| Common Terms |
What They Mean |
| Assessment |
A way of studying or judging what the child knows and does not know.
This information is used to shape future instruction |
| Cognitive |
The process of thinking and knowing. Educators often refer to cognitive
development as it relates to brain functions such as learning to read and write. |
| Curriculum |
The map of everything the teacher is supposed to teach for the year. |
| Fine Motor Skills |
Those that require children to use their smallest muscles for very slight,
controlled movements such as drawing , writing or moving puzzle pieces. |
| Hands-on |
Learning experiences that allow children to manipulate and explore materials
with their hands. |
| Open-ended |
Activities and questions that do not have a "correct" outcome or answer but
that can be completed in any number of ways. |
| Phonics |
A way of learning to read in which children learn to recognize the sounds letters represent
and then to blend them together to form words. |
| Portfolios |
A collection of activities or projects completed over a period of time.
The teacher can judge the child's mastery of information by looking at
progress through the year. |
| Processing |
The manner in which
an individual takes in information, manipulates the information and produces
information. |
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