Partner with families to learn about their language practices, stories, and literacy-related interactions at home, recognizing that children bring rich knowledge and skills from their first languages and cultural experiences. Dual language learners should have opportunities to demonstrate proficiency in the standard in both their first language and English, with supports such as first-language use, cross-language connections, gestures, visuals, and props. These opportunities allow young dual language learners to build on what they know and can do in their first language as they continue to develop communication, language, and literacy skills in all their languages.
Read My Big Animal Book by Roger Priddy. Encourage the children to repeat the animal names as you say them. Discuss what makes each a living thing. For example, say, “This is a chicken. It has eyes to see just like we do. Can you point to your eyes?” Have the children point to the body parts of the animals. Say, “Let's find all the legs in the pictures.”
