My students need new and engaging art supplies to help encourage language development. By stamping and playing with dough they will be able to practice basic literacy skills as well as conversation
I am an ESL teacher who specializes in working with the Pre-K population in our building. Students who are part of our Pre-K and Head Start programs qualify due to financial need, they come from homes which are highly impacted by poverty. Many are either immigrants themselves or the children of immigrants, and have parents who are struggling to provide them with safe, stable homes in an unfamiliar country. The majority of my students are ESOL level one, this preschool experience may be their first exposure to English and thus may be overwhelming. Many of the students on my caseload are also part of our PEP program, our county's early intervention program for 4 year old students with special needs. In addition to learning English for the first time, these students have IEPs, and are either in self-contained classrooms with other IEP students or collaborative classrooms with typical peers.
Early intervention will help this high poverty, special needs population build vocabulary and background knowledge in order to close the achievement gap and thrive!
My Project
My caseload of 70 preschool age dual language learners are still working on developing their English language skills. Students this age learn best through play and hands-on activities, and I want to use this project to emphasize learning language with art.
Art activities foster creativity and independence, they allow even beginners in English to fully participate and feel proud of what they have accomplished and created.
I intend to use the Lakeshore Dough for a variety of activities, from discussing what we are creating during free-form dough play to using the dough to make letters, numbers, and even help us learn to count. Stamps will help make practicing the alphabet new and engaging, and also can be used to help practice beginner content such as colors and shapes.
I will also use the magnetic rhyming board and other vocabulary activities to help students preview and practice new skills. I am very hopeful for the opportunity for these young, high poverty students to experience art and build a love for creation while they learn language as well.
More than half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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