Cultural Context: Language

According to Chapter 5 of your text, language is one of the many cultural contexts you will face in your classroom.  Reflect on the suggestions listed in Chapter 5 to help you connect with families.  Then, listen to the following podcast, Diverse Learners – Diane Torres-Velasquez (Links to an external site.) or view the transcript (Links to an external site.).  Dr. Diane Torres-Velásquez discusses cultural differences among English learners.  She offers suggestions on how to make math culturally relevant to students.  She addresses the following aspects: vocabulary, building a community of learners, high expectations, rewards, and pride.  Choose a content area other than math, such as language arts or science, and complete the following chart in complete sentences in order to best teach your 4-year-old preschool students.

 Content Area: __________ Activity/Strategy to make _________ culturally relevant to students. AspectActivity/Strategy Vocabulary Building a Community
of Learners  High Expectations  Rewards  Pride  Method of sharing this
information with families 

National Standards for Family-School Partnerships

Chapter 6 explains the National Standards for Family-school partnerships (Links to an external site.), as presented by the National PTA.  Although these standards are written for school-aged children, they are more than applicable to the early childhood classroom, as presented in your text.  Review the suggestions for each of the six standards as well as NAEYC’s Family Engagement Resource List (Links to an external site.).  

Using your assigned grouping below, explain the two standards and offer at least three suggestions to incorporate these standards in your preschool program.  Then, explain why these standards should be the basis for all early childhood programs, and how it they will benefit your students and their families. 

Your final two statements will reflect the following:

1. [Name of your first assigned standard] is essential for student success because _____________.
2. [Name of your second assigned standard] is essential for student success because _____________.

Below is your assigned grouping by the first letter of your last name.

1. A – I :
   Standard 1: Welcoming all families into the school community.
   Standard 2: Communicating effectively.