Glossary
Preschool Teacher Terms & Vocabulary
15 essential preschool teacher terms with plain-English definitions: the vocabulary you’ll hear in training and on day one.
Key preschool teacher vocabulary
These 15 terms come up constantly in preschool teacher training, on the job and in interviews. Knowing them helps you follow instructions, document accurately and sound prepared.
- Circle time
- A group gathering for songs and discussion.
- Developmentally appropriate practice
- Teaching that fits children’s ages and needs.
- Early literacy
- Skills that lead to reading.
- Fine motor skills
- Small muscle skills such as drawing.
- Gross motor skills
- Large muscle skills such as running.
- Head Start
- A federal early education program.
- IEP
- Individualized education program for children with disabilities.
- Learning centers
- Areas for blocks, art, reading and more.
- Observation
- Watching and recording children’s development.
- Play-based learning
- Learning through guided play.
- Portfolio
- A collection of a child’s work.
- Positive guidance
- Teaching behavior with encouragement.
- Ratio
- The number of children per teacher.
- Skills like sharing and managing feelings.
- Transitions
- Moving between activities.
Practice these terms
Test yourself with the free Preschool Teacher practice test: it includes vocabulary questions built from this list. For a complete course, see Preschool Teacher training.
Browse terms from every career in our career glossary.