California Preschool Learning Foundations - ECEZero2Three ...

2.0 Children begin to understand and use social conventions
in English.
Focus: Social conventions
Beginning Middle Later
2.1 Use social conventions
of the home
language (as reported
by teachers, parents,
assistants, or others,
with the assistance
of an interpreter if
necessary).
2.1 Demonstrate a
beginning understanding
of English
social conventions.
Examples Examples Examples
• If considered a sign of respect
in her culture, lowers gaze
when speaking with an adult.
• If considered appropriate in his
culture, stands in close proximity
to others when engaged
in conversation.
• Uses the formal form of his
home language (e.g., Spanish,
Korean, Japanese*) with unfamiliar
adults and familiar form
with relatives and friends. (In
Spanish the familiar form uses
“Tú” and the formal form uses
“Usted” and the corresponding
verb form. A child would
say, “Buenos días, ¿Cómo
estás?” [Good morning, how
are you?] [informal] to a peer,
but to a teacher, “Buenos días,
¿Cómo está usted, maestra?”
[Good morning, how are you,
teacher?] [formal]. In Japanese,
the formal uses “desu,”
and the informal does not use
it. A child says to a classmate,
“Ohayoo” [good morning]
[informal] but to a teacher,
“Ohayoo gozaimasu” [good
morning] [formal].)
• Communicates “please” and
“thank you” during snack time
after observing other children
saying “please” to request
food and “thank you” when
receiving food.
• Communicates, “Hi!” or
“Hello!” to greet the teacher
when arriving at school.
• Responds, “Thank you,” to
a peer who has said, “That’s
pretty,” while pointing to the
child’s painting.
* In this example, Japanese is phonologically represented in written form using the English alphabet.
California Department of Education • Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 1
Speaking | 121
2.1 Appropriately use
words and tone of
voice associated
with social conventions
in English.
• Says, “Close the door,” to a
peer while playing with dollhouse
props; follows up with,
“Pleeease!” if the peer does
not respond.
• Communicates, “Sorry” or
“Excuse me” when she bumps
into a peer.
• If another child gets hurt,
asks, “Are you OK?” with a
concerned tone of voice.
• Uses the slang, idioms, and
colloquialisms of peers, such
as, “I have to go potty.”
ENGLISH-LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT