Extending our idea of domestic vs wild animals the classes were introduced to a happy medium: farm animals. Both cohorts of students are naturally very inclined towards music so this weekly focus also provided us with the opportunity to learn the popular English language children`s song `Old MacDonald Had a Farm.` The goals of becoming aquainted with this song were distinctly different between Kindergarten and Pre-K students.
For our Kindergarten cohort singing this song allowed them to master the vocabulary e.g `ducklings,` goats` etc in a non-pressure, fun way; it also allowed them to draw upon prior knowledge that was gained in the `C is for Cows` portion of the food and drink unit of study. As always we avoided any tendency towards rote memorization amongst pupils and instead focused on a progressive, patient approach. It is interesting to note that as an educator I was not necessarily expecting students to make an immediate connection that some animals are assigned a different word in their youth than when they are grown, but the students brillant and observant did just that using previously learned family vocabulary; noting that a duck was a `mother duck` and duckling `baby` or `brother/sister` duck. Good work kids!
Our Pre-K students mastered less total vocabulary than their older counterparts but what they did learn was meaningful to them. This particular set of students, alleign with their peers in the same proximal zone of development has more of tendency to use phonetic sounds associated with animals e.g `Baaaa` for a sheep or `Mew mewww` for cats--this as well as identifying vocabulary first in Russian/Tatar when desired is encouraged.
We experienced a major milestone this week when students via the example of one particular peer began confidently asking and responding to our circle time question* `How are you?` in English. This should not be
underestimated as it marks not only an advancement in academic but also the critical social development students will need to thrive in the English speaking world in the future
For our Kindergarten cohort singing this song allowed them to master the vocabulary e.g `ducklings,` goats` etc in a non-pressure, fun way; it also allowed them to draw upon prior knowledge that was gained in the `C is for Cows` portion of the food and drink unit of study. As always we avoided any tendency towards rote memorization amongst pupils and instead focused on a progressive, patient approach. It is interesting to note that as an educator I was not necessarily expecting students to make an immediate connection that some animals are assigned a different word in their youth than when they are grown, but the students brillant and observant did just that using previously learned family vocabulary; noting that a duck was a `mother duck` and duckling `baby` or `brother/sister` duck. Good work kids!
Our Pre-K students mastered less total vocabulary than their older counterparts but what they did learn was meaningful to them. This particular set of students, alleign with their peers in the same proximal zone of development has more of tendency to use phonetic sounds associated with animals e.g `Baaaa` for a sheep or `Mew mewww` for cats--this as well as identifying vocabulary first in Russian/Tatar when desired is encouraged.
We experienced a major milestone this week when students via the example of one particular peer began confidently asking and responding to our circle time question* `How are you?` in English. This should not be
underestimated as it marks not only an advancement in academic but also the critical social development students will need to thrive in the English speaking world in the future
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