Released: 3/5/2018
High-quality language interactions stimulate children’s vocabulary development and boost
communication and learning skills. Children with strong language skills have more opportunities to
engage in positive social interactions with others. Language skills help children plan and take
responsibility for their own behavior. High-quality language interaction and literacy support are essential
for children in every Pre-K setting.
The Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale® Third Edition (ECERS-3) places a priority on your
responsiveness to the interests, play activities, and learning needs of children. As you teach, look for
opportunities to draw children into conversation and help them express their thinking. As you look at
the ECERS-3 sections, identify the indicators that focus on language. Each week, choose a subscale such
as language, dramatic play, nature/science, or math. Be intentional about asking questions and holding
meaningful conversations with children.
The language samples introduced below are aligned with Language and Literacy subscale items 12 -14 of
the ECERS-3: Helping children expand vocabulary, encouraging children to use language, and staff use of
books with children. The following steps can get you started:
1. On the next page, you will find guidance for promoting language in a section titled, “What can
you do?” This guidance sets the overall tone and prepares you to use high-quality interactions.
2. Evaluate your setting to be sure books, labeled materials, and displays encourage rich language
and engagement with vocabulary.
3. Explore the section in this document titled, “What does a high quality interaction look and
sound like?” There, you will find specific teaching skills and strategies to use daily with children.
Harms, T., Clifford, Richard, & Cryer, D. (2015). Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale, Third
Edition, New York: Teachers College Press.
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WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Encourage vocabulary development
Ensure a relaxed environment where children can talk freely.
Listen and respond with open-ended questions.
Talk personally with each child.
Respond positively when children talk to you.
Help children communicate with each other and with you.
Talk frequently about home and family or non-school topics.
Encourage children to use books
Encourage children’s engagement by introducing books, talking about pictures, and reading in
small groups and one-one-one.
Show your own interest and enjoyment in books.
Record books and offer listening activities where children can listen and read on their own.
Participate actively in reading by using costumes, props, or puppets.
Talk about how books relate to themes you are studying.
Read by using unique voices for characters.
Ask children to tell you what they think will happen next.
Ask children what they think a character is feeling or doing.
Make books available by themes. For example, provide books about animals and pets near the
stuffed animals. Provide books about wild animals and nature at the science center. Provide
books about counting in the math area.
Ask children to act out the story as you read a book.
Offer props in the dramatic play area that allow children to continue to reenact book content.
For example, offer pet care props and stuffed animals after reading a book about pet care.
Make a list each week of vocabulary words you and your co-teacher can use in conversations
with children. Use these words intentionally during conversations
WHAT DOES A HIGH-QUALITY INTERACTION SOUND LIKE?
The following language samples model rich language interactions as required by ECERS-3. You will find
language Goals 1 - Language and Literacy, 2 - Encouraging Language, and 3 - Encouraging Use of Books.
After each goal, you will find the teacher skills needed along with language samples that correspond to
the items in ECERS-3. Read the samples out loud. After you read the samples, write or say additional
examples. Finally, practice using the interactions with children.
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GOAL 1 - LANGUAGE AND LITERACY: WHAT DOES THIS SOUND LIKE?
Teaching skill: Using specific vocabulary
EXAMPLE: Staff may say, “Here you go,” as a child is handed a plate of food, but this sentence does
not contain rich words. Instead, to advance language, staff can say, “For lunch, we are having beans,
potatoes, and chicken.”
EXAMPLE: Staff may say, “You can play with that if you want to.” Instead of using pronouns, to
advance language, staff can say, “You and Caleb enjoy figuring out puzzles. Would you like to work
on the giraffe puzzle?”
EXAMPLE: Staff may say, “Give it to him.” Or “That is hers not yours.” These instructions do not
promote specific vocabulary. To advance language, staff can say, “I see you want a cup. Let’s get
another cup, so that Mavis can have one, too.” Or, “You have Josiah’s jacket. Your jacket is still
hanging in your cubby.”
Teaching skill: Using a wide range of vocabulary
EXAMPLE: “All the children wearing pink can line up.” A child responds, “I have pink on my shirt.” The
teacher expands on the child’s words by saying, “Yes, you have a dark pink shirt that is a magenta
color. Gina’s shirt is light pink. Both of you have pink shirts.”
EXAMPLE: At an activity table, a child says, “I have a car.” Staff responds, “I see you loaded the
brown and white cars onto the green transport truck. That is a good way to get the cars to the
dealer. A dealer is a person who sells cars at a store.”
Teaching skill: Relating words to children’s experience
EXAMPLE: To relate words to children’s experience, staff can help children remember events or look
forward to events. “We will go on a field trip to the fire station tomorrow. What day of the week is it
today? What day will it be tomorrow when we go to the fire station?”
EXAMPLE: To relate letters to children’s experiences, staff can say, “Today is Brennen’s birthday.
That makes it a “B” day. What can we give Brennan for his birthday that begins with the letter B?
Children may respond, “Balloons. Boats. Books. Baseball. Bubbles.”
EXAMPLE: Staff may relate letters to children’s experiences by asking, “We are eating bread. What
letter sound says “b” as in the word bread? We are drinking milk. What letter sound says “mmm” as
in the word milk?
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Teaching skill: Using words for people, places, things, and actions
EXAMPLE: At meal time, staff says, “The green beans are vegetables that are cooked. Remember we
had raw carrots at snack? Carrots are vegetables too.”
EXAMPLE: During play, staff responds when a child says, “I have a big truck.” “Yes. You have a yellow
truck. It is a yellow dump truck. A dump truck moves materials at a construction site.
EXAMPLE: During clean-up, staff says to a child in dramatic play, “You may hang your shopping bag
on the hooks next to the silk scarves in the dramatic play area.”
EXAMPLE: While serving lunch, staff says, “Today for lunch, we are having a grilled cheese sandwich.
Mr. Jonas cut each sandwich into triangles for us. The small triangles are easier to hold with your
fingers than a big square.”
EXAMPLE: While looking out the window, staff says, “The sun is shining outdoors today. It is not as
chilly today as yesterday. Today there is a warm breeze. Do you think we will need a sweater?”
EXAMPLE: Staff can expand on language when giving instructions like, “Let’s water the plants.” Rich
vocabulary can be added by saying, “The purple African violets are thirsty. Do you see the soil is dry
and the leaves are curled? Let’s use the gentle spray nozzle to mist them with water.”
EXAMPLE: Staff can describe what children are doing. “You are having fun with the basketball. It can
be bounced or tossed into the hoop. Do you want to keep the hoop low so that you can bounce the
ball into it?”
EXAMPLE: Staff may expand on play options. “There is enough playdough for both of you. You can
use the cookie cutters or the rollers to make patterns.”
Teaching skill: Explaining the meaning of unfamiliar words
EXAMPLE: Staff says, “A cooked vegetable means that the vegetable is heated up. Vegetables can be
heated on a stove, in an oven, or in a microwave. How does your family cook vegetables?”
EXAMPLE: While pointing to a book, staff says, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle. Eric Carle
is the author of this book. That means Mr. Carle wrote the words that tell the story. He is also the
illustrator. That means Mr. Carle drew the pictures in his book to go along with the story. Sometimes
the illustrator is a different person than the author.”
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Teaching skill: Introducing new words
EXAMPLE: Staff helps a child retrieve toy cows from a shelf. To introduce words, staff says, “A group
of cows is called a herd. Young cows are called heifers and bulls. You can put the heifers and bulls in
the barn.”
EXAMPLE: At the lunch table, staff says, “Be careful.” To use this opportunity to introduce words,
staff can say. “Push your plate away from the edge of the table. Another word for plate is dish. Push
your dish away from the edge of the table.”
EXAMPLE: Staff comments to children playing in the block area, “That looks like fun.” To use this
opportunity to introduce words, staff can say, “You are a good architect team. You planned and built
a tall structure together.”
Teaching skill: Introducing words using materials, displays and activities
EXAMPLE: Staff compares two blocks with a child. “The rectangle block is longer than the square
block. Can you see how the rectangle takes up more space on the floor?”
EXAMPLE: Instead of saying, “OK. Time to wash hands,” staff can elaborate. “Washing our hands with
soap and rubbing them makes the germs rinse down the drain. When we play with sand outside, we
get germs on our hands. Handwashing gets our hands clean before we eat.”
EXAMPLE: Staff can point to an animal poster and introduce the words grooming and shelter. “Do
you see the veterinarian grooming the dog? When we brush a pet and clip his nails, we groom him.
Do you see the dog in the dog house? When the dog sleeps inside the dog house, he has a warm
shelter.”
EXAMPLE: When a child says, “dog,” staff can respond, “That is a black, fluffy beagle.”
EXAMPLE: Instead of buttoning a child’s coat and saying, “Here you go,” staff can say, “Your buttons
are shaped like circles. You have circles on your pants, too. The small circles are called polka dots.”
Teaching skill: Accommodating a diagnosed special need, family language need, or individual need
EXAMPLE: Staff leads the lesson by saying one sentence in English and repeating it in Spanish. “Good
morning children. Buenos dias niños.”
EXAMPLE: Staff introduces new vocabulary words behind and under by saying, “The bear is behind
the door. The monkey is underneath the table.” Staff demonstrates the meaning of the words by
holding a stuffed toy bear behind a small door and showing a stuffed toy monkey underneath a
table.”
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Teaching skill: Introducing themes and topics
EXAMPLE: When talking about seasons, staff says, “Today is the first day of autumn. Autumn is a
season of the year when it gets cooler outside and the leaves on the trees begin to change colors.
During the summer, you are home with your families. In autumn, you go back to school. You may
hear someone use the word fall. Fall is another word for autumn.”
EXAMPLE: Staff says, “This week, our theme is spiders. What do we remember about spiders?
Spiders spin webs to catch their food. When spiders walk, how many feet touch the ground? Right.
Four feet touch the ground and four feet are raised.”
Teaching skill: Adding information and expanding on ideas
EXAMPLE: “Ketchup” says a child. Staff expands on what the child says, “You have ketchup. Ketchup
tastes tangy. It is made from tomatoes. Ketchup is the same color as tomatoes. It is red because
tomatoes are red.”
EXAMPLE: A child says, “I saw a fuzzy worm.” Staff responds, “Yes, you saw a caterpillar. It looks like
a fuzzy worm, but it has a soft fuzzy body and many legs. Do you see the caterpillar using his legs? A
caterpillar spins a chrysalis and becomes a butterfly.”
EXAMPLE: A child says, “I hit the ball with a stick.” Staff responds, “Your stick is called a golf club.
Golfers hit the ball with the club and try to knock it into the hole. When you get the ball in the hole
on the first try, it is called a hole-in-one.”
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GOAL 2 - ENCOURAGING LANGUAGE
Teaching skill: Listening and responding with open-ended questions
EXAMPLE: To listen and respond, staff ask children to explain their dramatic play scenario. “Tell me
about your breakfast. Who is coming to eat breakfast with you?” “What are you selling at your
restaurant? Do you have all the ingredients you need to make your meal?”
EXAMPLE: Staff says, “Your dad said you went to the zoo this weekend. What animals did you see at
the zoo?” After a child responds, staff extends the conversation by asking, “What were the animals
eating?” “What were the animals doing?” “What else did you see in the animal habitats?” Staff
listens and matches questions to the child’s responses.
EXAMPLE: During snack, staff asks, “Do you like the peaches?” After listening to the children’s
responses, she continues, “How did Mr. Timber cook our peaches today?”
EXAMPLE: Staff asks a child playing with construction materials, “What are you making?” The child
responds, “A tower.” Staff says, “Tell me about your tower.” The child responds, “My tower is for the
king and queen.” Staff asks, “Will anyone else live in the tower with the king and queen?” The child
responds, “Yes. The boy prince will live with the king and queen.”
Teaching skill: Responding in positive and appropriate ways
EXAMPLE: During book reading, staff wants to respond when children answer her questions. When a
child says, “Those monkeys want to have a hat like the man.” Staff responds, “That’s right. Why do
you think the monkeys copied what the man did?” Another child says, “That man is just pretending
to sleep.” Staff asks, “So you think the man is pretending to sleep? How can you tell?”
EXAMPLE: Staff want to show their full attention. Instead of answering, “Uh huh,” and “Alright,” staff
are responsive to children who come to them. “Thank you for telling me. I am glad you figured out
how to get the propellers to work.” “I can see that you got all of the bears back into the container.
That took a lot of concentration.”
Teaching skill: Increasing the number of staff-child conversations
EXAMPLE: Staff asks a child to put a book on a shelf. The child asks, “Does it go here?” The teacher
responds, “Yes.” To encourage turn-taking, staff says, “Do you see how your big book matches the
size of the books on the shelf? How do you know where to put your other book?”
EXAMPLE: A single exchange sounds like this: “What are you building?” “A house.” “Where did you
put the doll?” “In the stroller.” A conversation that goes back and forth continues with exchanges.
During outdoor play, child says, “I have new shoes.” Staff responds, “I see you have new black
shoes.” The child says, “I can run fast in my shoes.” Staff responds again, “I’ll bet you can run fast.
Can you show me how you run?”
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Teaching skill: Encouraging children to communicate
EXAMPLE: Staff encourages children to communicate by noticing personal interests and asking
questions. “I like the little kitten on your shirt. She is curled up in a basket. Would you like to choose
a book to read about a kitten?”
EXAMPLE: Staff encourages personal conversations about an activity by describing what children are
doing and asking a question. “I see you and Melanie are taking your bears for a walk. Where are you
and the bears going?”
EXAMPLE: During a snack or meal, staff focus on children’s personal experience. “We are eating
yogurt. Yogurt is made from milk. What do you eat at home that is made from milk?”
EXAMPLE: Staff says to a child during play, “Tell me about your new puppy. What do you need to
care for him?” The child responds, “I got a bowl for water. I got a leash to take him for a walk.” Staff
comments, “You can feed him. What else do you need for your puppy?” The child says, “I need a
brush and I gotta take him to the vet.” Staff responds, “You have to take him to the vet. What will the
veterinarian do?” The child answers, “The vet will take care of my puppy when he is sick.” (Repeating
what the child says with correct grammar is called a recast. Repeat the sentence correctly, and then
ask a question.)
EXAMPLE: Staff talk with children during indoor gross motor play. Staff asks, “How many times did
you jump?” Children respond, “One hundred times!” Staff says, “Your heart is beating fast. Can you
put your hand on your heart and feel it beating? It is pumping blood to your muscles and making
your muscles strong.” Children jump up and down and feel their hearts. They are excited and say, “I
can feel my heart beating.”
Teaching skill: Avoiding negative interactions
EXAMPLE: A negative interaction might sound like: “I told you to cut it out.” “You are not supposed
to be doing that.” “I don’t want to have to tell you that again.” Instead, staff can use positive
redirection to draw children into a productive activity. “Let’s pick out a book together.” “I can see
you need something to do. Do you want to use your strong muscles to put the blocks back onto the
shelves, or help move the chairs?”
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Teaching skill: Encouraging individual communication
EXAMPLE: Get on the child’s eye-level and listen as a child speaks. A child says, “I want to play with
the playdough.” Staff responds, “I can see Jasmin just left the playdough table. You can sit in her
chair. Would you like to use the rollers or shapes?” Staff waits until child chooses tools and stays to
talk with the child about her play.
EXAMPLE: Staff notices that a child is struggling to take a puzzle from a shelf. Staff supports the child
by helping him pull the puzzle out. “Do you want to take out all of the pieces first, or look underneath
each piece first? Can you lift the knob on the horse?” Staff stays to support the child as he matches
pieces to animal shaped slots.
EXAMPLE: During lunch, staff use sign language for “milk,” “please,” “thank you,” “more,” and “all
done.” Some children use the signs in addition to talking. One child uses the signs alone.
Teaching skill: Ensuring a relaxed environment where children can talk freely
EXAMPLE: Staff says, “Why don’t you and Jessica work together on the puzzle? I see there is space on
the green table.” Children are encouraged to talk about their work and play.
EXAMPLE: Staff says, “What center would you like to play in today? The child responds, “Blocks.”
Staff helps the child elaborate and plan her play. “You want to build with blocks. What do you want
to build today?” The child responds, “I need to make a barn to hold my animals.”
Teaching skill: Responding positively to children’s communication
EXAMPLE: A child asks, “May I use finger paints? Staff prepares several colors and asks, “What colors
would you like to use?” Staff puts color samples on a paper so the child can see how they look. The
child says, “I want to mix the yellow and green.” Staff responds, “You can use different utensils and
your fingers to make patterns in the light green paint.” The child says, “I want to use the feather.”
Staff gives the child a feather and moves the can that holds the utensils closer so that the child can
reach it.
EXAMPLE: A child is frustrated and grunts. Staff says, “I see you are frustrated. Can you tell me what
you need?” Child grunts again. Staff says, “You can use your words to tell me. I will listen and help.”
The child says, “My shoes aren’t tied right.” Staff assists child and says, “When your shoe laces
bother you or come untied, you can ask for help. We can tie your shoes together.”
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Teaching skill: Helping children communicate with each other
EXAMPLE: During dramatic play, two children get out plates and food. Staff asks about their play.
“Are you working together at a restaurant? Here is a chef’s hat. Which of you will cook? Who will be
the waiter? Here is an apron. What foods will you serve your customers today?” Staff gives the
children time to answer and helps them get dressed for work.
EXAMPLE: During snack, a child bumps another child while sitting down. Staff says, “Say excuse me
to Tommy. Let’s adjust your chairs so that you both have space.”
EXAMPLE: Staff observes two children pulling on a wagon. She says, “I can see you both need a
wagon to pull your toys. Let’s get another wagon, and then you can both play.” Staff adds, “You can
help each other get another wagon. Tell each other, ‘We need to get another wagon.’” The boys say,
“We need another wagon.”
Teaching skill: Asking questions that require longer answers.
EXAMPLE: Staff looks at a leaf collection in a wooden bowl with children. Staff asks the children,
“How do you know which leaf comes from a pine tree?”
EXAMPLE: Staff read a book about animals that store food for the winter. Staff asks, “Where do you
think a squirrel would hide nuts? How will he remember the location to find them in the winter when
he is hungry?”
EXAMPLE: Staff and children talk about helping others. “Tell me about the way you help your family
at home. Tell me about how you help your brothers and sisters.”
Teaching skill: Talking about home and family or non-school topics.
EXAMPLE: At a meal time, staff respond actively to children’s conversation. A child says, “We went
swimming last night at my Grandma’s house.” Staff responds, “I know you like to spend time with
your grandma. What else did you do with your sister and grandma?”
EXAMPLE: Children are climbing on outdoor equipment. A child says, “I went to gymnastics.” Staff
responds, “When did you go?” The child answers, “Last night.” Staff asks, “What activities did you do
at gymnastics?” The child responds, “I jumped on the trampoline. We did cartwheels and
summersaults.” Staff says, “I like to watch you practice gymnastics outside, too.” Child says, “Watch
me. I can do a cartwheel.”
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GOAL 3 - USING BOOKS WITH CHILDREN
Teaching skill: Engaging children in positive book experiences
EXAMPLE: Staff make baskets of books available that focus on a single topic. They place books about
pets and caring for pets with the stuffed animals and veterinarian care dramatic play materials.
When children are playing, staff say, “Let’s look in the book together to see how we can care for our
pets.”
EXAMPLE: Staff encourage participation through puppets, the use of dramatic character voices, and
conversation with children. Staff say, “What choice do you think the girl will make?” “How do you
think the girl felt when she helped her friend?”
EXAMPLE: When a child asks a question, staff responds, “That is an important question. What do you
think her mother will say?” After the child responds, staff says, “Let’s turn the page to find out.”
Teaching skill: Encouraging children’s engagement
EXAMPLE: When staff notices children bunching up together, she says, “Take a minute to scoot back
so that everyone can see. Look around and be sure everyone has room.”
EXAMPLE: Before reading, staff puts on a fox-ear cap and one mitten. She says, “We are going to
read a book about a boy who drops his mitten. What happens when we drop a mitten?” Children
respond, “Sometimes it gets lost.” “My momma finds it.” “It gets dirty.”
A child asks, “Where is your other mitten?” Staff responds, “Here it is! It was behind me.” Staff says,
“Let’s find out what happens to Nicki’s mitten when it gets dropped in the snow.” When she is
finished, she asks, “What animals in the book tried on Nicki’s mitten?” (This staff relates book
content to children’s experience.)
EXAMPLE: During book reading, children are seated in a circle around staff. Staff holds the book
outward and moves it slowly in a sweep, so that all of the children have time to focus on the
illustration. When children are restless, staff takes a break and leads a chant with a predictable
rhyme that matches the book theme. (This staff is sensitive to children’s need for a shorter reading
time, and knows the children need to be actively engaged.)
Teaching skill: Showing interest and enjoyment in books
EXAMPLE: Staff says, “Oh this is my favorite author! Robert McCloskey wrote the words and drew
the illustrations. He wrote One Morning in Maine, Make Way for Ducklings, and Blueberries for Sal.
We can see Sal in the kitchen making blueberry jam. What else do you see in this picture?” (This staff
shows interest and enjoyment through positive expression and personal connection with the book.
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Teaching skill: Using accommodations with books
EXAMPLE: During reading time, a child is briefly restless. Staff offers a stuffed animal that matches
the theme of the book for the child to hold, and sits next to the child. Another child with visual needs
is given an individual copy of the book to hold.
EXAMPLE: During book-reading time, staff introduces new vocabulary in both English and Spanish for
dual language learners. When staff encounters the new vocabulary words in the story, she again
repeats the words both Spanish and English.
Teaching skill: Participating actively in reading
EXAMPLE: Staff reads books with active rhyming patterns. During Chica Chica Boom Boom, children
are enthusiastic as they join in reciting the words. As part of book reading, children eagerly place
letters on a large felt tree.
EXAMPLE: Staff reads We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. Staff animates the chant and rubs hands
together. “Oh no! We can’t go over it!” The children respond by rubbing their hands and repeating,
“We can’t go over it.” Staff continues, “We can’t go under it.” The children repeat, “Can’t go under
it.” All make the “swishy-swashy” sounds together with their mouths and hands.
Teaching skill: Showing interest and enjoyment in books
EXAMPLE: Two children choose a book from the shelf. Staff asks, “What book did you choose?” The
child respond, “It’s about bears.” Staff says, “Let’s look at the book together and see what the bears
are doing. What do you see the bears doing in the cover picture?”
Teaching skill: Relating books to themes
EXAMPLE: A basket is prepared with books about seasons. Several “autumn” books are displayed on
the top of the low shelf in the reading center. Staff encourages children to find leaves in the book
that match leaves in the wooden bowl that the children have collected.
Teaching skill: Using books informally
EXAMPLE: A basket of books about owls is next to a stuffed owl display. Staff encourages children to
point to their favorite owl in the book. She asks them to tell what they like about the way their
chosen owl looks, moves, or flies.
EXAMPLE: Staff looks with children at a recipe picture book stored on a low shelf next to the
housekeeping area. “I’m hungry. What do you think we can make for lunch? Is there a recipe that
looks good to you?” The children respond, “I want to make tacos. I want to make pancakes.” Staff
helps the children find the pages with pictures to match their menu choices.
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EXAMPLE: Staff notices a child reading. “I see you are reading The 12 Days of Kindergarten.” Child
responds, “I am going to kindergarten soon.” Staff says, “In the fall, you will go to kindergarten.
Would you like to read the book with me?” The child responds, “Yes.” Staff asks, “What is the boy on
the cover saying to his mother?”
Teaching skill: Using books to answer questions
EXAMPLE: A child says, “I am trying to build a house, but I need some tools.” Staff responds, “Let’s
see what tools you will need to build a house.” She sits next to three children and introduces Building
a House, by Byron Barton. “Let’s make a list of tools the builders need and see if you can get some
good building ideas.”
EXAMPLE: A child shows staff a stuffed animal. “I have a raccoon.” Staff responds, “I think that is an
opossum. Let’s take a look at There’s an Opossum in My Backyard to see what makes an opossum
special.” Two children join them as staff points to the book cover. She asks, “What do you notice
about the opossum in the tree? Is your stuffed animal similar or different?”
