Specific Objective(s):

Upon successful completion of this training, participants will:

 1. Understand the purpose, focus and rationale for the new VPK Education Standards and benchmarks for the areas of language and communication and emergent literacy.

2. Analyze critical, age-appropriate instructional and environmental strategies that will prepare all children to succeed in kindergarten.

3.  Replicate key instructional strategies, daily schedule components, and environmental factors that should be considered in planning for the teaching of the new VPK Education Standards and benchmarks.

4.  Examine the research behind each of the language and emergent literacy standards and assess what can be done to promote children’s learning in these areas.

5.  Understand the key components of emergent literacy including:  language and communication, emergent reading, emergent writing and environment.

6.  Develop a lesson plan which reflects the instructional practices presented in the Emergent Literacy Course.

7.  Reflect and self-evaluate current classroom practices in comparison to the established VPK Education Standards for teaching emergent literacy.