Unlocking the world through words: Language Arts in Early Childhood Foundations

Written in collaboration with Nina Radcliffe and Jessie Martin, ECF Homeroom Teachers

At the International School of Prague, we believe that language is the bridge that connects a child to the world. In our Early Childhood Foundations (ECF) programme for 3 to 6 year olds, language is the central operating system that generates and supports cognition. A young learner’s linguistic repertoire includes non-verbal communication through the use of facial expressions, gestures and body language.

The philosophy behind language arts
Our approach is woven into the fabric of the entire school day. From the first greeting in the Morning Meeting to the collaborative buzz of Project Time or Story Workshop in ECF 3-4, we are constantly building our identities as active communicators. As educators, grounded in research, we know that to become successful language users children need a deep, structural understanding of how communication works. That is why teachers support language learning from their first days by providing foundational opportunities for physical movement, imaginative and cooperative play.

If you step into an ECF 5 classroom, you will see active, tactile engagement. While we dedicate 1 hour and 20 minutes daily to explicit Language Arts blocks in ECF 5, the learning doesn't stop there. Through word study, speaking and listening, viewing and presenting, handwriting, and reading, dramatic play and active project time, we build communicative foundations for life. 
 

“Language Arts at ISP is well structured and explicitly taught in such a way that children develop a love of language.”

Nina Radcliffe, ECF 5 Classroom Teacher

One of our favorite moments to observe is when children learn to isolate sounds. Students use methods such as counting the sounds they hear in a word against their cheeks, to help them focus on how words are built through sound. Once they can feel the rhythm of the word, they use Elkonin boxes by pushing "sound buttons" to represent each specific sound they hear. This physical interaction with language bridges the gap between hearing a word and understanding its structure.

How foundational learning evolves 

We meet children exactly where they are. Before a child ever decodes a written sentence, they are already readers. We teach our students to "picture read", picking up books and using illustrations to describe the story. This vital step develops strong oral language skills and the confidence to hold a book and tell a story.

As they progress, they move through six specific reading and writing units tailored to genres and skills. In our "Writers Write About Their Lives" unit, for example, children engage in personal narratives, learning to label their own drawings and realizing that their own life experiences are stories worth telling. In our “Readers Use Strategies to to Figure out Words” children use their knowledge of letter sounds to decode words.
 

Building confidence in language skills

The impact of this programme is profound, particularly for our international community. Because our day focuses so heavily on spoken language and how words are built, we provide a firm foundation for all students, but especially for those learning English as a second or third language.

At ISP, we nurture bravery. By creating a supportive environment where oral language is celebrated, we see our students acquiring language faster and feeling safe enough to experiment with new words and sounds.

Through the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) framework we ensure that every child leaves ECF 5 not just with the ability to read, but with a genuine love for language.