The focus of this first workshop will be how to develop and strengthen students' language of literacy, or story language, in the classroom. Children at an early age enjoy playing with spoken language. This play helps them learn how language works, lets them see that we use language for a variety of purposes, and contributes to a child's literacy success. In the home, the child learns language with the help of an adult. He or she learns concept words for things and activities, how to interact in conversations and, if the child has been read to, the language of books. This "book language" is important to reading and writing. Through reading aloud and shared reading, children hear oral models for the language in books. They learn how some stories begin with "Once upon a time," and that stories have a beginning, middle, and end. In addition, they learn the concepts about print (directionality, print conventions, letter/word concepts), and that reading is an enjoyable experience.

After several weeks of immersion in nursery rhymes, Xavier, a kindergartner, shared with me his version of "Jack and Jill":

Jack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down
And broke his crown
And Jill came tumbling after.
The grandma came and helped.
The grandma called the nurse.
The nurse called the doctor.
The doctor called home
And Jack was so sick.

Xavier was gaining in his knowledge of story and story language after only a few weeks of hearing nursery rhymes!

Within our classrooms there are multiple opportunities for students to play with familiar language, explore meanings, and to develop an understanding of story. The following activities for your emergent learners provide meaningful experiences for literacy learning.