Bachelor of Education, Early Childhood Education Degree

Observation Table: Environmental Print in the Classroom

Table 1: Documenting Environmental Print
Examples of Environmental Print Purpose Ideas for further
development

Children display their Labeling the names of the

own work to develop students on the board so
their self-esteem, each student put his work
confidence and to make under his name or picture
them feel that they so the board will look more
achieve something to organized.
encourage them to work
harder.

Invites other children to

look at each others
work.

Display the students Labeling the groups names

group work, to so each group knows which
encourage teamwork. poster is theirs.
Children review what
they have learned.
Invites other children to
look at each others
work.

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 Bachelor of Education, Early Childhood Education Degree

Reflections on Observation Task 1: Environmental in the Classroom

Read the questions below and choose (1) one to respond to

1. How does environmental print impact students language development, and their
reading and writing abilities?

The environment print provides models for childrens writing, and helps them internalize correct
spellings of commonly used words. Moreover, inspires their own writing through environmental
printing. With support and guidance, young children eventually learn to write conventionally,
composing messages for a variety of purposes and audiences. Also, their understanding of print and
phonetic skills necessary for reading increases, they gradually begin to read words presented
separately from the logo.

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 Observation Task 2: Teaching a Phonics Lesson
Table 2: Teaching a Phonics Lesson
The Structure of the Lesson
What the teacher does What the children do Comments
Introducing the Sound:
The teacher tell the students that they will learn
new sounds This was a good idea to teach
the students the sound and at
She Show them the letter card, ask them if they The children try to make the letter n the same time it combine it
know the letter sound. with words start with n, and
The teacher make the sound of the letter a n n allowed them to focus on the
n , ask the children if they can make the sound sound /h/ in the initial
The teacher sing a line of the letter n from the The children repeat the song after the position.
sounds song nurse niellys nice n n n and let teacher with doing the actions(cover
the students sing the song with doing the their hearts with their hands)
actions like she showed them
This was a good idea to teach the
The teacher asks children what their tongue do The children answer that they put students the sound, they enjoyed doing
when they say the n sound their tongue up this and really exaggerated their mouth
movements.

The teacher shows the children pictures

represent objects start with the letter n, such as
nurse of nest and nine. The children repeat the words and
look at what their tongues are doing.
The teacher say the words slowly and she focus
on the first letter.

Hearing the Sound in the initial position:

The teacher explains she will say some words

and that some of them will begin with the /n/
sound and some will not. The children close their eyes and This worked really well, because it
listen. allowed them to focus on the sound /n/
She asks the children to close their eyes and to in the initial position
listen carefully to words that begin with the /n/
sound.
The children raise their hands when
She tells them to raise their hands when they they hear the sound /n/ in the initial
hear a word that begins with the /n/ sound. position.
Some children have difficulties with
understanding the activity in the
beginning but after they watched their
She says the words slowly and sometimes says friends they started to participate with
the word in a segmented fashion, e.g., Some children are repeating the word me
/n/./u/./t/ and then repeating it in blended and exaggerating the initial sound.
e.g. nut
Words:
nest/nine/nose/nail/nurse/necklace/nine/nice

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Introducing the Writing of the Sound:

The teacher explained that she is going to show

them how to write the letter n so they have to
be focus
The students sit and listen attentively
She give clear instructions

1. We start from the top and make a

line down
2. Next go back, to the middle and make
It was a good to keep the children
a round to the bottom
Children follow the teacher repeating the directions for forming the
instructions, write the letter n on the sound /n/ so they it will be easier to
floor and air. remember it.
The teacher repeats this and asks the children to
copy her movements in the air and floor with
their fingers.

She asks a child to come and try to draw the /n/

The children repeat the teachers
sound on the board.
directions and trace the sound /n/ in
the air and floor with their fingers.

She repeats this with another 2 children.

The child draws the letter whilst the
other children direct her.

Practicing Writing the Sound:

The teacher tells the children that they will all
practice writing the sound /n/ today. This was a good idea as working in
The children listen attentively. smaller groups allowed the teacher to
She selects a group of children to move to the make sure that the children could hear,
writing table and directs the rest of the children recognize and accurately write the
to the other activities in other centers. The children move out into the sound /n/.
learning centers.
She sits with the children and gets them to trace
the sound /n/ explicitly following the directions.

She encourages the children to say the sound The children trace the sound /n/ It was good to keep the children
/n/ and cover their hearts with their hands repeating the directions for forming the
sound /n/ so they would remember it
The children say the sound /n/ and and cover their hearts with their hands
She asks the high level students to write the cover their hearts with their hands and say the sound to link the sound
letter n instead of tracing the letter only. with a familiar action.
The high level students write the letter
She give the students worksheet, ask them to /n/
circle the objects on the worksheet that begin
with the sound /n/ The children identify the object

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Reflections on Observation Task 2: Teaching a Phonics Lesson

1. What program is used in your school to teach phonics?

The program that is used in my school to teach phonics is song of
sound, and generally its used in all the government school.
2. How is phonics taught in your school?
First, they introduce the sound with linkink the sound with a familiar action.
For example, for the letter n, they sing nurse nellys nice n n n with covering
their hearts with their hands. Second, they lean some words that begin with
the sounds, at least 3 words. After that they introduce the writing of sounds.
And finally they practice writing the sound.

3. What was the focus of the lesson?

The main focus is on the sounds. And the words that being with the sounds.

4. Were the learners engaged in the phonics lesson? If they were, select (a); if they were
not, select (b).
a. Describe the different types of active engagement activities that
the teacher used.
They use worksheets like find and circle the letter, music videos, magic
box that involve the objects and online games.

5. What types of activities did the children participate in during their independent centers that
reinforced the lesson objective/learning outcome? If they participated in learning centers,
select (a); if they did not, select (b)
a) Describe the different types of learning center activities that the
students did.
Foe the learning centres activities the students did hands on activities, e.g.
for the letter p, they made the parrot craft. Different types of worksheet like
colouring, puzzle and find the letter.

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 Observation Task 3: Teaching Shared/Guided Reading
Table 3: Teaching Shared/Guided Reading
Title: Miss mess
What the teacher does What the children do Comments

1- Ask the students about - Its good idea to ask the

the cover page: what do The children look at the cover students about the cover
you see on the cover and answer the teacher because it will give them an
page? Where is the idea and an understanding
questions by raised hands
title? What does it of the text they will read.
mean? What do you Moreover, it will help the
think the story is about? students to become better
readers in the future.
2- Read the story with
using body language, The children listen attentively
face features and she
change her voce tone.
The teacher was really amazing,
Moreover, she ask them
open questions to make because when she reads the
them use their story, she change her Facial
imagination. For expressions and voice. Which is
example; what do you Children share their answers a great way to engage the
think will happen next? with the teacher and listen to students. And the students
Why? their classmates answer. looked like they were really
enjoying the story.
3- After reading the story,
she asked them about
the story; did you like It was a nice strategy to ask the
the story? Why? What students about their thoughts
your favorite part? about the story and their
What did you learn favorite part.
from the story?

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Reflections on Observation Task 3: Teaching Shared/Guided
Reading

1. Which concepts about print (CAP), phonological awareness, letter knowledge

and or phonics did the teacher focus on?

She focused on phonological awareness, letter knowledge and or phonics

because she asked them about some letters and their sounds. Moreover, she
asked them to find a work start with a specific letter.

a) What did strategies/activities the teacher use to help the students

understand the concept being taught?

She questioned them a lot about letters, colours, numbers and events of the
story.

2. Were there any initial/medial/final sounds, punctuation, sight words or word families
that were covered during the lesson? If they were, select (a); if they were not, select
(b).

a. W h a t was the purpose of teaching these concepts? Explain its importance.

These concepts were needed to be taught because they are important to be

known because of using them a lot, and the story is one of the ways children can
learn about them. Moreover, it can be a way to revise the sounds and sight
words.

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 Observation Task 4: Development of Early Writing Skills
Table 4: Development of Early Writing Skills
Developmental Writing Stage Supporting Activities Links to the ADEC Comments
Curriculum

Using the writing Students will be able to Children enjoy

apps on the ipads form letters correctly. playing and learning
with iPad, and it is a
great supplemental
handwriting
resource for
classrooms.
Use the Peg Students will be able to
Boards and pegs form letters correctly.
to form letters or Peg boards are great
words
for developing
hands-on experiences writing skills and
and opportunities with fine motor skills
a variety of age
appropriate literacy
resources

Students practice Students will be able to This is a great idea,

writing on the form letters correctly. because children
drawing board can get used to the
Use marker and hold it idea of drawing and
effectively to form writing letters
recognizable letters, most together, for
of which are correctly example they write
formed letter m and draw a
monkey.
Suggestions for the further development of early writing skills

Using tracing cards to write own name

Labeling own work; pictures, paintings, collage, worksheets, etc.

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 Reflections on Observation Task 4: Development of
Early Writing Skills

1. What are developmental writing stages the majority of the students in?

Most of them are in the fourth stage (Beginning Sounds Emerge). They begin to
understand the differences between letters and words but are not using
spacing yet.

2. Describe and explain two (2) suggested strategies that the teacher can use to
help the majority of the students within their developmental writing stage.

- She can give them tracing worksheets to do at home with their parents.

- Provide different types of writing activities during the corner time, for example
writing letters in wet sand, using a playdough mat to form letters and using
tracing cards to form letters correctly.

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 Observation Task 5: Literacy Software /Web-based
Programs
Table 5: Documenting Computer Software / Web-based Programs
Software Title Age Links to the ADEC Curriculum Links to Multiple Bits of Comments
Range Intelligence
3-5 Communication, Language, and Verbal-Linguistic This software package is very
years Literacy Intelligence easy to use and clearly,
Topics covered include reading supports learning across
and language skills like phonics, Logical-Mathematical domains in the preschool.
letter recognition and Intelligence The children also love the
vocabulary. characters that assist them in
Interpersonal navigating through the wide
Problem Solving, Reasoning and Intelligence variety of interesting
Numeracy activities provided.
Preschool learning
Early maths skills include Bodily-Kinesthetic
games kids
numbers, patterns, puzzles, Intelligence I really like this software
counting , sizes, shapes, and Developing hand-eye package because its a simple
diffrencess. coordination in using the child-friendly interface that
keyboard and mouse. offers engaging way to
Personal, Social and Emotional master essential preschool
Development Visual-Spatial skills in the total of 12. The
Children can work in pairs, take intelligence children love the character
turns and cooperate with each Navigating pathways monkey that guide them in
other while exploring this through a range of the games.
software. computer screens

Knowledge and Understanding

of the World
Use a mouse and keyboard to
interact with age-appropriate
computer software to support
their learning.

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Reflections on Observation Task 5: Literacy Software / Web-based
Programs

1. Were there any literacy software/web based programs used in the

classroom? If there were, select (a); if there were not, select (b).

a) What did early childhood literacy skills the software/web-based

programs address?

There was many software programs that were used in the classroom. one of
the programs is called Abjad this program address letters recognition,
vocabulary and writing. Through different ways; songs, matching, letters
with pictures and tracing the letters. Moreover, it include games like find the
letter and building words.

b) /web-based programs that the teacher can use to help assist her students
in developing their early literacy skills.

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