The Hanen Centre’s 2010

Preschool Language and

Literacy Planner 2 011
• 16 month calendar
starting September 2010
• 64 research-based
activities that lay the critical
foundations for learning
to read and write
• 4 tips each month for
parents at home
• 4 tips each month for
educators in the classroom
• Fun and easy to use
during everyday routines
and conversations

$9.95
© Hanen Early Language Program, 2010. All rights reserved.
The Hanen Centre’s 2010-2011 Preschool Language and Literacy Planner
Helping parents & educators promote the language and literacy skills of preschool children
The Hanen Centre’s 2010-2011 Preschool Language & Literacy Planner continues The Hanen Centre’s annual tradition of providing parents and educators of children
aged 3-5 years with a practical, research-based tool that promotes preschool children’s language and literacy development.
This year’s Planner contains four bonus months beginning September 2010, so now there are even more interesting and enjoyable language and literacy activities
that are easy for you to use. Each month provides tips in relation to a fundamental early literacy skill, which every child needs to develop in order to learn to read
and write successfully.
Separate Tips for Parents and Educators
Practical and easy-to-use weekly tips are provided
within four contexts each month: Daily Activities,
Pretend Play, Reading Books and On The Go. The
parent tips flow down the left hand side of the
calendar, and the corresponding tips for educators
flow down the right.
Sunday Monday Tuesday
Daily Activities
AT HOME
During bath time, wait silently for your child to
show you or tell you something. Then comment
enthusiastically on what he has said or done.
Pretend Play
AT HOME
Consider your child’s interests and experiences
when setting up pretend play activities.
For example, if your child enjoys riding on the
bus, make a pretend bus out of chairs, letting
him be the driver. Then, respond to what he
says or does, letting him take the lead.
4 5 6
Reading Books
AT HOME
When reading a book with your child, wait to
give him a chance to say or do something.
Good times to wait include before or after you
turn the page, when your child seems interested
in an illustration, and after you make a comment
or ask a thought-provoking question.
11 12 13
AT HOME
On The Go
While in the car, respond to what interests your
child. If he comments on a speeding car, respond
with a comment. Say, “Yes, that car is going
really fast!” instead of “What colour is that car?”
Children talk more when you balance questions
with comments.
18/25 19/26 20/27
AT HOME
Parent tips
Wednesday Thursday Friday
IN THE CLASSROOM
During a creative activity, rather than asking what
the children are making, wait silently for them to
show or tell you. Then comment with interest.
1 2
IN THE CLASSROOM
Encourage a more reluctant child to join in
dramatic play by giving him a desirable role.
For example, a socially isolated child could be the
“train conductor” who collects the tickets. Then
follow his lead to encourage conversation.
7 8
IN THE CLASSROOM
When reading a book, wait to give children a
chance to say or do something. Good times to
wait include before or after you turn the page,
when you notice children looking at an illustration,
and after you make a comment or ask a thought-
provoking question.
14 15
IN THE CLASSROOM
On a field trip, observe what interests the children
and turn questions into comments. Say, “What a
beautiful red flower” instead of “What colour is
that flower?” Children talk more when you balance
questions with comments.
21/28 22/29
IN THE CLASSROOM
Educator tips
Monthly Themes Based On Research
Be sure to read the “What the Research Says” section
for every month of the Planner. This section repre-
sents the most current research on how to promote
children’s language and early literacy skills. Our
research focus is supported by the contribution of
Dr. Luigi Girolametto, Professor in the Department of
Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto.
Saturday The weekly tips translate the monthly research
theme into practical, fun activities. By using these
tips, you are helping children develop the skills they
3
need to learn to read and write.
9 10
The monthly themes are as follows:
 September 2010 – Follow the Child’s Lead
in Conversations
16 17
 October 2010 – Keep the Conversation Going
 November 2010 – Increase Children’s
23/30 24
Everyday Vocabulary
 December 2010 – Expose Children to Rare and
Unusual Vocabulary
 January 2011 – Help Children Understand How
Stories Work
 February 2011 – Stimulate Children to Think
Beyond the Here-and-Now (Step 1)
© Hanen Early Language Program, 2010. All rights reserved.
S E P T E MB E R
Follow the child’s
lead in conversations
WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS
Let children start the
conversation and follow their
lead by responding with interest
on their topic. These kinds of
conversations motivate children
to talk and are associated with
children’s later academic success.
Martlew, J., Ellis, S., Stephen, C. & Ellis, J. (2010). Teacher and
child talk in active learning and whole-class contexts: Some
implications for children from economically less advantaged
home backgrounds, 44(1), 12-19.
© Hanen Early Language Program, 2010
2010. All rights reserved .
UPDATED RESEARCH FOCUS
 March 2011 – Stimulate Children to Think
Beyond the Here-and-Now (Step 2)
 April 2011 – Create Environments Full of
Meaningful Print
 May 2011 – Help Children Learn How Print Works
 June 2011 – Build Knowledge of the Alphabet
 July 2011 – Encourage Play with Sounds, Syllables,
and Words
 August 2011 – Build Letter-Sound Knowledge
The themes start over again in September 2011
with four brand new monthly tips!
How to Use the 2010-2011 Preschool Language and Literacy Planner
If you are a parent…
When you use this Planner, you’ll be taking a major step towards preparing
your child for success at school in the comfort of your own home... and you
and your child will have lots of fun!
Hang the Planner somewhere in your home, where you can easily refer to it.
Then choose a good time to interact with your child, whether during Daily
Activities, Pretend Play, Book Reading or when you are On the Go. Read “What The
Research Says” for that particular month and then choose one of the weekly
activities. It doesn’t matter if it’s September or February – you can start doing
these activities at any time. Before you know it, regular routines can become
wonderful opportunities for your child to develop a larger vocabulary, more
advanced language skills, as well as an understanding of how print works.
Getting the activities started couldn’t be easier! You can use the items you
already have in your home, and just add a pinch of imagination. A salad bowl
can make a great hat when you’re pretending to be a farmer! Make sure to
repeat each activity several times, and you’ll see your child’s language and
literacy progress right before your eyes!
To enrich your child’s learning even further, don’t forget to suggest this
Planner to your child’s teacher or child care provider.
© Hanen Early Language Program, 2010. All rights reserved.
If you are an educator…
Using this Planner will take the guesswork out of how to incorporate even
more language and literacy activities into your curriculum! We’ve created a
ready-made plan that’s fun and easy to use. Each month is designed to foster
a key language or literacy skill, all of which add up to laying the foundation for
learning to read and write successfully.
Each month, a research-based theme guides you through a key component
of language and literacy development. Within each month, there are four
enjoyable activities you can use right in the classroom. It doesn’t matter if it’s
September or if you’re already halfway through the school year, you can start
to use the activities at any time.
Carrying out these activities is simple! Just hang the Preschool Language and
Literacy Planner in a common area of your classroom where you can easily
refer to it. Each week, try the suggested activities several times until you begin
to see significant improvement in the children’s language and literacy devel-
opment. And don’t forget to suggest the Planner to parents as well. Each
“In the Classroom” tip has a corresponding “At Home” tip that parents can
incorporate into daily activities with their child.
M AY
Help children learn
how print works

WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS

Draw children’s attention to print
by asking questions about the
print they see (e.g., “Where do
we start reading on the page?”),
commenting about print (e.g., “That
long word says hippopotamus”) and
tracking your finger along the text
while reading. Knowledge of how
print works prepares children to
be readers.
Evans, M. A., Williamson, K., & Pursoo, T. (2009). Preschoolers’
attention to print during shared book reading. Scientific Studies
of Reading, 12(1), 106-129.

© Hanen Early Language Program, 2010. All rights reserved.

 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Daily Activities

Celebrate Better
AT HOME IN THE CLASSROOM Speech and Hearing
Read the words on cereal boxes. Count the Make pin-on badges for the children, like Month with Hanen.
Visit www.hanen.org
number of words on the box and see if you “My favourite food is…” Help them write in the for more information!
can find the same letters. Talk about words and missing words. Use words like spell, letters and
letters and point to the words as you read them. words during the activity. At snack time, help them
read what’s on their badges.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Pretend Play

AT HOME IN THE CLASSROOM

Play “zoo” with your child and make signs for Set up a fast food restaurant and make signs listing
different animals. Compare and contrast short menu items. Compare and contrast short and long
and long animal names like pig and bear versus food names like milk and eggs versus hamburger
kangaroo and rhinoceros. and sandwich.

8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Reading Books

AT HOME IN THE CLASSROOM

Before reading a book, point to the title, author
and illustrator’s names on the cover. Run your
finger under the words as you read. Explain that
the author writes the story and the illustrator
draws the pictures.
Before reading a book, point to the title, author
and illustrator’s names on the cover. Run your
finger under the words as you read. Explain that
the author writes the story and the illustrator
draws the pictures.

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

AT HOME IN THE CLASSROOM

On The Go

Look for signs with more than one word, like Look for signs with more than one word, like
No Parking, Main Floor, Garage Sale. Point out For Sale, Wait Here, Fire Exit, Post Office. Point out
the spaces between words and count the the spaces between words and count the number
number of words on each sign. of words on each sign.

22/29 23/30 24/31 25 26 27 28

© Hanen Early Language Program, 2010. All rights reserved.