"What does literacy look like in my community--and why should I care?"

        Literacy presents itself in a various forms from print, media, and drawings. Its presence is an unavoidable and young children are constantly exposed to different kinds of literacy. In our community, the most pervasive form of literacy is reading and writing. College students are expected to demonstrate understanding through writing out answers, taking notes, writing essays, or research new topics. While letters and print are literacy, symbols and drawings can also be considered a type of literacy. Anything that someone else can make meaning from is literacy. In our community, the most common language is English, but other languages may present themselves as we strive to understand one another. Technology is also frequently used form of literacy. Children today are becoming more well-versed in how to use it, what its symbols and buttons mean and how to communicate and create with it.
         Children are exposed to all types of literacy even before they start schooling. They observe their families writing lists, reading books, playing games, and sending emails on the computer. Literacy is best taught when it the experiences are authentic and connected to to their worlds. Building a bridge between home and school can be an effective method for introducing reading and writing. Teachers must acknowledge children's prior experiences with literacy and not consider them blank slates.

Language Learners in Your Classroom

        Our schools and classrooms are growing more diverse each day. It is very likely for teachers to have children who are bilingual or multilingual. Young children may be entering school for the first time without any experience with English.
        In our course last week, we simulated what it would feel like to be child in a class where the language was foreign and incomprehensible. The professor spoke in Spanish only and gave us an assignment in which we had to be able to read and write in Spanish. It was only for a brief period time, lasting maybe 15-20 minutes. Many children have to endure this boredom and frustration throughout the school day. It was difficult to answer the questions our instructor was asking us because we did not understand. Additionally, she disapproved of us speaking in English to each other. It is not uncommon for schools to  forbid foreign language speaking because they believe it is detrimental to the students learning English.
       Our group performed better when we could work together and communicate.We taught each other the Spanish we knew and collaborated. In primary school, the teacher should facilitate language learning and respect the children's culture by allowing them to speak their home language. Complete immersion with no support is beyond most children's zone of proximal development when first learning English.
       Teachers can provide support through outside sources if they are unable to speak the foreign language fluently. They can ask families for resources or look for services in the school that can be helpful. While learning a new language, children may need extra supports
that fits their needs.

Collaboration and Gradual Release of Responsibility

           Both Children’s Language by Judith Lindfors and Johnson and Keier’s Catching Readers Before They Fall discuss the teaching strategy of pushing the child towards independent success by gradually removing supports.  Both strategies are inspired by Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development (Johnson and Keier, 2010, p. 31) (Lindfors, 2008, p. 52).  Johnson and Keier refer to their teaching model as a gradual release of responsibility while Lindfors’ similar model is called collaboration.

In Catching Readers, the strategy that Johnson and Keier emphasize is that “in teaching with the gradual release [of responsibility] model, teachers must constantly keep independence as their goal. This means after modeling and shared demonstrations, the teacher must back off the supports, lessening the amount of help” (Johnson & Keier, 2010, p. 43).  Lindfors also helps her students strive towards independence. She is thrilled when the children obtain ownership of their reading and writing. She discusses her collaboration experience with Melanie in they would look at the book Gossie together. First, Lindfors read the entire book, and then the teacher and child took turns reading pages (Lindfors, 2008, p. 59). The teacher notes that lastly, Melanie “could read “my” pages, too, and I was able to remove myself from the collaboration” (Lindfors, 2008, p. 59). In both models, heavy support is provided at first, but it lessens until no support is necessary. The overarching goal is for the child to absorb knowledge and skills through modeling, guided practice, and independent practice until the action becomes effortless.
        The teaching models give power to the child in that he or she decides how much support is needed. Collaboration and gradual release are tailored to the individual. In both models, it often necessary to “gear up and down the levels of support based on what the child is doing” (Johnson & Keier, 2010, p. 43). The teacher cannot force understanding onto a child and must support and respond to their needs. Nothing is attempted before a child is ready or in the zone of proximal development.

References:

Lindfors, J. W. (2008). Children's language: Connecting reading, writing, and talk. New York, NY: Teachers College Press. 

Johnson, P. & Keier, K. (2010). Catching readers before they fall: Supporting students who struggle, K-4. Portland, MN: Stenhouse Publishers.

Picture:
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australian Government) 

Children at Buk bilong Pikinini (books for children). Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

Reflections on Judith Lindfors' Book

             In class, we are reading Judith Lindfors’ book, Children’s Language: Connecting Reading, Writing, and Talk. She discusses literacy curriculum and the best approaches towards instilling motivation and passion in the child.  Throughout the first three chapters, she shares compelling thoughts on patterns, collaboration, and authenticity in language.

Lindfors brings attention to the patterns in language, oral and written, and how children identify and apply them. Children as young as two demonstrate their ability to “pattern [their] speech in the ways [they] have observed in the speech of others” (Lindfors, 2008, p. 12). Children are so committed to patterns that “the child overregularizes, using past tense forms like “comed” [and] “goed”” (Lindfors, 2008, p. 12).  They are not simply imitating, but applying their prior knowledge to expand their ability to communicate. Successfully expressing opinions, wants, and needs is important and valuable to all people.  Language is social and children are motivated to try new words because the situation is authentic.

The author defined two types of reading in Chapter 2 labeled efferent and aesthetic reading. Lindfors cites L. Rosenblatt’s definitions as she describes an efferent reading orientation as when “reader’s attention is focused primarily on what will remain after the reading—the information to be acquired” (Rosenblatt, 1978, p. 24). In contrast, when reading from an aesthetic orientation, “the reader’s attention is centered directly on what he is living through during his relationship with that particular text” (Rosenblatt, 1978, p. 24). Lindfors does not consider one experience more valuable than the other, but regards them both as meaningful reading experiences. Her example of reading Tigress displays characteristics of both orientations  as it contains an engaging story and nonfiction facts to be learned.(Lindfors, 2008, p. 22). The meaning is lost when nothing is gained from the reading. The audience is not engaged in comprehending and responding, but in simply decoding the words.  Lindfors emphasizes the social and the individuality aspects of reading. Children respond, discuss, reflect, and question in ways that reflect their individual interests and needs while also considering their peers’ ideas when reading an authentic text.

           Reading and writing activities must be purposeful for children in order for them to develop a meaning-orientation towards literacy. The author describes tasks such as the sign-out book and writing workshop as being engaging and purposeful for children (Lindfors, 2008, p. 30). Her tasks address ideas that are important to the children and to her, as a teacher. She believes that the children’s purposes come first. For example, writing workshop gives children choices and opportunities to use oral language to socialize while simultaneously providing the teacher with observational data for assessment and skill practice. Literacy is often motivated by a need to communicate and connect with others which is why is important to embed oral, and written language together.

References:

Lindfors, J. W. (2008). Children's language: Connecting reading, writing, and talk. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Rosenblatt, L. M. (1994). The reader, the text, the poem: The transactional theory of the literary work. SIU Press.

Sociodramatic Play Centers

       One way children develop literacy is through dramatic play in centers that replicate places in the community. The center can reflect anything from a grocery store to an veterinarian's office. In these centers, children develop "the sociocultural discourses needed to effectively use language in a variety of situations" (Owocki, 2001, p. 157). They refine their language development by pretending to be a different person such as principal or a store clerk and imitate the language used in the social situation. Using their prior experiences, they copy the language used and apply it to their play. Sociodramatic play challenges the children and motivates them to explore the varied functions of language.
       Not only do children use spoken language in their play, they also utilize reading and writing to enhance their role play. Activities such as sign up sheets, receipts, food orders, menus, nonfiction literature, and plain pads of paper all incorporate writing and reading. Children see the value of communication in society and are willing to insert it in their play. Using a variety of centers also builds the connection between home and school by bringing in real world places into the classroom for further exploration.
     The themes of centers should be inspired from children's interests. Owocki provides a form in her textbook that can be sent to the parents to get their input on what their would like the most (2001, p. 163). If some children are unfamiliar with the place that is created in the center, the class can take a field trip to explore the discourses and the activities of the place of interest. Experiences will enhance and make the play more meaningful.

Sources:

Owocki, G. (2001). Make way for literacy: Teaching the way young children learn. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Kinderchat: Developmental Reasons for Unkind Behaviors

       On Kinderchat, I checked out the archives and looked at the discussion about developmental reasons for unkind behaviors from January 20, 2013. The teachers noted their experiences and how they addressed the classroom issues. Behaviors such as name calling, saying "you're not my friend", and exclusion of others appeared to be common occurrences for the Kindergarten teachers. I found this chat interesting because I have seen these behaviors and have not known how to address the issues.
      Teachers mentioned their focus on respect, their use of peace tables or other areas that were designed for mediation, and their use of role-playing to demonstrate what is okay and not okay. It was also noted that it is rare for children to be deliberately unkind for reasons that are not developmental. Children are influenced by the idea of power and wish to experiment with it at young ages. They may exert power through hurting their classmates or excluding their friends from playing. Teachers try to find time to model and teach about respect and empathy by using role play or noticing out loud positive behaviors with specific praise. At this age, children are still learning about respect and how to treat their peers with kindness.
      They also discussed the use of saying "I'm sorry." Many teachers shared their personal methods for mediation and many involved apologizing and then following up with a discussion between the children that said how their behavior will change. They strive for the children to bring meaning to their apologies rather than empty words. I found this information valuable as I have seen  children simply saying "I'm sorry" to avoid getting in trouble.

Teaching Writing

           Children possess the potential to produce writing beyond the expectations of adults. When they are instructed in the proper environment with the necessary support from their teachers and family, they can succeed.  Teachers can facilitate writing development by utilizing the technique of scaffolding. (VanNess, Murnen, & Bertelsen, 2013, p.574).  In scaffolding, supports are gradually removed as the child advances in his or her development. Supports can include “private speech and materialization” (VanNess, Murnen, & Bertelsen, 2013, p.579). Private speech refers to the way children say their thinking out loud by repeating words, sounds, or letters. Materialization can include word lines, word walls, and other physical objects used to represent something invisible.

The teacher in the article divided her students into ability-based groups. This enabled her to focus her mini lessons on a specific topic that she knew was a common struggle for the group (VanNess, Murnen, & Bertelsen, 2013, p.579). She is aware of the varying stages of development that each child is working on. Her observations and documentation display her dedication to providing the fitting amount of guidance for each child. She also gives suggestions and leads the children into subjects for their writing, but allows them freedom and choice in how they start their story and what they decide to record. She wants her students to see writing as a “process of personal expression” (VanNess, Murnen, & Bertelsen, 2013, p.579). The children gain ownership over their work and feel competent. By utilizing observations and noting the abilities of the children, young children can write.

Sources: VanNess, A.R., Murnen, M.J, & Bertelsen, C.D. (2013). Let me tell you a secret: Kindergartners can write! The Reading Teacher. 66(7), 574-585.