Visuals in the Kindergarten Classroom

A successful classroom community happens when students clearly understand the expectations. The ideal time to set the stage for this classroom community is the beginning of the year! I recommend that teachers use a three-step approach to teaching new routines and procedures at the beginning of the year. The three steps are:

1.) Model desired behavior by acting it out.

2.) Allow students to practice desired behavior in pairs and groups.

3.) Provide visual cues to help students remember desired behavior

Today, I am sharing the benefits of visuals with you, as well as the perfect routines to use visuals with during the first weeks of kindergarten!

Visuals Help Little Learners See Each Step

Rather than repeating yourself like a broken record, providing a visual for a certain routine does the talking for you! Students can see each step they must take to reach a desired behavior. This prevents you from having to re-teach one procedure over and over throughout the year. This also helps students understand how to break a bigger goal into smaller steps.

Visuals Foster Independence

When students can rely on a visual poster to give them direction, they learn independence! If students over-rely on the teacher to tell them how to do something, they learn helplessness. We want our students to be problem solvers and critical thinkers. Giving them the tools to solve their own problems is the perfect first step! Visual cues around the room helps to create problem solvers!

Visuals Create Peer Leaders

There is always at least one student who has trouble with building enough independence to follow visual directions on their own. These visuals give our students the perfect opportunity to serve as peer leaders. Partner students who know how to move around the room independently with students who struggle. This gives students of all learning abilities the chance to learn from each other! This is a great leadership opportunity for students who take well to visual cues.

Looking for Visual Cues to Get Started?

Kick off this coming school year the right way with your own MEGA set of visual directions! In this large bundle, you will receive visual supports for routines such as:

-Bathroom Breaks

-Flexible Seating

-Hallway Behavior

-Safety Drills

-Bus Behavior

-Recess (both indoor and outdoor)

…and so much more!

Grab your bundle HERE. Want to learn more about visual support in kindergarten? Read THIS POST.

Happy teaching!