A grant awarded last year is continuing to make a difference for Bonner Elementary’s youngest learners. The Oral Language Lab, funded through the Tyler ISD Education Foundation’s Grants for Great Ideas program, now serves a new group of prekindergarten and kindergarten students.
For young children, play is one of the most meaningful ways to learn. It gives them opportunities to try new words, ask questions, solve problems, and practice interacting with others. Bonner’s Oral Language Lab provides a space for that learning, where children can connect words with objects, actions, and shared experiences.
For our bilingual learners, these experiences also help bridge Spanish and English. Exploring familiar objects and ideas gives students a starting point for making connections between languages. Through play, they can build on the language they already know while practicing new vocabulary and communicating with classmates.
Community partners have helped bring real-world connections into the space. CHRISTUS and Dr. Richard Lindley II, DDS, have each donated out-of-service equipment, giving it a new purpose in Bonner’s Oral Language Lab. The Tyler Junior College dental program also donated supplies to support students’ hands-on learning.
Together, these contributions give children more to explore and talk about while introducing them to the people and professions that help care for our community.
Who knows? A child exploring Bonner’s Oral Language Lab today might one day be your dentist, medical assistant, or another healthcare professional caring for our community.
Bonner is grateful to the Tyler ISD Education Foundation, CHRISTUS, Dr. Lindley, and the Tyler Junior College dental program for helping the Oral Language Lab continue to grow. Their support is giving another group of young learners opportunities to build language, make connections, and learn through play.
Want to get involved? If you or someone you know in the local medical community would like to share your expertise and help Bonner students explore healthcare careers, we’d love to connect! Complete our Scrub Club Interest Form below to let us know how you’d like to participate!