Transitional Kindergarten
Basic Principles of Instruction
The following Basic Principles of Instruction apply to all areas of the Literacy Content Block. Effective instruction in each area is characterized by these principles.
- Intentionally and sequentially plan and provide learning experiences (including explicit instruction and guided and play-based activities) that address specific objectives and are developmentally appropriate.
- Establish caring relationships and everyday routines and interactions to create a safe, joyful environment for learning.
- Incorporate multimodal strategies and plan for children’s active engagement.
- Provide instruction in whole-group, small-group, and one-to-one settings and ensure opportunities for individual and paired practice, exploration, and meaningful interaction with the content.
- Support and strengthen speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills for all learners across all content areas.
- Recognize, value, and build from children’s strengths, interests, cultures, languages, backgrounds, and ways of expressing knowledge and skills (e.g., language, gesturing, drawing, role playing).
- Motivate children by providing appropriately challenging and culturally and linguistically authentic and relevant materials and activities. Provide choice and plentiful access to print materials and books representing diverse genres, authors, topics, and languages, and ensure that children see themselves as successful learners.
- Monitor progress and provide timely feedback, instruction, and intervention as needed.
- Provide comprehensive ELD instruction—iELD and dELD—for multilingual learners that builds on their language and cultural assets and responds to the linguistic demands of language, literacy, and content instruction.
- Provide supports, accommodations, modifications, and/or supplementary aids and services required by a child’s individualized education plan (IEP) or Section 504 plan and collaborate with families and, as appropriate, education specialists.
Explore the California TK Literacy Content Block for Transitional Kindergarten
From the CA TK Website
- TK Implementation YouTube Video (Video; 4:16)
- TK Professional Development Modules-funded by Packard Foundation
These TK modules, which were developed by the Packard Foundation, in collaboration with county offices of education, provide strategies and resources to support the implementation of TK. An overview of The Alignment of the California Preschool Learning Foundations with Key Early Education Resources is also included
- Dr. Patricia Wolfe Introduction
The Amazing Developing Brain, Part 1
The Amazing Developing Brain, Part 2
The 2013–14 Transitional Kindergarten Conference was held in Pasadena, California, on May 1, 2014. Dr. Patricia Wolfe presented the keynote presentation on brain development in the early years, and enlightened listeners with her thoughts, dispelling common misconceptions and providing practical advice on how educators can make the most of the marvelous opportunity to educate young children.
- Transitioning to Kindergarten: A Toolkit for Early Childhood Educators
The National Center for Learning Disabilities and the American Federation of Teachers have collaborated to offer a comprehensive resource for educators that includes tools and materials to help implement strategies to facilitate and enhance children’s transition to kindergarten.
- TK Professional Resource Guide for Administrators (PDF)
This guide provides an annotated list of accessible online resources for administrators to support transitional kindergarten.