Pre-Kindergarten
Ages 3–4
Pre-Kindergarten
Ages 3–4
The Pre-Kindergarten program at TASIS Portugal is a state-of-the-art early childhood program focused on nurturing young learners and supporting their cognitive, social, and emotional development within an international school environment.
Why Early Childhood Education Matters
Learning to Read
Learning to read is not a skill that develops naturally—it must be taught explicitly. The first step is understanding that words are made up of individual speech sounds, known as phonemes. Phonemic awareness is a well-researched predictor of later reading success. At TASIS Portugal, Pre-Kindergarten students develop phonological awareness skills in a fun and engaging way using the Heggerty Curriculum™. These early years provide students with a strong foundation in reading skills that supports long-term literacy development and academic success.
Social-Emotional Learning
Self-regulation—the ability to manage emotions, thoughts, and behaviors—is a strong predictor of both academic and social success. During the Pre-Kindergarten years, TASIS Portugal places a strong emphasis on social-emotional learning, including self-regulation (guided by the ELLI framework), mindfulness, and the development of a growth mindset. For students who require additional support, the school provides access to a dedicated pastoral team that includes an experienced school counselor.
Fine and Gross Motor Skills
In Pre-Kindergarten, students participate in a wide range of activities designed to develop fine motor skills, including building, drawing, painting, and working with manipulatives. The program also places a strong emphasis on handwriting development using Handwriting Without Tears™, a curriculum designed by an occupational therapist to build confidence and foundational writing skills.
Gross motor development is supported through physical education, dance, yoga, and outdoor exploration. Students also benefit from a variety of active after-school activities and regular opportunities to engage with nature through forest school experiences.
English Immersion
For students who are not yet fluent in English, Pre-Kindergarten provides an English immersion environment that supports early language acquisition within an international school setting. Multilingual co-teachers and assistants help ensure rapid and confident English language development. For students who may require continued language support as they transition into Elementary School, a dedicated student support team works closely with families to help students achieve proficiency, typically within an average of two years.
ELC Viewbook
Discover all of the benefits of our Early Learning Center (ELC) for children aged 3–5.
Personal, Social, and Emotional Development
Personal, social, and emotional development activities help grow a child’s character and provide a positive space for young students to express how they feel about, and act in, the world around them.
Through growth mindset and effective lifelong learning opportunities, children begin to develop self-confidence, self-esteem, a positive mindset, and the ability to play cooperatively, taking turns with others.
→ Learn More: What is "Glow and Grow"?
As part of our daily routine, children work as part of a group or class. They will have opportunities to talk about how they and others show feelings, talk about their own and others’ behaviors and their consequences, and learn that some behaviors are unacceptable.
They will learn to adjust their behaviors to different situations and take changes of routine in stride, while being mindful of the ideas of others.
Students will learn to show sensitivity to others’ needs and feelings as they form positive relationships with adults and other children.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Developing an understanding of the world enables children to begin understanding other people, the places where they live, and all aspects of the environment. As children learn about the world around them, they discover the past through talking to parents, grandparents, and friends. They become interested in their culture and the cultures around them. Once they start understanding the past, they begin to learn about the ways that other people are different from them, yet share some of the same characteristics and ideas.
Soon, children develop an understanding of the world that includes places and all the things within them, such as trees in the natural environment and roads and traffic in the built environment. Finding out about places begins initially when children learn about their own home and the things nearby, then later as they notice things on journeys to and from home. This awareness is extended by visiting places and finding out about different elements of environments. This aspect also focuses on learning about cause and effect and is developed through conversations with adults and other children about the things they observe.
Our outdoor classroom is an environment that encourages curiosity. Children are exposed to a wide range of resources that help them grow their knowledge about living things and their natural habitats.
Sample Daily Schedule
