The Language of Problem Solving in the Early Childhood Grades: From Social Emotional Development to Making Thinking Visible

As young children learn language, they are simultaneously building the foundation for higher order cognitive skills like problem-solving. By providing and facilitating multiple opportunities for students, the teacher can help young children learn to use language for both social and academic problem-solving. In this session, we will explore how the use of a regular problem-solving routine can be utilized to model language that students can then apply across social and academic contexts. Participants will leave with practical tips for using a problem-solving approach in their early grades classrooms.