ELLM/Plus Classroom Model

ELLM/Plus teachers are committed to increasing instruction in the classroom. For 2 hours each day, they provide children with learning activities designed to build the skills they need to become ready readers and learners. The ELLM/Plus Classroom Model builds on critical elements needed for literacy and reading success. Each ELLM/Plus teacher receives a monthly instructional packet and corresponding books that provide sample activities in the following areas:

Organization

Monthly Instructional Packets

Instructional Strategies

Classroom Design

Daily Schudele

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Organization of ELLM/Plus

ELLM/Plus supports both content and instructional strategies designed to increase children's opportunities to learn and acquire the basic skills they need to become responsive and successful learners. Instructional strategies focus on intentional, explicit teaching and the integration of literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts, social/emotional development and motor development. ELLM/Plus teachers build trusting relationships by planning for student engagements that supports and encourages appropriate development and learning.
Monthly Instructional Packets

ELLM/Plus teachers receive 12 monthly instructional packets - September through August. Each instructional packet focuses on two to four children's books and teachers use one packet per month. There are two stand-alone packets, Motor Development and Physical Health. These packets provide a wide array of activities teacher can integrate into their daily schedules. Taken together, the packets are designed to help children achieve important readiness skills and knowledge.

Each instructional packet contains multi-leveled activities in each of the content areas. ELLM/Plus teachers spend about one hour per day on literacy related activities and about two hours per day on non-literacy related activities. Teachers begin the day by greeting and focusing children with routines that start the day. The day continues with intentional whole group instructional sessions, followed up with explicit small group lessons at the Teaching Table. Children are given opportunities to practice new skills through time at various learning centers.
Instructional Strategies

ELLM/Plus teachers engage children in daily whole-group and small-group lessons from the instructional packets and include Concept Development and Vocabulary Booster activities throughout the day.

During learning center times, ELLM/Plus teachers work with small groups of children through focused, intentional instruction at the small group Teaching Table. The Teaching Table is an adult-led learning center in which three to six children receive 8 to 15 minutes of instruction and practice on the concepts and skills taught during a whole-group lesson. The ELLM/Plus Teaching Table extends whole group instruction by providing children with guided practice to scaffold the learning process.

Classroom Design

Instructional Space

Space for large-group morning greeting and instructional episodes
Space for small-group instruction-Teaching Table

Literacy Area

Space for literacy props for literacy engagement
Space for Classroom Library - Independent Reading Area
Literacy Centers: Listening, Letter, Writing, Word Wall

Mathematics/Science Area

Space for manipulative props and tools for child engagement
Center: Exploration

Social Studies/Social/Emotional Area

Space for manipulative props and tools for child engagement
Centers: Housekeeping/Community, Dramatic Play, Blocks
Use of rituals and routines for transitions and interactions

The Art

Space for manipulative props and resources for child engagement
Centers: Art, Dramatic Play, Music/Movement

Motor Development and Physical Health

Indoor and outdoor space for whole-group motor and music play
Space and resources for child engagement in self- care activities

Other

Space for family information and resources, child computers and technology, and free choice learning centers

ELLM/Plus Suggested Day Schedules

Full Day Schedule

This schedule is designed to engage children in whole-group, small-group, and individualized learning situations throughout the day to promote teacher direction and independent choices by children.

8:30–9:00	Morning Activities: Personally Greet Parents and Children, Morning Message, Sharing, Songs, Introduction to Day, Self-Help and Daily Routines, and Independent Free Play
9:00–9:25	Reading Aloud and Emergent Comprehension, Conversations About Books, and/or Vocabulary Booster Activity
9:30–9:40	Music, Motor, and Song Activities
9:40–10:00	Whole-group Literacy Lessons: Print Concepts, Oral Language and Listening, Letter-Sound, Phonological Awareness, and Emergent Writing
10:00–10:05	Transition to Centers
10:00–10:30	Literacy Centers: Teaching Table, Listening, Letter, Writing Free Choice Centers: Independent Reading Center, Word Wall Housekeeping/Community Center, Dramatic Play Center
10:30–10:45	Music, Motor and Song Activities
10:45–11:00	Independent Reading
11:00–11:10	Reading Aloud, Vocabulary Booster Activity, and Concept Development
11:10–11:30	Lunch and Self-Care Routines
11:30–11:45	Outdoor Time: Fine and Gross Motor Activities, and Music Activities
11:45–12:15	Nap/Rest Time
12:15–12:45	Whole-Group Lessons: Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, Physical Health Transition to Centers–Independent Group Work: Teaching Table, Housekeeping/Community Center, Exploration Center, Dramatic Play Center, and Blocks
12:45–1:00	Reading Aloud and Print Concepts Conversations about Books and/or Vocabulary Booster Activity
1:00–2:30	Independent Learning Center Time: Mathematics and Science Exploration Center Social Studies in the Housekeeping/Community Center Art and Music Center Dramatic Center Blocks
2:30–2:45	Reading Aloud and Concept Development
2:45–3:00	Transition to End-of-Day Routine: Review Concepts Learned, Songs, Dismissal

Half-Day Schedule

8:30–8:45	Morning Activities
8:45–9:00	Reading Aloud and Emergent Comprehension
9:00–9:15	Music, Motor, and Song Activities
9:15–9:30	Whole-group Literacy Lessons
9:30–10:30	Literacy Centers and Teaching Table
10:30–11:00	Outdoor Time
11:00–11:30	Whole-group Non-literacy Lesson and Centers
11:30–11:45	Reading Aloud and Emergent Comprehensive
11:45–12:00	End-of-Day Routine