EDMS 521- Domain 4

TC NAME: Haley Hemrich

RICA Domain: Vocabulary, Academic Language, and Background Knowledge

RICA Competency: Vocabulary, Academic Language, and Background Knowledge: Role in Reading Development and Factors That Affect Development

Grade Level: Kindergarten

Any Additional Descriptors: Full day

Sight Word Board

INSTRUCTION: I observed Mrs. M teaching sight words by referring to the magnets on the board during "daily news" and having student's spell the words aloud. Every morning, Mrs. M does "daily news" where five students are randomly chosen to share news with the class. Each sentence involves a sight word, which is pointed out and spelled by another student. The magnetic sight words are visual and act as tools for students to refer to and use when reading or writing. These are high frequency words in developmentally appropriate books, student writing and everyday speech in the classroom.

"Daily News" incorporates first tier words and understanding. The first tier, in accordance with "The Different Tiers of Academic Vocabulary" of Competency 10, includes simple words that appear in everyday speech. Sight words fall into this category, as well as words like, "flower, water and rain".

Daily news

Mrs. M also has the student's pick the weather of the day according to the forecast they noticed before coming into the classroom. The word "Forecast" can be considered academic language. As the year progresses, more academic language comes about. These more complex words fall under tier two in respect to competency 10. 

Throughout the lesson, Mrs. M gives instruction using a variety of nontechnical academic language. Students are told to classify objects in mathematics, illustrate pictures during language arts centers, and identify hidden objects in some activities.

Mrs. M also activates background knowledge before reading every book. She does this by asking questions and performing picture walks with the entire class in the front of the classroom. This allows children to be thinking about the story and comprehension becomes easier for kindergarteners. 

Sight Word Assessment

One assessment for this week, involved students writing the sight words for homework. Another involved the teacher assessing which sight words students knew by showing a list and recording the words each student read. 

INSTRUCTIONAL SETTING:

I observed that the instructional setting included permanent resources for students to refer to the spelling of sight words. The "daily news" allows for students to connect sounds of words with the actual spelling, increasing letter-sound awareness and word-sound recognition. Students learn that print carries meaning throughout this practice (daily news). Students also receive a list of sight words and are instructed to practice spelling, writing and reading these sights words with a parent and/or guardian.