Preschoolers thrive when they experience a curriculum that integrates all learning areas in ways that are motivating, predictable, meaningful and developmentally appropriate. Our preschoolers’ daily schedule is carefully organized “activity by activity” vs. by subject areas. All required core content areas for preschoolers are systematically addressed across the day.

The Bridge School offers a comprehensive preschool curriculum for students ages 3-6 years. Our curriculum is aligned with California Department of Education’s Preschool Learning Foundations. We implement our own adaptation of the research based Language-focused Curriculum for Preschool (Bunce, 2008). In doing so, we focus intensively on our students’ active participation in all curricular activities. This involves the systematic use of individualized accommodations and assistive technologies, including AAC and a wide range of customized seating, positioning, access, and mobility approaches. The physical classroom environment has been specially designed and engineered to accommodate our students’ ability to gain access to the various activity areas of the classroom and garden.

Core Subjects

Preschoolers thrive when they experience a curriculum that integrates all learning areas in ways that are motivating, predictable, meaningful, and developmentally appropriate. Our preschoolers’ daily schedule is carefully organized “activity by activity” versus by subject areas. All required core content areas for preschoolers are systematically addressed across the day and include:

• Social-Emotional Development
• Language and Literacy
• English Language Development
• Mathematics
• Visual and Performing Arts
• Physical Development
• Health
• History/Social Science
• Science

Preschool Learning Foundations

When planning environments and activities, teachers effectively foster early learning by carefully considering the Preschool Learning Foundations. All 50 states have either developed preschool standards or are in the process of doing so. The California Preschool Learning Foundations outline key knowledge and skills that most children can achieve when provided with the kinds of interactions, instruction, supports, and environments that research has shown to promote early learning and development. These foundations can provide early childhood educators, parents, and the public with a clear understanding of the wide range of knowledge and skills that preschool children typically attain when given the benefits of a high-quality preschool program. Use of adaptations or accommodations are embedded in the curriculum to enhance opportunities for children to follow different pathways to learning as they develop foundational skills and abilities in areas of Social-Emotional Development, Language and Literacy, English Language Development, Mathematics, Visual and Performing Arts, Physical Development, and Health. Learning in every domain affects young children’s readiness for school and continued learning in years to come.

For more information, see the California Preschool Learning Foundations online.

References

CanChildCenter for Child Disability Research at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada www.canchild.ca.

Koppenhaver, D.A & Yoder, D. E. (1993.) Classroom literacy instruction for children with severe speech and physical impairments (SSPI): What is and what might be. Topics in Language Disorders 13, (2) pp 1-15.