences or

retelling a story (e.g., “We went to the grocery store and then drove back home.” or "While we

were waiting for the bus, it started to rain.")

• ask questions that include more than one idea (e.g., "If I grab this book, will you come read with

me?")

• use sentences that include cause and effect (e.g., "The rock was heavy, so it sank." or "The little

boy was sad because he lost his toy.")

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.II.E.4 Child understands increasingly longer

sentences that combine two ideas.

PK4.II.E.4 Child uses sentences that provide many

details, remains on topic, and clearly

communicates intended meaning.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• tell a story with lots of detail, that makes sense and stays on topic

• describe a personal experience, combining ideas, giving lots of detail, and remaining focused on

the topic (e.g., “When my grandpa came over, we went to the park. We had fried chicken and

played on the swings.”)

• participate in a group discussion by building on or extending the ideas of peers

• use complex sentences to contribute relevant ideas during shared and/or interactive writing

experiences

Emergent Literacy: Reading

III. Emergent Literacy: Reading Domain

Learning to read and write are among the most important milestones and achievements in a young

child’s life. Early language and literacy instruction is critical because research has proven that emergent

literacy skills serve as predictors for children’s school readiness, and their later capacity to learn

academic knowledge. Children acquire emergent literacy skills when they are actively engaged in

meaningful and purposeful interactions and learning experiences. They develop an understanding of the

everyday functions of print and gain the motivation to learn to read through daily exposure and

engagement with various forms of verbal and written language, including nonfiction and fiction books,

poems, songs, and nursery rhymes. Being read to and interacting with culturally relevant stories and

print also helps children build their social and cultural identities.

Even before children start school, they can become aware of systematic patterns of sounds in spoken

languages, manipulate sounds in words, recognize words or environmental print, learn the relationship

between sounds and letters, and establish a basic understanding of storytelling and story structure. The

goal of emergent literacy instruction in prekindergarten is not to teach children to read connected text or

even whole words, but rather to teach the building blocks that will, in later grades, provide children the

foundation needed to become proficient readers and writers. When given ample opportunities to

interact with books and other forms of print, as well as some explicit and systematic instruction in

emergent literacy skills, children can learn much more about the purposes and concepts of written

language and about the letters that can be combined to form print and their corresponding sounds.

Young children learn best through experiences that are meaningful and interesting to them and benefit

from guided practice and repetition.

Multilingual learners learning to read only in English will use what they already know and understand

about literacy in their primary language to make connections to emergent literacy experiences in

English. Families of these learners must be empowered to understand that continuing to expose

children to literacy experiences in their native language is not just important, but a critical form of

literacy support that they are uniquely qualified to provide. Multilingual learners in bilingual programs

who experience emergent literacy instruction in both English and a primary or partner language will be

explicitly guided to make cross linguistic connections in school. This biliteracy perspective can be

supported by families regardless of language proficiency levels in the home.

The Emergent Literacy: Reading Domain of the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines is divided into the

following skills: motivation to read, phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge, comprehension of

text, and concepts of print.

A. Motivation to Read

The prekindergarten years are an important time for increased motivation to read and write and can be

especially important for children who have not previously and do not currently have access to books. All

children benefit immensely from the targeted opportunity to develop an understanding of and

appreciation of written languages through early school experiences. Prekindergarten children benefit

from classroom activities and environments that build on their own family backgrounds and personal

experiences to create positive connections to reading and writing. These early experiences will come to

define their expectations and influence their motivation to work toward learning to read and write

Emergent Literacy: Reading

independently. These same experiences also give families a first impression of how their home culture

will be acknowledged and valued within the school system. It is therefore critical that students of all

cultural and linguistic backgrounds see themselves and their families reflected in books, activities, and

the classroom culture in general.

Children who are motivated to read and write find pleasure in looking at the covers and illustrations in

books, listening and making personal connections to stories being read aloud, and mimicking reading

behaviors through independent exploration of books and other forms of text. They also have an intrinsic

motivation to ask about surrounding print and a desire to understand how writing works. Learning to

read is a gradual, ongoing process; however, building young children’s enthusiasm for books and written

text at an early age can impact their willingness to overcome potential future challenges with reading

and writing

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.III.A.1 Child demonstrates an interest in

pictures, text, and stories read aloud.

PK4.III.A.1 Child engages in story-related pre-

reading activities.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• repeat or “chime in” on repeated parts of predictable stories

• ask a teacher to re-read a favorite book

• engage in “pretend readings” of familiar books, verbalizing what is happening in a story while

looking at pictures and turning the pages of a book

• participate in various reading experiences, including read alouds, shared reading, listening to

recorded stories with headphones, or interacting with digital books

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

PK3.III.A.2 Child tells a story by looking at pictures

or from memory.

PK4.III.A.2 Child self-selects books and other

written materials to engage in pre-reading

behaviors.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• independently choose a book, magazine, brochure, or other reading material to read to self,

peer or stuffed animal

• select and interact with a digital book of their choice by clicking on the cover of the book they

choose to read or listen to

Emergent Literacy: Reading

• select a favorite book for the teacher to read during read aloud time

• select the reading/library center during free play

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.III.A.3 Child notices and connects meaning to

environmental print.

PK4.III.A.3 Child recognizes that all print carries

meaning and serves as a means for

communication.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• recognize and “read” environmental print (e.g., the writing on a food container, signs, menus,

etc.)

• ask the meaning of text (e.g., posters, charts, or digital materials) encountered throughout the

classroom or school

• ask what a note from home says

• point to the words while pretending to read or listen to a story (e.g., a digital story or a story

read aloud)

B. Phonological Awareness

Phonological awareness is an auditory skill that involves the understanding of the sounds of spoken

language; it is the ability to detect and manipulate the sound structures at the sentence, word, syllable,

and phoneme level. The overarching term refers to a continuum of skills that are universal across

languages including sentence segmentation, alliteration, rhyming, syllabication, onset-rime (in English

only), and phonemic awareness. Research has shown that phonological awareness begins to develop in

children as young as 2.5 years old. See Appendix.

Children generally develop sensitivity to large units of sound, like words and syllables first, and

eve

ntually progress to sensitivity to individual phonemes, the smallest units of sound. For example,

children are able to detect and manipulate words in phrases before they can detect or manipulate

syllables, and they can detect and manipulate syllables before they can detect or manipulate phonemes.

Within the continuum of skills are varying levels of task complexity. To ensure learning is adequately

scaffolded, task difficulty is an important consideration for phonological awareness instruction. For

example, teachers should begin with easier tasks such as identification and blending (e.g., synthesis)

before introducing more challenging tasks such as segmenting and manipulation (e.g., adding, deleting,

or substituting). However, children do not need to master one skill or task before being introduced to or

practicing another skill or task.

Phonological awareness is highly predictive of success in beginning reading and writing, specifically

related to automatic decoding and encoding abilities. Phonemic awareness, the most advanced skill on

the continuum, facilitates children’s understanding of the individual sounds in spoken words and helps

Emergent Literacy: Reading

them make the connection that sounds can be represented by letters in print. Therefore, phonological

awareness and alphabet knowledge should work together, with skill development in one area

reinforcing development in the other. Once children demonstrate mastery in both alphabet knowledge

and phonemic awareness, they can benefit from the inclusion of letters in phonemic awareness

activities to begin building their understanding of the alphabetic principle.

Oral language proficiency in children’s native language supports the development of phonological

awareness in English for first- and second-language learners. English learners draw upon their

phonological awareness skills in their first language when developing phonological awareness in a

second language. English learners benefit from explicit and systematic phonemic awareness

instruction, specifically segmentation, blending, and manipulation.

For multilingual learners who are exposed to phonological awareness instruction only in English, it is

important to accept oral approximations of English sounds due to English proficiency level or articulation

difficulties rather than correcting them in the moment. Non-standard pronunciation does not indicate a

lack of understanding, and multilingual learners benefit more from targeted instruction rather than a

quick correction. It is also important to connect activities with context, often by adding a picture. For

example, if students are generating words that begin with /m/, a native English speaker has a repository

of vocabulary from which to draw based on all his oracy experiences from birth. A child who is just

beginning to speak English may not have a similarly sized mental word bank. Adding picture cards may

remind children of words they know or will allow them to sort cards into /m/ and “other” when the

teacher says the word.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.III.B.1 Child recognizes when a word in a

spoken sentence is changed.

PK4.III.B.1 Child identifies the individual words in a

spoken sentence.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• identify a word that changes in a sentence (e.g., If the two sentences are: "The cat sat." and

"The rat sat." the child will recognize that the word "cat" was replaced with "rat")

• clap (or do some other type of action like tapping, stomping, jumping, or holding up a finger) to

represent each individual word in a spoken sentence

• count the number of words in a sentence

• repeat a sentence spoken by the teacher and move a counter forward as each word in the

sentence is spoken

• change a word used in a sentence to make a new sentence (e.g., "Carlos plays with friends."

becomes "Kevaeh plays friends." or "Carlos plays with toys.")

Emergent Literacy: Reading

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.III.B.2 Child begins to distinguish differences

between similar-sounding words.

PK4.III.B.2 Child distinguishes differences between

similar-sounding words.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• during a rhyming game, the child demonstrates the difference between a “bat” (e.g., makes a

swinging motion) and a “pat” (e.g., pats top of head)

• point to the appropriate picture when prompted (e.g., when shown a picture of a goat and a

coat, the child correctly points to the picture that matches the word spoken)

• discriminate between similar initial consonant sounds (e.g., /b/ and /p/, /g/ and /k/, or /t/ and

/d/)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.III.B.3 Child recognizes the individual words in

a compound word.

PK4.III.B.3 Child uses two familiar base words to

form a compound word with pictorial or gestural

supports.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• blend two words together to create a new compound word (e.g., Teacher: “If I say the words

sun and flower what compound word can you make?” Child: “sunflower”)

• use picture cards to create compound words

• make compound words by responding with a second part of the word after the teacher has

provided the first part (e.g., Teacher: “What word can I add to “rain” to make a compound

word?” Child: “bow so you get rainbow” or “drop so you get raindrop”)

• segment a compound word by separating and naming the two smaller words that make up the

compound word (e.g., Teacher: “What two words do you hear when I say starfish?” Child: “star”

and “fish”)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

Emergent Literacy: Reading

PK3.III.B.4 *Three-year olds do not typically

develop word manipulation skills, so no outcome

is included*

PK4.III.B.4 Child manipulates compound words

with pictorial or gestural support.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• take compound word picture cards apart by deleting either the first or second part and stating

the word that is left (e.g., “sunflower” - “sun” =” flower”)

• create a compound word by adding a word to the given word (e.g., A teacher might point to a

picture and ask, "What is a compound word that has the word rain in it?" and the child would

respond with, "rainbow" or "raincoat")

• play with words to make different compound words (e.g., If the child has the word “basketball”

and substitutes a picture of a basket with a picture of a foot, they now created the word

“football”)

• use movements to represent manipulation of combining words to make a compound word (e.g.,

using one hand to represent “rain” and the other hand to represent “coat,” clapping together to

make “raincoat”)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.III.B.5 Child participates in oral syllabication

activities.

PK4.III.B.5 Child begins to blend and segment

syllables in multisyllabic words.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• identify a segmented word by blending the syllables together (e.g., teacher says, /dī/-/nō/-

/saur/ and the child says “dinosaur”)

• provide the second syllable when the teacher holds up a picture and says the first syllable of the

word (e.g., teacher holds up a picture of a bucket and says “buck”; the child finishes the word by

saying “et”= “bucket”)

• clap, tap, or jump for each syllable in a familiar word (up to three syllables)

• identify the number of syllables in own name or a peer’s name

• sort picture cards or objects based on the number of syllables in the word

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

Emergent Literacy: Reading

PK3.III.B.6 Child uses rhyming words through

playful activities such as songs, nursery rhymes,

and fingerplay.

PK4.III.B.6 Child identifies rhyming words.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• pair pictures or objects that rhyme

• give a thumbs up if two words rhyme or thumbs down if they do not

• state which word does not rhyme when listening to a list of three words within a story

• identify the words that rhyme in a nursery rhyme, poem, or book

• generate real or nonsense words that rhyme with a given word

• listen to two words that rhyme and produces a third word (real or nonsense) that rhymes with

the pair

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

PK3.III.B.7 Child uses alliteration through playful

activities such as songs and read alouds.

PK4.III.B.7 Child identifies alliterative words with

pictorial support.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• pair pictures or sort objects into groups by beginning sound

• identify words in rhyming songs that begin with the same sounds

• make silly phrases by changing the beginning sounds of all words to have the same sound (e.g.,

“Mappy Mirthday Moo Moo")

• play name games (e.g., producing a word that begins with same beginning sound as their name -

Jumping Jasmine, Dancing David, Silly Sofia, Funny Fernando)

• listen to two sentences within a story and identify which sentence has alliteration in it

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.III.B.8 Child participates in onset-rime

blending activities (in English only).

PK4.III.B.8 Child identifies a familiar one-syllable

word that is segmented by onset and rime (in

English only).

Emergent Literacy: Reading

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• identify a word that is segmented by onset-rime (e.g., if the teacher says /b/+/ark/ then child

will say “bark")

• select the appropriate picture from several pictures when the teacher says a word segmented

between the onset and rime (e.g., when shown several pictures, and adult says /r/+/ug/, child

selects the picture of the rug)

• look at a picture of an animal and when the teacher says the onset, the child finishes the word

by saying the rime (e.g., if the teacher says /t/ the child says /oad/)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.III.B.9 *Three-year olds do not typically

develop phonemic awareness, so no outcome is

included*

PK4.III.B.9 Child blends and segments one-syllable

words by phonemes with visual or gestural

support.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• watch an adult say a word segmented by phonemes, tapping a dot for each phoneme, and

correctly identifies the word by naming it or pointing to a picture/object that matches (e.g.,

teacher says, /b/- ŏ/-/x/ and child points to a box or says “box”)

• p

ull down a chip for each phoneme they hear, when the teacher says a word segmented by

phonemes

• select a picture or an object and uses sound boxes or gestures to accurately segment the

word by phoneme (e.g., child points to a hat and says /h/-/ ă/-/t/)

C. Alphabet Knowledge

Alphabet knowledge is an essential component of emergent literacy and is a strong predictor of success

in learning to read and write. Alphabet knowledge includes letter recognition, letter naming, letter-

sound correspondence, and alphabetization. The distinction between each component of alphabet

knowledge is identified below:

• letter recognition (a receptive skill): the ability to identify letters when asked to touch or point

to a letter*

• letter naming (expressive skill): the ability to name letters with automaticity

• l

etter-sound correspondence: knowledge of the common sounds – the sounds that a letter

represents most frequently

• alphabetization: the ability to say and place letters of the alphabet in sequential order

Emergent Literacy: Reading

Letter formation is also an important aspect of alphabet knowledge because learning how to write each

letter draws children’s attention to the similarities and differences among letter shapes. To support

young learners’ knowledge of letters, adults need to provide children with easy and repeated

meaningful interactions with written letters and words within the context of daily experiences and

engage them in activities that are fun and interesting. These experiences must integrate all components

of alphabet knowledge and should include many opportunities for children to see letters within the

context of written text. Relying solely on rote practice can result in frustration and negative attitudes

toward learning. Knowing how letters function in writing and how these letters connect to the sounds

children hear in words is crucial to children’s success in reading. Combined with phonological

awareness, letter knowledge is the key to children understanding the alphabetic principle. Children will

use this sound/letter connection to begin to identify printed words, such as their names and other

familiar words.

*Important things to note:

• In English, students generally identify letter names before letter sounds. However, in Spanish,

children tend to learn letter sounds before letter names. During Spanish alphabet knowledge

activities, students may know letter sounds before letter names.

• Children generally recognize capital letters before lowercase letters because uppercase letters

are more distinguishable than lowercase letters.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.III.C.1 Child shows awareness of letters by

singing alphabet songs and recognizing some

frequently encountered letters (e.g., first letter of

name or letters in environmental print).

PK4.III.C.1 Child recognizes and names at least 20

letters (upper- or lower-case letters).

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• name letters on name cards, posters, books, and signs around the room

• identify specific letters in shared reading or writing experiences (e.g., points to a letter in a book,

circles a letter on a poster, etc.)

• recognize the letters in their own name (e.g., “If your name starts with ___, please stand up" or

"if you have a ___ in your name, touch your nose")

• match upper and lowercase letters, while recalling the name of the letters

• participate in letter recognition games or activities (e.g., alphabet bingo, alphabet arcs, letter

hunts, I Spy the letter..., etc.)

Emergent Literacy: Reading

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.III.C.2 Child identifies the letter associated

with the sound of the first letter of his name.

PK4.III.C.2 Child recognizes at least 20 distinct

letter-sound correspondences.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• match a letter to the picture that begins with the corresponding letter sound

• identify the letter that corresponds with a specific letter sound (e.g., “I am thinking of a letter

that makes the /s/ sound. What letter am I thinking of? Can you find the letter that makes the

/s/ somewhere in the room?”)

• point to the letter that matches the sound heard when shown 2-4 letters

• categorize objects or pictures by beginning sounds, matching the sound to the printed letter

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.III.C.3 Child produces the correct sound for

the first letter of his name.

PK4.III.C.3 Child produces at least 20 distinct letter-

sound correspondences.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• say the correct sound when shown a letter or given a letter name

• make the correct letter sound while pointing to a letter in a book or on a poster

• produce the sound of each letter in their name as they write each letter

• say the correct sound when shown a picture of a keyword for a specific letter (e.g., says /b/

when shown the picture of a boat)

D. Comprehension of Text

Exposure to many kinds of books, both fiction and nonfiction, helps prekindergarten children build

vocabulary, make connections to text, build schema, and background knowledge, and become familiar

with how stories and other types of texts work. Children develop concepts of story structures, character

actions, and knowledge about informational text structure which influences how they understand,

interpret, and link what they already know to new information.

Multilingual learners must have read aloud experiences in their home language regardless of bilingual

education or ESL program participation. These experiences are opportunities to learn everything

mentioned above without a language barrier. Teachers of multilingual students must communicate the

importance of home language read aloud experiences to families and support them as they provide

Emergent Literacy: Reading

these experiences at home. Multilingual learners who have experiences with stories read aloud in the

home language can be prompted to make connections between texts in different languages.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.III.D.1 Child re-enacts a story after it has been

read aloud.

PK4.III.D.1 Child retells or re-enacts a story with a

clear beginning, middle, and end.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• participate in acting out a familiar story in whole group and small group settings

• retell the main events of a story in sequence

• use the pictures in the books to recall what is happening in the story

• organize pictures to represent the accurate sequence of events in a story read aloud

• recall characters, setting, and main idea of a story read aloud

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

PK3.III.D.2 Child makes personal connections to

books read aloud.

PK4.III.D.2 Child uses information learned from

books by describing, relating, categorizing, or

comparing and contrasting.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• relate own experiences to facts learned from books (e.g., makes connection to garden at

home when reading about plant life cycles) or events in a story (e.g., relates a personal trip

to the zoo to the character’s trip to the zoo)

• describe how to do something learned from reading a book

• reference information learned from a book when sorting objects (e.g., when sorting pictures

based on needs and wants, the child explains the decision by referring back to how the story

distinguished needs and wants)

• use information learned from a book to make comparisons about things in his world (e.g.,

after reading a book about community helpers, the child says, “My mom is a veterinarian.

That is like a doctor, but instead of helping people she helps animals.”)

Emergent Literacy: Reading

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.III.D.3 Child asks and answers age-

appropriate questions about a book.

PK4.III.D.3 Child asks and responds to questions

relevant to the text read aloud.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• ask and answer questions about the story details and events

• ask and answer questions about the characters or actions within a story

• ask and answer questions about information learned from a text

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

PK3.III.D.4 Child attempts to make predictions by

looking at the cover of a book or the pictures

within a story.

PK4.III.D.4 Child makes inferences and predictions

about a text.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• actively participate while being read to by predicting what might happen next in the story

• predict what might happen in a book based on the cover or title of the book or by doing a

picture walk prior to reading a story

• use illustrations to make inferences about how a character might feel or consider why a

character acted in a certain way

• discuss how the story might change if it had different characters, a changed setting, or an

alternate ending

• tell what might happen next if the story continued

E. Concepts of Print

Through daily experiences with a variety of print materials, young children delight in discovering the

connections between spoken and written words. Frequent exposure to print allows prekindergarten

children to understand that print carries meaning and encourages them to explore what print is used for

and how it works. Children will begin to recognize the distinction between letters, words, sentences,

punctuation marks, and images. They will also deepen their understanding of how books work, including

print directionality and appropriate handling of books, and learn how to hold and care for books. These

print concepts and skills can be taught explicitly, modeled through shared reading experiences, and

Emergent Literacy: Reading

reinforced through print-rich learning environments. Print-rich learning environments incorporate

labels, signs, letters, menus, magazines, digital media, and storybooks into every aspect of the day.

Multilingual learners should be exposed to print in both the home language and English. Targeted

instruction should be provided for students whose home language differs from English to explicitly

compare characteristics of the two print systems, rather than elevate print concepts in one language

over another. This will reinforce the transferability of many print concepts across both languages and

help children understand key distinctions.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.III.E.1 Child can distinguish between pictures

and print.

PK4.III.E.1 Child can distinguish between elements

of print including letters, words, and pictures.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• point to the print or pictures in a book when prompted

• point to specific letters within a word when prompted

• use a pointer or highlighting tape to identify a letter or word when prompted

• sort letters, words, and pictures into their corresponding categories

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.III.E.2 Child handles books with increasing

skill and imitates reading with awareness of

directionality (e.g., imitates reading text across a

page).

PK4.III.E.2 Child holds books right side up and

demonstrates understanding of print directionality

(e.g., knows where a book starts and ends, turns

pages, points to words left to right, top to bottom,

with correct sweeping).

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• correctly turn the pages in a book from beginning to end

• imitate reading behaviors (e.g., moving top to bottom and left to right; return sweep, etc.)

on charts, lists, and big books

• use a pointer or finger to track print in big books or enlarged text as the teacher is reading

• accurately model left-to-right directionality when reading labels around the room (e.g.,

placing a finger or pointer on the first letter of a word and moving it underneath from left to

right as the word is read aloud by an adult or the child)

Emergent Literacy: Reading

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.III.E.3 Child begins to notice the basic features

of print (e.g., repeating words, space between

words, punctuation vs. letters).

PK4.III.E.3 Child can identify some conventional

features of print that communicate meaning

including end punctuation and case.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• point to or name a period at the end of a sentence

• recognize different types of punctuation (e.g., period, question mark, exclamation) even if

they don't understand the purpose of each kind

• write name with the correct case (e.g., capital letter at the beginning of the name and

lowercase letters for the rest)

• recognize that the first letter in a name is capitalized

• recognize that the first word in a sentence is capitalized

Emergent Literacy: Writing

IV. Emergent Literacy: Writing Domain

Prekindergarten children begin to notice, imitate, and explore the many ways adults use writing to

communicate. Early writing experiences may include asking adults to write their names, signs, and

letters for them and progresses to independently imitating adults, using marks to represent their

own thoughts and ideas. Through these early writing experiences, young children develop initial

understandings about the forms, features, and functions of written language. Over time, children’s

writing attempts more closely approximate conventional writing. In prekindergarten classrooms,

teachers serve as models and guides, writing for different purposes for and with children.

Fine motor skills may impact children’s ability to write legibly; however, this should not limit their

opportunities to write for meaning. The child’s level of fine motor development should determine the

tools and the size of the surfaces that are provided for writing experiences. Fine motor skills can be

developed alongside writing and through writing as children progress through the developmental

stages.

The Emergent Literacy: Writing Domain of the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines is divided into the

following skills: motivation to write, writing as a process, and conventions in writing. See Appendix.

A. Motivation to Write

As young children watch adults write for many purposes, they develop the understanding that print

conveys meaning and become motivated to write by engaging in drawing or scribbling to communicate.

They will sketch lines and scribble “notes” in an attempt to imitate adults’ writing behaviors and begin

to make connections between print and spoken words. Eventually their writing abilities will progress,

and they may begin to use letters or letter strings to communicate. It is important to remember that all

efforts to convey meaning in the form of scribbles, letter-like forms, or strings of letters should be

celebrated. Teachers play an important role in the development of prekindergarten children’s emergent

writing by encouraging them to communicate their thoughts and record their ideas.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.IV.A.1 Child engages in free-choice drawing

and writing activities.

PK4.IV.A.1 Child intentionally uses marks, letters,

or symbols to record language and verbally shares

meaning.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• use letter-like shapes when writing or making labels in learning centers

Emergent Literacy: Writing

• attempt to write letters to represent a word as a caption under a drawing and “reads” it to an

adult or peer

• write a story or message using mock letters, symbols, or other marks and “reads” it to the

teacher

• label pictures to tell a story

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.IV.A.2 Child attempts to draw and write for

many purposes and begins to explore different

writing tools.

PK4.IV.A.2 Child independently draws and writes

for many purposes to communicate ideas, using a

variety of writing tools.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• draw and attempt to write to share a personal experience (e.g., petting the animals at the zoo or

eating cake at a birthday party)

• draw and label pictures to tell a story

• use various writing utensils and types of paper to create personalized cards that include drawing

and writing

• make labels, signs, or menus to contribute to learning centers, using many different types of

writing utensils and paper

• use a journal or hand-made paper booklet to record ideas or write stories through drawings and

writings

B. Writing as a Process

As young children begin to understand that marks convey meaning (what they think, they can say; and

what they say, they can read and write), it is important to model that writing is not simply about a

product. Writing is a thought process that moves from thinking of an idea to a well-developed idea or

piece of writing (one the young author is proud to share). Teachers who interact with children to

compose a piece of writing over a series of days, using modeled, shared, and/or interactive writing

expose children to the process of prewriting/brainstorming, writing/drafting, revising (what the writing

sounds like), editing (what the writing looks like), and publishing/sharing in a way that is

understandable. Children’s ability to engage in each of the stages of the writing process develops over

time. Guiding children through the process of taking a piece of writing from the “thought stage” to the

“sharing stage” motivates children to write and helps them see and understand the power of using print

to convey meaning. Multilingual students who begin writing in two languages will also learn which

language is more appropriate to use based on context and audience.

Emergent Literacy: Writing

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.IV.B.1 Child discusses and contributes ideas

for drafts composed in whole/small group writing

activities with adult prompting.

PK4.IV.B.1 Child discusses and contributes ideas for

drafts composed in whole/small group writing

activities.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• participate in brainstorming ideas for what to write about during a shared or interactive writing

experience

• share the pen with the teacher to add pictures, letters, or familiar words during an interactive

writing experience

• contribute relevant ideas to a shared writing activity

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.IV.B.2 Child observes and discusses ideas for

revising (add, take out, change) drawings and/or

written words in whole/small group writing

activities.

PK4.IV.B.2 Child interacts and provides suggestions

for revisions (add, take out, change order) and

edits (conventions) in whole/small group writing

activities.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• contribute ideas for adding details to the drawings and words of a story

• share ideas for how to change the details (e.g., a character, the ending, the setting, etc.) of a

piece of writing

• make suggestions for deleting parts of a piece of writing that do not belong

• notice when something that has been written doesn’t make sense or sound right when read

aloud (e.g., incorrect sequence, improper word usage, inaccurate tense, etc.)

• notice when there is incorrect punctuation or a need for punctuation and suggests a change in a

piece of writing (some prompting may be needed)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

Emergent Literacy: Writing

PK3.IV.B.3 Child shares written products with

others.

PK4.IV.B.3 Child shares and celebrates class-made

and individual written products.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• read and answer questions about own writing (drawings, labels, and/or written representations

of words) with an adult or peers

• engage in rereading writing that has been developed collaboratively (e.g., shared and/or

interactive writing experiences)

• present individually written work to the class during share time

• actively listen to peers while they share their experiences and will respond appropriately (e.g.,

claps for peers, says "thank you for sharing", waits turn, asks thoughtful questions about their

peers’ work)

C. Conventions in Writing

Foundational writing skills (also known as conventional writing skills) are important predictors of

children’s future reading and writing skills. Just as children learn to talk by talking, children learn

concepts of print through interacting with print. To children, it may appear that writing is simply talk

that has been written down. However, there are rules that apply to writing that do not apply to

speaking. These specific rules that govern how to record thoughts in writing must be learned so children

can become more proficient at conveying their thoughts and actions. Shared and/or interactive writing

experiences can help children better understand these conventions of writing.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.IV.C.1 Child attempts to write some letters of

own name (usually beginning with the first letter).

PK4.IV.C.1 Child writes first name (or nickname)

using legible letters in the proper sequence.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• correctly place letters from a name puzzle in order and then practices writing name on a white

board

• copy or write name using sensory materials (e.g., on a “gel” bag, with shaving cream, or in sand)

• write first name from memory on attendance chart, center waiting lists, in journals, and on

artwork

• sign name on letters or cards (e.g., thank you note to a visitor or a birthday card to a friend)

Emergent Literacy: Writing

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.IV.C.2 Child uses drawings, scribbles, and

mock letters to communicate ideas.

PK4.IV.C.2 Child progresses from using scribbles

and mock letters to forming letters and letter

strings as a way to communicate.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

write known letters spontaneously to represent words when composing a message

add labels to drawings, using one or two letters or letter strings to represent words

write regularly in journals or blank books, using drawings, letter strings or letters to represent

words

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.IV.C.3 Child begins to write using letter-like

forms.

PK4.IV.C.3 Child begins to write familiar words

using letter-sound correspondences, often using

letters associated with beginning and/or ending

sounds to write words.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

use letter-like forms and actual letters to represent their name

use approximation spelling to write simple CVC words by applying knowledge of letter-sound

correspondence, but sometimes misses the medial sounds

attempt to write complex words, using letters to represent the sounds heard (e.g., writes btl and

says, “I wrote the word beautiful.”)

use letter walls or labels from around the room to correctly write familiar words

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.IV.C.4 Child begins to show understanding of

directionality (e.g., attempts to write top to

bottom, left to right), but may still start at

random places on a page.

PK4.IV.C.4 Child uses appropriate directionality

when writing (e.g., top to bottom, left to right).

•

Emergent Literacy: Writing

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• write a list starting at the top of the page and moves downward accordingly

• write starting on the left side of paper and progresses to the right

• write more or less in a horizontal line

• write with the correct sweep to begin a second line of text (e.g., starting below the first line in a

left to right direction)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.IV.C.5 *There is not enough research

to support the inclusion of a PK3 outcome*

PK4.IV.C.5 Child begins to experiment with

punctuation when writing.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• write and put punctuation at the end of the entire piece

• write and put punctuation after each word or in sporadic places

• correctly add missing punctuation to interactive and independent writing, with teacher

prompting

Mathematics 48

III. Emergent Literacy: Read ing Domain

V. Mathematics Domain

Prekindergarten children’s mathematical understandings are built on informal experiences acquired at a

very early age. For example, young children know immediately if someone gets more cookies than they

do simply by looking at the amount of cookies given. Teachers can build upon these informal

foundational mathematical experiences by:

1.) planning a rich environment where math concepts can be practiced,

2.) offering sequential learning experiences that give children the opportunity to learn math

concepts and skills, and

3.) taking advantage of the opportunities in the classroom where mathematical reasoning is

meaningful for the child.

The classroom environment can effectively support mathematical competencies. Those competencies

require the use of informal representation of math concepts. Abstract symbols, no matter how carefully

designed or simplified, cannot involve the child’s senses the way real materials can. Real materials can

be maneuvered to demonstrate the math concept concretely and can be experienced visually by the

child. Concrete representation such as counters, tally marks, fingers, or other objects help children

create connection to math concepts. In addition, concrete objects allow multilingual learners the

opportunity to demonstrate their mathematical knowledge even if they do not have the language to

express it yet. As children gain comfort with concrete representation, they will begin to use pictorial

representations which prepare them for abstract representations.

• Concrete representation: the child counts to five to join a set of two objects and a set of three

objects.

• Pictorial representation: the child uses a sketch to represent the joining of a set of two objects

and a set of three objects.

• Abstract representation: the child uses math symbols to represent the joining of two sets (e.g.,

2 + 3 = 5).

Although math concepts and skills can be learned through one’s experiences, teacher-directed

instruction that focuses on the progression of skills/concepts is an effective way to introduce and/or

expand each child’s mathematical sense. All math concepts should be taught from the progression of

easy-to-understand to the more difficult. Teachers should be especially sensitive to what is known about

each individual learner’s developmental skills to meet their needs most effectively.

arly math instruction is not limited to a specific period or time of the day in the prekindergarten

classroom. Instead, it is a natural part of any quality prekindergarten learning environment and can be

incorporated throughout the day. For example, as children build with blocks, their teacher can introduce

concepts such as higher, lower, in front of, beside, larger, and smaller. Children require repeated

opportunities to hear, discuss, and practice math skills and concepts. These informal teachable moments

should be used to reinforce and extend each student’s foundational math vocabulary.

The

Math domain of the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines is divided into the following skills: number

sense, joining and separating, geometry and spatial sense, measurement, and classification and

patterns.

Mathematics 49

A. Number Sense

Number sense is a broad term that refers to a set of prerequisite skills that are needed to perform basic

math operations; it is the deep understanding of how numbers work. Number sense includes counting,

number recognition, understanding quantities, composing, and decomposing numbers, and making

number comparisons. It is one of the strongest indicators of overall mathematics achievement.

Prekindergarten children learn number sense through play and continuous exploration in their natural

environment. Prekindergarten teachers can organize experiences for children by intentionally setting up

the environment to promote these experiences. The prekindergarten child has innately learned much

about counting and numbers from the environment they live in. They sing songs and listen to rhymes

that contain numbers and can hold up the right number of fingers to show how old they are. To

strengthen their ability to count with an understanding of quantity, the classroom should be filled with

opportunities to practice the counting sequence. Counting is foundational to later math concept

development. To develop a strong understanding of quantity and, eventually, how to manipulate

quantities (like adding and subtracting), children need an abundance of counting experiences.

Prekindergarten children also begin to learn about quantities. They will understand that quantities,

whether tangible or theoretical, are countable. They will also learn that numerals are used to represent

the quantities. In addition to developing an initial understanding of a quantity of small groups of objects,

children can compare small groups to tell if the groups are the same, if one is smaller (has less or fewer),

or which group has more. An understanding of these comparisons provides an important foundation

which helps the child fully grasp the relationship and correlation between one number and another at

the concrete level.

A strong foundation in number sense teaches children to be flexible in their problem solving. Children

learn that numbers are meaningful and despite manipulation, their outcomes are constant and sensible.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.V.A.1 Child rote counts from 1 to 10.

PK4.V.A.1 Child rote counts from 1 to 30.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• recite poems, fingerplay or songs that use words to count from 1 to 10

• recite number words in order up to 30

• demonstrate counting sequences from 1 to 30 using puppets, counters, or other manipulatives

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.V.A.2 Child counts up to 5 objects with one-

to-one correspondence.

PK4.V.A.2 Child counts up to 10 objects with one-

to-one correspondence.

Mathematics 50

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• move, touch, and/or point to each object while counting, using one-to-one correspondence

(e.g., one count per item)

• demonstrate understanding that each finger represents one count (e.g., 2 fingers represent two

counts, and 3 fingers represent three counts)

• point at and count up to 10 children eating during snack

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.V.A.3 Child counts up to 5 items and

demonstrates cardinality by communicating that

the last number indicates how many items are in

the set.

PK4.V.A.3 Child counts up to 10 items and

demonstrates cardinality by communicating that

the last number indicates how many items are in

the set.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• count cars in the block center and when the teacher asks how many cars there are, the child

responds with the correct number

• count 8 plastic cows and point to the number 8 on a number line

• count the number of children in a center and say, “Three of my friends are here.”

• count fingers on one hand and say, “I have 5 fingers.”

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.V.A.4 Child instantly recognizes the quantity

of up to 3 objects without counting (subitizes).

PK4.V.A.4 Child instantly recognizes the quantity of

up to 6 objects without counting (subitizes).

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• look at a set of 1–5 objects and quickly say the number of objects without counting (e.g., looks

at 3 red cubes on the table and says three without counting)

• say the number of dots on one side of a domino quickly without counting

• look at a page in a story and say the number of dots, animals, or objects from 1 to 6 on the page

Mathematics 51

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.V.A.5 Child recognizes numerals 0-5.

PK4.V.A.5 Child recognizes numerals 0-10.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• say the number name for numerals from 0 to 10 that are written on paper, cards, or game

pieces

• point out numerals 0 to 10 by name within the everyday environment (e.g., number lines,

calendar, telephone, clock, deck of cards, etc.)

• play games to find “hidden” numerals from 0-10 in the classroom, such as “I Spy.”

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.V.A.6 Child represents quantities up to 5.

PK4.V.A.6 Child represents quantities up to 10.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• draw dots or moves counters/objects to represent the quantity of a given number from 0-10

• jump, clap, or tap the number of times indicated by a written numeral from 0-10

• match a numeral card to set of objects or card that represents the quantity with dots

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.V.A.7 *There is not enough research to

support the inclusion of a PK3 outcome*

PK4.V.A.7 Child begins to understand that numbers

0-10 can be composed and decomposed in various

ways to represent a quantity.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• slide beads on a bracelet or abacus to represent how the number 5 can be shown by 4 and 1, 3

and 2, or 5 and 0

• Show the number 6 with 5 fingers on one hand and 1 finger on the other hand

Mathematics 52

• drop a handful of six pom poms onto a placemat and report the number of groupings (e.g., 2

and 4) and the total number of pom poms (6)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.V.A.8 Child compares sets of objects up to 5

using comparative language (e.g., more than, less

than, same number of).

PK4.V.A.8 Child compares sets of objects up to 10

using comparative language (e.g., greater/more

than, less/fewer than, equal to/same number of).

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• create sets of objects with the same amounts

• identify which set of objects in a pair is greater than the other

• explain why a set of 7 crayons is less than a set of 10 crayons

B. Joining and Separating

This math skill develops the concept of more, less, and the same. Children make comparisons — an

understanding of these comparisons provides an important foundation which helps the child fully grasp

the relationship and correlation between one number and another at the concrete level. It is especially

important that young children be given numerous opportunities during the school day to manipulate

objects to internalize this mathematical concept.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.V.B.1 Child uses objects to demonstrate that

adding one or more objects to a set will increase

the number of objects in the set.

PK4.V.B.1 Child uses objects, pictorial models,

and/or a verbal word problem to represent adding

up to 5 objects.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• create verbal word problems (e.g., tells a story) involving adding up to 5

• show 1 finger, adds 3 more fingers, and then adds 1 more finger to create a set of 5

• count all objects from sets that are being joined (e.g., having a set of two cubes and a set of

three cubes, then counting the cubes starting with 1, followed by 2, 3, 4, 5 to count all cubes)

• use a story mat and counters to model what happens when 3 birds join 2 birds in a tree

Mathematics 53

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.V.B.2 Child uses objects to demonstrate that

taking away one or more objects from a set will

decrease the number of objects in the set.

PK4.V.B.2 Child uses objects, pictorial models,

and/or a verbal word problem to represent

subtracting objects from a set of 5.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• create verbal word problems (e.g., tells a story) involving subtracting up to 5

• separate the parts of a number (e.g., starts with 4 fingers, then takes away 1 finger to show 3

are left, and then takes away 2 fingers to show 1 is left)

• remove 1-5 objects from a set and says how many are left

• use a story mat and counters to represent removing 2 from a set of 5 (e.g., teacher tells a story

about 5 cookies on a plate, and after 2 cookies were eaten, child figures out only 3 were left)

C. Geometry and Spatial Sense

The basis of geometry and spatial sense skills begins with a child who explores, describes, and organizes

objects according to their attributes and position/location. Through intentional classroom activities

guided by teachers, children notice and describe small details in the materials they see in the

environment, using terms that categorize their shape and describe their relative position in space. They

then progress to investigating what happens when two shapes are put together, and they can apply

their ideas about location to the object’s direction and distance.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.V.C.1 Child names and describes common 2D

shapes.

PK4.V.C.1 Child names and describes common 2D

shapes and names at least 1 solid 3D shape.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• recognize and describe attributes of shapes

• describe the objects in the environment using shape names

• point to shapes they create in the art area and use the correct names to identify them (e.g.,

“Teacher, look – I made a triangle.” or “Teacher, look, this crayon cup is a cylinder”)

Mathematics 54

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.V.C.2 Child attempts to create shapes using

materials and/or manipulatives.

PK4.V.C.2 Child creates shapes using materials

and/or manipulatives.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• put shapes together to make real-world objects (e.g., uses a square and a triangle to make a

house)

• place pattern block shapes together to make new shapes (e.g., uses 2 triangles to make a

square)

• make and name a shape created when playing with playdough (e.g., says “I’m making a circle”)

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

PK3.V.C.3 Child begins to use language to describe

position of objects.

PK4.V.C.3 Child demonstrates use of position

words.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• use the words “near” and “far” to describe distance of objects on the playground and in the

classroom

• follow directions that use location words (e.g., places a stuffed animal “on” or “under” a chair,

sits “beside” or “between” friends on the carpet, gets “in front of” or “behind” a peer in line,

etc.)

• tell a friend, using location words, where to find an object (e.g., says “The paper is in front of the

markers in the writing center.)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.V.C.4 Child recognizes common shapes,

regardless of size.

PK4.V.C.4 Child recognizes common shapes,

regardless of orientation and size.

Mathematics 55

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• demonstrate understanding that a shape stays the same across various orientations (e.g.,

identifies shape correctly while playing with blocks no matter how they are oriented on the floor

or table)

• sort a small pile of pattern block shapes into similar shapes, regardless of size

• match shapes that are oriented differently from others (e.g., identifies and matches the two

triangles from a group of shapes even though one is oriented sideways, and one is oriented with

the tip pointing downwards)

• hold a pattern block and finds others of the same shape around the room, regardless of

orientation and size

D. Measurement

Young children can recognize differences in the measurable aspects of objects by saying things like “Her

cup is less full than mine” or “My dog is heavier than your dog because he is bigger”. Classroom

activities that include explorations of weight, length, and capacity should involve children in hands-on

learning using measurement tools. Teachers can introduce and reinforce terms associated with

measurement such as longer, shorter, heavier, and lighter. Early measurement skills begin with

comparisons before progressing to using a unit to measure.

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

PK3.V.D.1 Child understands that lengths of

objects can vary and be compared.

PK4.V.D.1 Child recognizes and compares heights

or lengths of people or objects.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• identify who is taller when comparing the height of 2 or more friends

• place 2–10 objects from shortest to tallest or tallest to shortest on the table

• use measurement words that can describe height (e.g., uses words like “taller,” “shorter,”

“longer,” or “smaller”)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.V.D.2 Child begins to recognize capacity based

on how much space exists within an object.

PK4.V.D.2 Child recognizes and compares capacity

based on how much space exists within an object.

Mathematics 56

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• compare the amount of space occupied by objects (e.g., says “I want the big bowl of cereal; it

has more.”)

• demonstrate understanding of capacity while filling containers using measuring cups (e.g., says

“I think this one will take two cups to fill it up to the top.”)

• compare capacity of containers accurately (e.g., can compare and identify which object will hold

more water when filled)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.V.D.3 Child understands that weights of

objects can vary and be compared.

PK4.V.D.3 Child recognizes and compares weights

of objects.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• use hands to compare weight of objects (e.g., holds pumpkins of various sizes and says which is

heavier or lighter)

• use measurement words that describe which weighs more or less using mathematical terms

(e.g., “heavy,” “light,” “heavier” or “lighter”)

• compare the weight of self with the weight of other objects (e.g., such as dolls, stuffed animals,

or blocks)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.V.D.4 Child shows awareness of the passage

of time within a day.

PK4.V.D.4 Child uses language to describe concepts

associated with the passing of time within a day.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• use the daily schedule to describe what happens next in the day

• talk with friends about what is happening in the day (e.g., notes that snack time happens after

recess or expresses excitement for an upcoming assembly that will happen after lunch)

• use time language to describe events of the day (e.g., “in the morning,” “after snack,” “before

we go home,” etc.)

Mathematics 57

E. Classification and Patterns

Children can sort and classify objects according to one or more of their characteristics. With guidance,

they learn how to arrange a pattern so that an attribute repeats itself over and over in a predictable

manner. In their interaction with adults and peers, children use foundational math vocabulary, picking

up words used for comparison, position, and sequencing. As children progress, they extend their

comparing skills by creating visual representations of objects in the form of graphs.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.V.E.1 Child sorts objects that are the same

and different.

PK4.V.E.1 Child sorts objects that are the same and

different into groups and uses language to describe

how the groups are similar and different.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• sort all the cars in one box and all the trucks in a different box and describes why

• organize objects with a common attribute (e.g., all the animals that live in the ocean in a pile

and all the animals that live on land in another pile and explains how they are alike and

different)

• organize writing utensils in the writing center according to types and explains how they are alike

and different

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.V.E.2 Child participates in group activities of

collecting data and organizing it into graphic

representations.

PK4.V.E.2 Child collects data and organizes it in a

graphic representation.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• place concrete objects or picture representations on a floor graph (e.g., uses an apple or orange

to show their favorite fruit)

• answer the question of the week (e.g., “Do you have a cat?”) and places a check on the yes or no

graph

Mathematics 58

• compare data on graphs or charts (e.g., talks about the class-made graph showing how children

get to school—walk, car, bus, vans—says, “Look Juan walks to school. See his name is here.”)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

PK3.V.E.3 Child recognizes and duplicates

patterns.

PK4.V.E.3 Child recognizes, duplicates, extends,

and creates patterns.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• identify repeating patterns in their environment

• use different materials (e.g., buttons, beads, color cubes) to create pattern necklaces (e.g., 2

buttons, 2 beads, 2 buttons, 2 beads, etc.)

• anticipate repeating patterns in a predictable book and says the next line before turning the

page

• create a repeated pattern using different colored blocks

• accurately continue to add to an already established pattern

Science 59

Literacy: Writin g Domain

VI. Science Domain

Young children often think that events simply happen without a specific cause or effect. To mature past

this developmental stage, prekindergarten children need exposure to inquiry-based science, which gives

them the opportunity to explore and to make sense of their world with adult guidance. This allows

children to be curious about the environment in which they live, ask a lot of questions, make

observations, describe what they experience using their five senses, and make tentative explanations

that can be shared with others. Children’s curiosity creates a natural desire to watch, explore, question,

and understand the world around them.

Science concepts for p

rekindergarten children should be developmentally appropriate, interesting, and

engaging, and able to be studied from multiple perspectives, in depth, and over time. When children

have many and varied opportunities to explore a concept, they come to the final stage

of scientific inquiry with a rich set of experiences to which they base their reflections and their

developing theories. Although children can easily learn science as they observe and interact daily, it is

the teacher’s role to provide a learning environment that offers discovery and exploration through

hands-on opportunities. These opportunities are particularly helpful for multilingual learners who may

not be able to explain what they know or have learned in a second language. Children should be

encouraged to be curious, ask questions, work collaboratively, plan investigations, record their

observations, and discuss their findings. In addition, science provides a unique context for

developing vocabulary, literacy, and math skills and concepts.

The Science domain of the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines is divided into the following skills: physical

science, life science, and earth and space science.

A. Physical Science

Prekindergarten children begin to explore properties of materials, positions, and motion of objects

through investigations. These explorations using the senses continue as children use attributes to

classify and sort objects, make observations and predictions, problem solve, question, and compare.

Children learn about sources of energy by investigating and discussing light, heat, electricity, and

magnetism. This builds an early understanding of life science, physical science, earth science and

chemistry. Processes such as observing and recording data, posing questions, predicting, investigating,

and drawing conclusions can provide experiences to support literacy, math, and the sciences.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VI.A.1 Child observes, investigates, describes,

and discusses characteristics of common objects.

Science 60

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• explore using his senses and uses sensory language to describe characteristics of natural and

human-made objects and materials (e.g., wood, cotton, fur, stone, leather, plastic, paper, foil,

ingredients for cooking, feathers, sponges)

• sort, group, or classify objects in meaningful ways based on one or more characteristics (e.g.,

hard/soft or heavy/light; materials that are made of wood, plastic, rock)

• investigate and predict what common objects will do in response to an action (e.g., whether

materials will sink/float or melt/freeze)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VI.A.2 Child observes, investigates, describes,

and discusses position and motion of objects.

Child Behaviors

. Ma The child may:

• observe, measure, describe, and demonstrate the numerous ways objects can move (e.g.,

straight, zigzag, round and round, fast, slow)

• use positional language to inform others of the location, arrangement and/or stance of an

object (e.g., the books are under the table, my folder is inside my bag, you are in front of me on

the carpet, the car is beside the track, the ball is near the court etc.)

• investigate, predict, and state conclusions regarding how an object moves under a variety of

conditions (e.g., “The car won’t roll on the carpet,” “These wheels are bigger; it will go faster.”)

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VI.A.3 Child uses simple scientific tools to

learn about objects.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• know the function of specific tools (e.g., a thermometer measures temperature)

• explore objects by appropriately using magnets, balances, eyedroppers, beakers/jars, etc.

• use a magnifying glass to observe, describe, and discuss the features of a common object (e.g.,

texture, color, shape, etc.)

Science 61

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VI.A.4 Child observes, investigates, describes,

and discusses sources of energy including light,

heat, and electricity.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• describe common sources of energy (e.g., sun, wind, water)

• demonstrate understanding that some items/equipment must have a source of energy to

function (e.g., “Teacher, we need a new battery for this toy.” or “It’s not working; it is not

plugged in.”)

• identify common objects in the classroom or their home that need a source of energy to

function

B. Life Science

Young children have a keen interest in studying living things, including the unique features of plants and

animals, the environments in which they live, and what each living thing needs to thrive. Effective

teachers provide opportunities for children to explore, observe, and investigate various organisms

through hands-on experiences. Through these experiences, children are encouraged to use newly

acquired vocabulary to describe and discuss their observations.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VI.B.1 Child observes, investigates, describes,

and discusses the characteristics of organisms.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• describe the color, size, and shape of organisms

• describe an organism’s need for food, water, air, light, and shelter

• compare differences and similarities of animals and plants (e.g., fish live in water, all birds have

feathers, we can eat some plants)

Science 62

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VI.B.2 Child observes, describes, and discusses

the life cycles of organisms.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• plant seeds, then observe, discuss, and record the plant’s growth

• observe, record, and discuss the stages of the life cycle of an organism (e.g., a baby, dog, frog, or

butterfly)

• observe and discuss human growth (e.g., measures growth using wall chart at the beginning and

end of the year)

• describe the differences in baby and adult organisms

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VI.B.3 Child observes, investigates, describes,

and discusses the relationship of organisms in their

environments.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• describe characteristics and differences between living and non-living organisms

• discuss how all organisms are dependent on other organisms (e.g., birds eat seeds, cows eat

grass, humans eat vegetables and meat)

• observe living organisms (e.g., spiders, insects, worms, snails, birds) in their natural environment

and discuss and record their behaviors/routines

• observe, discuss, and record seasonal changes in the environment (e.g., tree leaves turn

assorted colors, birds collect nesting materials, weather is warmer)

C. Earth and Space Science

Young children are innately curious about nature and the outdoors. When given the opportunity, they

love to play with earth’s materials – sand, dirt, water, and rocks. They are aware of weather conditions

and wonder why the weather changes from day to day. They notice the clouds in the sky, and they

observe that the sun moves across the sky each day and the moon changes shape. These concepts are

all a part of earth and space science. Studying earth and space science expands young children’s

Science 63

vocabulary and guides them to discover their place in the world by understanding how they can impact

their environment with positive actions.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VI.C.1 Child observes, investigates, describes,

and discusses earth materials, and their properties

and uses.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• observe, discuss, and compare earth materials (e.g., rocks, soil, sand) using magnifying glasses,

filters, water, and measurement tools

• identify the importance of soil, sunlight, air, temperature, and water to plant growth

• discuss and explain ways earth materials (e.g., soil, rocks) are used (e.g., building houses, road

construction, decorative purposes)

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VI.C.2 Child identifies, observes, describes, and

discusses objects in the sky.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• observe and discuss characteristics of clouds (e.g., makes representation, such as finger painting

the clouds in the sky, and talks about their shape, size or color when sharing their work)

• ask questions and/or makes comments about the sun, stars, and moon

• identify and/or makes comments about objects that are commonly seen in the sky (e.g., sun,

clouds, moon, stars, etc.)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VI.C.3 Child observes and describes what

happens during changes in the earth and sky.

Child Behaviors

Science 64

The child may:

• observe and describe how different items (e.g., rocks, metal, water) respond to the warmth of

the sun outside on a sunny day or a cold/cloudy day

• explain what happens after a weather event (e.g., erosion after a rainstorm, movements of

leaves after a windstorm)

• observe, record, and predict daily weather changes (e.g., weather charts)

• observe shadows and describe the relationship between the shadow, object, and the sun

• observe and describe seasonal changes

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VI.C.4 Child demonstrates an understanding of

the importance of caring for our environment and

our planet.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• discuss “green” practices (e.g., water conservation, clean air, recycling)

• engage in conservation or recycling projects (e.g., not using as many paper towels, using both

sides of the paper)

• go on a “trash hunt” to clean the school yard

Social Studies 65

VI. Science Dom ain

VII. Social Studies Domain

It is important for prekindergarten children to learn about people, places, and events in society,

beginning with themselves, their family, and their community. This helps develop children’s self-identity

and expand their understanding of the world outside their direct experience. The prekindergarten

classroom may be one of the first places children experience a variety of cultures and languages and

where diversity is elevated and honored. Skills such as beginning economics, geography awareness,

problem-solving, decision-making, and working independently as well as in teams in a classroom

prepare children to become active participants in their local and larger society.

Chi

ldren come from a variety of cultural and linguistic settings; therefore, their background knowledge

and understanding of the world can be unique and diverse. It is important to incorporate and honor

children’s home community and culture in the prekindergarten classroom. This will help children make

connections to some of the concepts in the social studies domain.

The Social Studies domain of the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines is divided into these skill areas:

people past and present, economics, geography, and citizenship.

A. People Past and Present

Prekindergarten children are aware of time and begin to organize their lives around it. Young children

learn to depend on events and routines that occur in a regular and predictable order. They begin to

understand past events and how these events relate to each of their cultural backgrounds as well as

present and future activities, demonstrating evidence of their growing understanding of time, change,

culture, and continuity.

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VII.A.1 Child identifies similarities and

differences between himself, classmates, and

other people through specific characteristics and

cultural influences.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• describe self and classmates in a drawing by identifying distinguishing characteristics (e.g., color

of eyes, length of hair, color or texture of hair, etc.)

• understand that people speak different languages

Social Studies 66

• compare own customs, traditions, and culture with those of a character represented in a read

aloud story

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VII.A.2 Child identifies similarities and

differences in characteristics of families.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• ask questions about other people’s families to make connections to their own family

• make comparisons between own family and classmate’s families (e.g., “I have three sisters and

you have three sisters” or “my grandma lives with me too”)

• share details about family members during circle time

• make c

onnections to character’s families in books or movies

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VII.A.3 Child connects his life to events, time,

and routines.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• describe similarities and differences between routines (e.g., compares story time at school to

story time at home)

• relate past events to current events (e.g., connects yesterday’s activity with what will happen

today)

• discuss important events (e.g., field trips, moving, fire drills, school concerts, etc.)

• connect life events to stages in development (e.g., “when I was a baby I couldn’t walk, so my

mom had to bring me to the park in a stroller. Now, I am bigger so I can ride my bike there.”)

B. Economics

Prekindergarten children learn about the world through their community. They explore the roles and

relationships of consumers and producers and become aware that people produce both goods and

services. Children learn that their community benefits from its members working to contribute in many

different ways.

Social Studies 67

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VII.B.1 Child demonstrates an understanding

that all people need food, clothing, and shelter.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• prepare food, select dress-up clothes, and identify shelter for friends or toys in the dramatic play

center

• include shelter, food, and clothing in drawings

• explain why food, shelter, and clothing are necessary

• sort things by needs and wants and includes food, clothing, and shelter into the needs section

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VII.B.2 Child demonstrates an understanding

of what it means to be a consumer.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• talk with the other children about shopping experiences (e.g., buying or selling items at a store

or garage sale)

• participate in activities using pretend money (e.g., buying or selling items found in the

store/restaurant in the dramatic play center)

• identify a consumer in a story read aloud

• draw or write about experiences as a consumer (e.g., buying groceries, shopping for clothes,

etc.)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VII.B.3 Child discusses the roles and

responsibilities of family, school, and community

helpers.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

Social Studies 68

• explain why family, school, and community helpers are important during classroom discussions

• role play as family, school, or community helpers during play

• identify community helpers in a story and describe how they helped the characters in the story

• draw or write about family, school, and community helpers

C. Geography

Geography is taught as a part of social studies because it plays a crucial role in developing children’s

awareness of relationships between people and the environment. In prekindergarten, geography is

often viewed with a focus on activities that build geographic skills, such as mapmaking or

drawing/describing geographical land features. Prekindergarten children begin to think about geography

using location and direction. Children use direction to locate their relative position in space and to locate

their home and school in their community. However, the geography discipline consists of two main

categories: physical geography and human geography. While human geography is the study of the

relationship between humans and their natural environment, physical geography is the study of the

natural environment. Prekindergarten children should also explore the outdoors and experience the

natural world. It is recommended that lessons about physical geography be taught outdoors on the

school lawn, playground, or in the neighborhood nearby, when possible.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VII.C.1 Child identifies and creates common

geographic features.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• name common geographic features (e.g., rivers, lakes, hills, etc.) in their surroundings

• use modeling clay to create models of common landforms at the sensory table

• include drawings of common geographic features in the scenery of their artwork

• describe the setting of a story in detail, noting common features that make the location

distinctly identifiable

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VII.C.2 Child explores geography tools and

resources.

Social Studies 69

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• explore signs and maps to help figure out where they need to go

• make maps or signs to show how to find a location (e.g., creates a map of their bedroom, house,

school, or even a treasure map)

• identify tools used to locate places (e.g., map, GPS, globe, etc.)

D. Citizenship

Prekindergarten children begin to understand important symbols, routines, and celebrations that

represent American culture. They begin to understand what it means to be a citizen of the United States

of America and a resident of the state of Texas.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VII.D.1 Child identifies the United States and

Texas flag.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• point to identify the United States or Texas flag when asked

• face the correct flag when saying the Pledge of Allegiance

• compare the United States flag and the Texas flag by discussing their similarities and differences

• recognize the United States or Texas flag in a book or when on a field trip

• include a drawing of the United States or Texas flag in a picture

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VII.D.2 Child recites the Pledge of Allegiance to

the United States flag and the Texas flag and

observes a moment of silence.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• participate in daily Pledge of Allegiance activities

Social Studies 70

• discuss the purpose of saying the Pledge of Allegiance

• identify places and events where the Pledge of Allegiance is said, (e.g., ball games, assemblies,

etc.)

• demonstrate respect for classmates and country during the Pledge of Allegiance

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VII.D.3 The child engages in voting as a

method for group decision-making.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• participate in voting experiences related to classroom decision-making

• share experiences about going to vote with family members

• create voting situations in dramatic play center

Fine Arts 71

VIII. Fine Arts Domain

Art can help prekindergarten children learn to observe, organize, and interpret experiences through

multiple mediums. They can benefit from many opportunities to creatively express themselves through

music, movement and dance, dramatic play, and the visual arts (e.g., drawing, painting, building

sculptures, etc.). The outcomes in this domain reflect children’s need to experiment, manipulate and

transform materials. Teachers can encourage this by providing opportunities for children to engage in

the “process” of creating rather than focusing on the “product” that is created. Art should be integrated

across all learning domains and can be used to support many aspects of development (e.g., self-

expression, fine and gross motor skills, and vocabulary).

The Fine Arts Domain of the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines is divided into the following skills: art,

music, and dramatic expression.

A. Art

Prekindergarten children explore a wide variety of materials and make discoveries about color, shape,

and texture through art experiences. They learn to express what they know and begin to recognize how

others express themselves through art. They begin to gain control of fine-motor muscles and practice

hand-eye coordination. The majority of art experiences should be model/sample free with the focus

being on the process of creating.

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VIII.A.1 Child uses a variety of art materials for

sensory experiences and exploration.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• manipulate modeling clay by rolling, pinching, squeezing, patting, and cutting

• mix colors to make other colors (e.g., red and yellow finger paint to make orange)

• investigate using a variety of materials to create art (e.g., different sized paint brushes, sponges,

different types of paper, crayons/markers/colored pencils, etc.)

• select a variety of materials in the art center for exploration (e.g., painting with cotton swabs on

paper or writing with crayons/markers/colored pencils)

Fine Arts 72

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VIII.A.2 Child uses art as a form of creative

self-expression and representation.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• describe own artwork (e.g., “This is me riding my bike.”)

• explain steps for creating her artwork (e.g., “First I rolled the clay into a ball. Then I…”)

• gradually create drawings and paintings that become more realistic and detailed

• share positive feelings about personal artistic creations and experiences

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VIII.A.3 Child demonstrates interest in and

shows appreciation for the creative work of others.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• comment on and/or ask questions about the artwork of others, including classmates and

illustrators

• notice differences in artwork influenced by a variety of cultures

• notice similarities in the artwork of books created by the same illustrator

B. Music

Prekindergarten children express themselves through singing and movement and by playing simple

instruments. Like art, music is a form of experiencing, learning, and communicating with others. Children

learn to experiment with musical concepts, such as volume, tempo, and sound. Their vocabulary is

expanded. They begin to appreciate different types of music.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VIII.B.1 Child participates in classroom music

activities including singing, playing musical

instruments, and moving to rhythms.

Fine Arts 73

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• sing along with popular songs during circle time (e.g., “Old McDonald Had a Farm”)

• join in fingerplay by chanting and following the movements in songs (e.g., “Itsy, Bitsy, Spider”)

• make up and sing songs during the day

• move in rhythm to simple tunes and musical patterns

• explores or plays with musical instruments (e.g., maracas, cymbals, rhythm sticks, tambourine)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VIII.B.2 Child responds to different musical

styles through movement and play.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• use props (e.g., scarves, streamers) to respond to music through movement

• follow the beat using body and musical instruments (e.g., walks or jumps to the beat)

• describe moods and feelings (e.g., happy/sad) associated with different types of music (e.g.,

loud/soft, fast/slow, etc.)

• talk about different styles of music including music from different parts of the world (e.g.,

classical, country, dance, jazz, hip-hop, Latin, rock)

C. Dramatic Expression

Prekindergarten children participate in expressive and spontaneous productions through creative

dramatic play. Children demonstrate their unique interpretation of music, songs, and stories through

movement and dramatic experiences. These experiences contribute to children’s ability to communicate

more effectively and engage in cooperative play with others.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.VIII.C.1 Child creates or recreates stories,

moods, or experiences through dramatic

representations.

Fine Arts 74

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• act out a story read aloud

• engage in dramatic play with classmates to create a story

• make or use props to dramatize a story read aloud

• re-

enact real life events in the dramatic play center

Physical Development 75

IX. Physical Development Domain

Prekindergarten children’s learning is directly influenced by their development of gross and fine motor

skills as well as their knowledge of personal safety and health. The motor development outcomes

included in this domain describe opportunities for children to develop rhythmic, stability, loco

-mot

or,

and manipulative skills that ultimately influence many aspects of children’s success in cognitive,

perceptual, and social emotional development. Children’s knowledge of personal safety and health

impacts their development of healthy habits early, which are key to life-long health and overall well-

being.

The Phys

ical Development Domain of the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines is divided into the following

skills: gross motor development, fine motor development, and personal safety and health.

A. Gross Motor Development

Prekindergarten children explore their physical space and understand how their bodies function in space

through active movement experiences. Large-motor skills are developed first, followed by stability (e.g.,

turning, twisting, balancing, dodging) and manipulative (e.g., throwing, catching, kicking, striking) motor

skills. Gross motor development requires thought and deliberate movement. Four-year-old children

develop greater control of gross motor manipulative movements that involve giving force to objects and

receiving force from objects.

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

PK3.IX.A.1 Child masters basic skills of running,

jumping, climbing, and pedaling.

PK4.IX.A.1 Child demonstrates coordination and

balance in isolation.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• maintain balance while walking on a balance beam or standing on one foot

• hop on one foot, walk, jog, jump, and gallop in place or from one place to another

• carry a bowl or plate of objects from one spot to another

• coordinate large muscle movement and equipment (e.g., swing on a swing, ride a tricycle, slide

on a slide, dribble a ball, jump over a rope)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

Physical Development 76

PK3.IX.A.2 Child engages in movement sequences

with adult support.

PK4.IX.A.2 Child coordinates sequence of

movements to perform tasks.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• move within a space of defined boundaries, changing body configuration to accommodate the

space (e.g., moving through an obstacle course)

• use non-locomotor (axial) movements such as reaching, twisting, turning, and bending

• participate in group games involving movement (e.g., “Hokey Pokey”)

B. Fine Motor Development

Prekindergarten children participate in fine-motor manipulative movements through object-handling

activities that emphasize motor control, precision, and accuracy of movement. Cutting with scissors,

manipulating modeling dough, and drawing are the foundational skills needed for the demands of

handwriting and other small-motor skills in later school years. Fine motor activities that help to

strengthen the small muscles of the hands in preparation for writing are integrated into learning

centers.

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

PK3.IX.B.1 Child experiments with a variety of fine

motor tasks but may lack strength and control.

PK4.IX.B.1 Child shows control of tasks that require

small-muscle strength and control.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• use pincer control (grasps small objects between thumb and index finger) to manipulate tools

(e.g., tweezers, eyedroppers) and manipulatives (e.g., linking cubes)

• use hands and fingers to manipulate various classroom materials (e.g., molding modeling clay,

placing caps on and off markers, painting at the easel, tearing paper)

• hold drawing and writing utensils in a more conventional grasp (with fingers instead of fist)

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

Physical Development 77

PK3.IX.B.2 Child shows emerging proficiency in

tasks requiring eye-hand coordination.

PK4.IX.B.2 Child shows increasing control of tasks

that require eye-hand coordination.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• engage in activities that develop eye-hand coordination. (e.g., puts puzzles together, strings

beads together, builds with blocks)

• a

ccomplish self-help tasks (e.g., buttoning, zipping, snapping, eating with utensils)

• use one hand to grasp a piece of paper and the other hand to use scissors to snip a piece of

paper

C. Personal Safety and Health

Prekindergarten children develop an understanding of health and safety issues related to their daily

routines and activities. Children learn to make healthy choices in nutrition and understand the

importance of well-being through exercise and rest.

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this skill.

PK4.IX.C.1 Child practices good habits of personal

safety.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• follow safety procedures while using common tools and materials (e.g., glue, scissors, rulers,

pencils, hammers, wood, safety goggles)

• show an understanding of fire safety and shelter in place procedures (e.g., stop, drop, roll or

walking to an exit during fire drills)

• follow safety guidelines for day-to-day routines (e.g., walks in the hallway, looks both ways

before crossing the street, applies playground rules, etc.)

• demonstrate safety precautions when interacting with animals (e.g., knows not to approach a

snake on the playground, asks permission before petting a campus service dog, etc.)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this skill.

PK4.IX.C.2 Child practices good habits of personal

health and hygiene.

Physical Development 78

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• cough and sneeze into elbow

• wash hands after using the toilet and before eating

• recognize appropriate dress for the weather (e.g., wears a coat when it is cold outside, grabs an

umbrella when it is raining, asks for sunscreen when it is sunny outside, etc.)

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this skill.

PK4.IX.C.3 Child identifies good habits of nutrition

and exercise.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• identify healthy snacks and discuss how to make nutritious food choices

• participate in preparing healthy snacks that are filled with lots of nutrients

• identify and discuss substances and activities that are unhealthy

• demonstrate and discuss the need for exercise and rest to stay healthy

X. Technology Applications Domain

Technology can greatly enhance learning experiences for prekindergarten children, but it is critical that

young children learn about the appropriate use of technology and interactive media. It can enhance

active, hands-on, creative, and authentic engagement with others and with the world, but it must be

used with intentionality. Technology should not replace face-to-face instruction. Regular access and

exposure to computers and related technology including challenging learning applications, programs,

and websites, can provide opportunities for children to expand their ability to acquire information, solve

problems, and communicate. These technologies serve as important learning tools and are integrated

throughout the instructional program to enrich learning of curriculum content and concepts. Providing

access to a variety of technologies is critical in the development of skills that young children need to

learn and grow in the 21st century.

The Technology Applications Domain of the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines includes only one skill:

technology and devices.

A. Technology and Devices

Prekindergarten children learn how technology can enhance our lives. Surrounded by technology,

children can benefit from becoming aware of and interacting with digital media and a variety of other

available technology. They develop techniques for handling and controlling various devices, becoming

increasingly confident and independent users of developmentally appropriate interactive media.

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.X.A.1 Child opens and navigates through

digital learning applications and programs, when

appropriate.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• follow basic oral or visual cues to explore a variety of interactive media websites, learning

applications, and digital programs

• listen to and interact with digital storybooks and informational texts

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

Technology 80

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.X.A.2 Child uses and names a variety of digital

tools that support and enhance learning.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• explore and operate touchscreens, mouse, and computer keyboard to access educational

applications and websites

• use technical terminology associated with working with digital devices (e.g., click, swipe, tap,

etc.)

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.X.A.3 Child uses digital learning applications to

contribute to class-made digital products that

express own ideas, as appropriate.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• use digital tools or apps to draw and write

• use a variety of digital tools with audio, video, and graphics to capture original creations and add

it to a digital portfolio (e.g., photos of block buildings or artwork, recording of dramatic play,

etc.)

• explore digital storytelling by co-creating digital books with adult support (e.g., child chooses

photos or takes pictures of drawings to add to a story and records voice narrating the story)

PK3 Outcome PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.X.A.4 Child uses technology to access

appropriate information, with adult assistance.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• use technology to learn new information (e.g., listens to a book or watches a video to learn

about animals, participates in a virtual field trip, uses voice-activated features to get a question

answered)

• interact with technology to practice recently learned skills (e.g., used in a learning app or game)

Technology 81

PK3 Outcome

PK4 Outcome

No PK3 outcomes for this domain of learning.

PK4.X.A.5 Child practices safe behavior while using

digital tools and resources.

Child Behaviors

The child may:

• follow procedures set by the teacher when using technology

• carry devices safely across the room (e.g., using two hands)

• log out when finished to maintain privacy

• access only the approved apps or websites on a device (likely from an adult-created menu)

Phonological Awareness: Development Timeline

Left blank

2-3 years old

3-4 years old

4-5 years old

5-6 years old

6-7 years old

Auditory

Discrimination

Distinguish voices

(e.g., knows mom

vs. dad’s voice)

Distinguishes

sounds (e.g., animal

noises or vehicles)

Distinguishes words

(e.g., recognizes

when two words

are the same or

different)

Left blank

Sentence

Segmentation

Becomes aware

that sentences are

made up of words

that carry meaning

Counts the number

of words in a

sentence

Recognizes which

word changes in a

sentence

Manipulates words

in a sentence and

replaces them with

new words to make

a new sentence

Left blank

Rhyming

Exposure to rhyme

through nursery

rhymes and finger

plays

Identifies rhyme

Identifies and

produces a mix of

real and nonsense

rhymes

Distinguishes

between rhymes

(can determine

which does not

rhyme)

Rhyme completion

(can complete a

sentence with a

word that rhymes)

Alliteration

Left blank

Identifies if two

words begin with

the same sound

Produces a word

that begins with

the same sound

Generates a list of

words that begin

with the same

sound

Distinguishes

between

alliterative and

non-alliterative

words in a list,

sentence, or story

Syllables

Syllable awareness

through finger

plays

Blending and

segmenting

compound words

Blends and

segments

multisyllabic words

up to 3 syllables

Blends and

segments

multisyllabic words

up to 5 syllables

Syllable

manipulation

(adding, deleting,

substituting)

Onset-Rime

Left blank

Identifies the onset

in words (single

letters and

consonant blends)

Blends onset and

rime to form

familiar one-

syllable words

Blends onset and

rime to form one-

syllable words

Left blank

Phonemes

Left blank

Isolating initial

phonemes

Blending and

Segmenting 2-3

phonemes

Blending and

segmenting 4-5

phonemes

Blending and

segmenting

phonemes;

phoneme

manipulation

Notes

• Skill development is fluid. Children may not follow the exact order outlined in this generalized timeline

• Onset-rime is only taught in English-language instruction

• In Spanish, phoneme blending is taught to help children blend individual syllables (2-3 phonemes) in words, which they will then use

syllables to decode

EARLY CHILDHOOD

WRITING DEVELOPMENT

Awareness Stage

GRIP

• Uses entire fist to grasp items

• Starts to explore fine motor

movements through grabbing

objects, such as hair, toys, or a

bottle, but lacks real control

and often requires adult

supports

EXAMPLE:

An infant

exploring

grasp by

gripping a

finger

FORMATION & SPELLING

• Begins to use random

scribbling—starts at any

place on the page and

includes random marks that

do not resemble print or

communicate a meaning

EXAMPLE:

Basic scribbles

COMPOSITION

• Begins to understand, through

interactions with text and

talk, the connection between

spoken and written language

(i.e., recognizes that written

language communicates ideas,

stories, and facts)

• Starts to recognize

environmental print

• Uses a variety of writing tools

to share messages

Pre-literate Stage

GRIP

• Attempts to mimic adults by

grasping various tools (crayons,

markers, Q-tips, clothespins,

paintbrushes, etc.) with four

fingers pointed toward palm

EXAMPLE:

A four-finger

grip

FORMATION & SPELLING

• Scribbles to imitate adult

writing

• Improves fine motor skills

by developing hand and

finger strength, resulting

in controlled scribbling—

repeated marks on a page

(e.g., open circle, diagonals,

straight or curved lines, wavy

lines written across the page).

EXAMPLE:

A To Do List

(and the

scripted

meaning)

COMPOSITION

• Uses single drawings to

represent written stories

• Believes that drawings and

scribbles communicate a

purposeful message

• Reads their drawings as if

there were words on them

• Tells teacher or peers what

a picture represents which

may change with repeated

explanations

EXAMPLE:

Yo puedo patear

un balón de

fútbol con mis

pies.

“I can kick a

soccer ball with

my feet.”

EARLY CHILDHOOD WRITING DEVELOPMENT

(page 2 of 4)

Early Emergent Stage

GRIP

• Attempts five-finger grip

including a grasp with index

finger and thumb

EXAMPLE:

A five-finger grip

FORMATION & SPELLING

• Scribbles begin to indicate the

child’s understanding of basic

writing conventions - left to

right, top to bottom

• Makes letter-like forms and

shapes, or individual letters, to

represent words

• Attempts to write name

• Copies letters and words from

environmental print

EXAMPLE:

Scribbles

with letter-

like forms

COMPOSITION

• Uses drawings across several

pages to represent a clear

message

• Includes story elements into

drawings (e.g., character names,

setting) to represent a story

• Adds meaningful labels to

illustrations demonstrating the

understanding that written

words add meaning and context

• Shares meaning of pictures

and labels with teachers and

peers with consistency

• Starts to build awareness that

messages (stories or individual

pictures) need to make sense

and will revise drawings and/or

labels to make it happen

Emergent Stage

GRIP

• Uses stac three-finger grip

and whole arm movement to

form letters (lacks control)

EXAMPLE:

A stac three-

finger grip, that

uses the whole

arm to make

marks on the

paper (and limits

control)

FORMATION & SPELLING

• Strings random letters together

in an attempt to create words

• Includes both upper and

lowercase letters randomly

• Continues to develop

conventions of writing - writes

across the page, adds spaces

to represent each word within

a sentence

EXAMPLE:

Mi comida

“My food”

COMPOSITION

• Develops stories with a

beginning and an ending,

represented by drawings and

corresponding phrases

• Continues to develop

awareness that written stories

follow a logical sequence

• Revises drawings and writings

to ensure their message is

clear to their audience

EXAMPLE:

A story about a

student’s feelings

EARLY CHILDHOOD WRITING DEVELOPMENT

(page 3 of 4)

Transitional Stage

GRIP

• Uses dynamic three-finger grip

resulting in more control as

movement originates from the

wrist

EXAMPLE:

A dynamic

three-

finger grip

with more

control at

wrist

FORMATION & SPELLING

• Spells words by using

letter-sound knowledge

(approximation spelling) which

may progress as follows

» Beginning and final sounds

used to represent a word

» Medial consonant sounds

are added

» Medial sounds (vowel),

even if incorrect, may be

represented

» All sounds are represented

even if inaccurately spelled

» Writes known words (e.g.,

high-frequency words,

sight words)

• Spells one word several

different ways in one piece of

writing, which illustrates that

spelling is still developing (e.g.,

“like” might be spelled as “lik”

and “liek” in the same story).

• Begins to use spacing to

distinguish between words

• Adds random punctuation to

writing

EXAMPLE:

A writing sample

that includes a

mix of

approximated

spelling and

words from the

word wall to

convey meaning

*The circled words represent that

the child understands individual

words make up a sentence.*

COMPOSITION

• Begins to convey messages

more through written text than

illustrations

• Writes sentences that

correspond with each of the

drawings in their stories

• Composes clear messages with

meaning and context for a

specific audience

• Includes a beginning, middle,

and end when writing stories

• Begins to model compositions

after familiar authors

EARLY CHILDHOOD WRITING DEVELOPMENT

(page 4 of 4)

Conventional Stage

GRIP

• Continues to develop control

and personal style using a

dynamic three-finger grip

EXAMPLE:

A developed

three-finger grip

FORMATION & SPELLING

• Begins phrase writing

• Writes complete sentences

• Uses correct capitalization and

punctuation more often

• Increasingly writes with

conventional spelling

and fewer instances of

approximation spelling

EXAMPLE:

A writing sample that includes

accurate use of capitalization and

punctuation, with conventional

spelling

COMPOSITION

• Writes sentences of varying

lengths and structures to add

coherence around a central

topic or theme

• Consistently conveys messages

through written text versus

illustrations

• Uses writing to express

personal ideas, thoughts,

understandings, and learning

• Recognizes and imitates

various genres of writing

• Uses mentor texts to develop

composition skills and

creativity in writing

• Writes for a variety of

purposes, accurately using

various features of writing

(e.g., begins letters with

“Dear,” or “Esmado:”; begins

writing fairy tales with “Había

una vez”; makes lists with

numbered lines or bullets)