Use quick assessments to monitor student understanding of vocabulary.

Examples:

• Say, “I am playing next to the swings. What am I doing in this sentence?” (playing) or “What am I playing by?” (next to the swings).
• Tell a story and ask students to retell the story using transitional words. (“First, you played outside. Then, you ate lunch. Finally, you went to class.”)
• Place a toy bear in certain places. If students can name where the bear is placed, she is using the direction and position words proficiently. (For example, if the teacher places bear under the table, students can say, “You put the bear under the table.”)
• Students can sort objects by color, shape, or texture and articulate a process by telling the teacher or a friend how they sorted the shapes.