The “My Family” wall chart is part of a series from Scholastic called “Big Day for Pre-K.” As a wall chart, is it very different from many posters in that it doesn’t contain just drawings and labels, but it has photographs from real life situations that depict families. I found this chart being used effectively in a Bilingual Pre-K classroom. It is hanging in the dramatic play center and is accompanied by the Spanish version “Mi Familia.”
These charts offer an opportunity to engage the students in building their oral language skills. The pictures of real life scenes create a reality and connection between the concepts and the student’s lives. In addition, I like the variation of the families shown. Not only are they multicultural, but there are also different types of families represented.
When I asked several of the students about the poster and what was happening, they happily described the scenes, naming the father, mother, brother, sister, kitchen, bed, etc. One child even pointed to the lady in the first picture and said “This is Grandma.” This told me she was interpreting the scene and relating it to her own life perhaps. I also observed children interacting with the posters without adult influence. One child seemed to be conversing with the characters in the scenes.
Overall, I think these posters are a great resources for language arts connections in a Pre-K classroom and building students oral language skills. While the students are not reading words, they are able to decipher the photos and broaden their understanding of family.
Check out Scholastic’s Pre-K Curriculum to learn more.