Suggestions for Use

The developmental continuum can be used for: Understanding children's present needs Noting children's progress and communicating with parents/guardians Selecting appropriate strategies for individuals and groups (see "Teachers can" columns on pages 9 and 10) Developing a balanced teaching practice.

Teachers can use the continuum, the assessment tools in this resource, and their own observations to assess the progress of individuals in relation to the full range of developmental tasks in the emerging phase. Strategies in the resource can be selected to support the continuous progress of children in Pre-K to mid-grade one and offer further support to those older students⁷ who require it. Attention to each foundational area in the continuum will help to ensure the development of a balanced practice. Some guidelines follow.

Informal assessment assumes that teachers incorporate their assessment of children's development in natural and enjoyable ways and, for the most part, during daily activities. Normally, assessment would not be timetabled separately from instruction. Young children should not feel that they are under pressure to "perform well" or that they are being "tested".

The assessment tools can be used as part of daily language arts instruction. The assessment tools in the resource are relatively informal in nature. Each assessment tool/technique provides just one perspective on a child's literacy abilities. Use of a variety of tools together with daily observations is recommended. Teachers should not draw conclusions from the results of a single assessment, but rather develop tentative ideas of a child's literacy needs through combining information gained from their daily observations and a range of assessment tools. Suggestions for appropriate strategies and activities are given for each assessment tool/technique. Assessment tools are linked to key strategies. Teachers can use the information gained from assessment to plan strategies and activities that will support development in areas of need. Implications of the assessment findings are discussed to support teachers in interpreting the results.

"I have found a good way to train the volunteers in my classroom. I invite them to sit on the carpet with the children while I do a demonstration Shared Reading with a big book. The volunteers join in with the children in answering my questions and we just have some fun with these demonstrations. After experiencing the strategies themselves, the volunteers are able to use them with the children." - a Saskatchewan teacher

Strategies can be used for whole class, small group, or individual activities. At the beginning of the year in Pre-K, kindergarten, or grade one classrooms, teachers might use many of the strategies as whole class activities. As teachers become familiar with the differences in strengths and needs of children in their class, the activities can be incorporated into instruction with small groups of children who require them. The activities can also be used with an individual child whose needs are different than those of all, or most, of the other children in the class. As it is often difficult for teachers to incorporate such individualized time into their day, the activities are described in sufficient detail that classroom assistants and volunteers could use them with some training and support from the classroom teacher. See Enlisting other Adults and Older Students to Read to Small Groups of Children (p. 60) and Mentor-supported Literacy Development (p. 139) for ideas. The instructional strategies can be incorporated into daily routines. Many of the activities in the resource are designed for incorporation into the daily whole class routines of Shared Language, Shared Reading8, and Shared or Interactive Writing (p. 153). Some of these same strategies can be used in the small group instructional routine often referred to as Guided Reading (p. 136). Other strategies are intended to be incorporated into Learning Centers/Center Time and Structured Play. Many fit well into Language Arts units while others are useful as transitions from one activity to the next. Suggestions for the best use of each strategy are given within its description. Instructional strategies that are key elements of successful practice are noted. Through research and experience, some instructional methods, routines, or strategies are suggested as most central in supporting emerging literacy learners in establishing the foundations needed for continuous growth. These strategies and routines are described in the information that follows and marked in the resource with the symbol of a key ().