Literacy Playshop

The Literacy Playshop approach is one that incorporates teacher-created media-based playshops where children create films and collaborate through play. Throughout the past few years pop culture has had an impact on young children's lives. Most children encounter pop culture every day, whether it's seeing Spider-Man on a backpack or wearing a Frozen t-shirt.The Literacy Playshop approach is based on children's expertise on media and teacher's mediation skills. Children are able to produce films on their own terms using materials they know best, for example, the toys they play with at home. During these activities teachers can encourage children to collaborate productively. When teachers recognize children's interests in pop culture, they can use them as literacy resources to inform children's reading and writing. Through play, storying, collaboration, and production, children will be able to make meaning of their literacy playshop. 

Literacy Playshop is a great way for teachers to incorporate pop culture into the classroom. Additionally, it allows students to collaborate and share ideas through play. After reading about teachers who have incorporated the playshop into their classrooms, I know that it is something that can be done. I am interested to see how my playshop goes with the student that I have chosen to work with. Literacy Playshop is an approach that provides evidence that pop culture can be incorporated into the classroom effectively. 

No Tables or Chairs: A Haiku

No tables or chairs,
Children can express themselves
In other ways too.

If you were to enter a classroom without tables and chairs, what would you think? Let's say it's a first grade class. No tables, no chairs. While this could be alarming to some educators, it's important to think about the message being sent about the absence of this kind of furniture. I would assume that a classroom without tables and chairs would use that open space for multiple purposes. The teacher is most likely engaging his or her students in discussions, interactions, and experiences so that their students are able to make meaning of what they are learning. One thing I could imagine occurring in a large space is the teacher encouraging students to engage in whole-group discussion. Furthermore, I can imagine that there would be a lot of read alouds and shared reading in this space. Another activity I can imagine happening in this space is a lot of interaction between the teacher and the students, especially if the students are bringing a concept or a book to life through dramatic play. Establishing a classroom with no tables and chairs depends on one's teaching beliefs. Personally, I would be curious to see how my students react to this type of environment. Additionally, I'd love to engage them in meaningful literacy activities this way. Learning will always be happening, just through other ways than sitting at a table with a pencil and piece of paper. The haiku I have written above reflects my thoughts about a classroom with no tables or chairs. Children will be able to express themselves, even if they aren't sitting at a table. Giving children space to share ideas will allow them to be engaged in all kinds of literacy activities. 

Beyond "Sounding it Out"

According to Catherine Compton-Lily, author of “Sounding Out”: A Pervasive Cultural Model of Reading, the cultural model of "sounding out" "privileges phonetic decoding over other decoding strategies, particularly those that involve the meanings of texts and the structures of language" (Compton-Lily, 2005, p. 442). Knowing that there are other strategies other than "sounding out" words, it's important that teachers encourage their students to use other decoding strategies. It may be tempting to tell a student to sound out the word they are having difficulty reading, but before you say it, think of something else you could tell your student. 

Other strategies to use besides "sounding it out" include the beginning sound, ending sound, chunking a word, finding a small word, using picture clues, and asking the student does it make sense? We need these strategies because just like there's a variety of strategies, there's a variety of readers. Some students may need to focus on the beginning of the word in order to attempt it. Other students may need to break the word into chunks to be able to recognize a smaller word. These strategies are more efficient than saying "sound it out" because they focus on specific actions for the student to do when they are attempting a word that is unfamiliar. 

Now that I have been able to observe a few of the first graders reading in my field experience classroom, I have a better idea of what strategies they are using. I have not noticed "sounding out" in the conversations with the children. I do not recall hearing the lead teacher explicitly telling the students to "sound out" a word if they are having difficulty reading it. I have noticed the teacher encouraging the students to focus on the beginning of the words and also using picture clues to decide what the word is. The most important thing about "sounding out" in literacy is that teachers should not use that strategy anymore; there are many other strategies that teachers can use for their students to read words that may be difficult or unfamiliar. Using these strategies will help students become better readers. 

Focusing on Children's Strengths

When it comes to literacy it's important for teachers to focus on children's strengths rather than "what they can't do". If we focused on what a child can't do, how can we help them develop literacy skills? Instead of focusing on what a child can't do, we need to focus on what a child can do. What does the child already know when they read and write? Working individually with children is a great way to focus on what a child can do. It's amazing what children can do, really! In the article "Every Mark on the Page: Educating Family and Community Members about Young Children's Writing", the author states that "in the early stages of learning to write, children don’t feel constrained by conventions as adults do, and they experiment with size, shape, and direction of letters" (Cusumano, 2008, p. 12). Through this teachers can observe what children can do through their writing.

Here is a writing sample from a first grade student I found on the website Letter Writing For 1st Grade. It states, "I learned how to ride a bike without training wheels and it wasn't easy it was hard". Based on this writing sample, let's see what this child can do and what they know. This child knows that words have directionality, and that they go from left to right. They also know to return sweep after they stop at the end of a line. This student knows that "bike" has a beginning sound of /b/ and and ending sound of /k/. They also know that "without" has a "th" and the word "out" at the end. They spelled the word "traneng" which shows that they know there's an "ng" at the end of the word. They know that there are two e's in wheels and they spelled wasn't how it sounds, as "wasent". Finally, this student knows that there is a letter that goes between the e and sy of "eisy". 

Based on this writing sample, this student displays knowledge of writing skills and spelling skills. They can write from left to right. They can spell words the way they hear them and know them. They can use capitalization and punctuation in a sentence. Ultimately teachers must start focusing on the "cans" rather than the "cannots" of a child. In addition to writing, we need to focus on what children can do when reading. Pat Johnson and Katie Keier, authors of Catching Readers Before They Fall, state that when a teacher uses a prompt they are asking the child to perform an act they know the child is capable of doing (Johnson & Keier, 2010, p. 63). This implies the teacher knows what the child can do. When we start looking at what a child can do in reading and writing it gives them opportunities for growth and learning. 

Identifying Letters through Phonics

Phonics is about learning letters and the sounds that correspond with them. Knowing that so many letters make a variety of sounds and that different letters can represent various sounds, teachers start with the most common sound or two sounds for each letter a student is learning about. Instead of spending an immense amount of time with letters and sounds in isolation, we can teach phonics during reading and writing. We can teach phonics continually during shared and guided reading and community and independent writing. When we begin teaching letters and sounds we should start with letters and sounds children are familiar with. A great example of this is children's names.

A great example of teaching phonics through teaching letters and sounds is by using the "Silly Names Song" in which the teacher changes the beginning sound of the names. The teacher then has the children change the beginning sound of their name. In the "Silly Names Song" video the teacher uses the sounds of the letter t and w. This is how the song goes:

In the classroom,

early in the morning,

hear the children playing with their sounds.

Change your name to start with /t/.

Change your name to start with /t/. 

Name with /t/.

Name with /t/.

What's your name? 

Shout it now!

Silly Names Song Video

Since a child's name has letters and sounds they are familiar with, this will help them understand print better and ultimately make connections to what they know and what they are learning. Another way to teach letters and sounds is through community writing. Here are a few prompts that can be used for community writing:

• It starts like Marissa.
• Let's get our mouths ready to start Jessica's name.
• What do you hear at the beginning of sand? Does it sound like Sebastian? 

At this point in time you can have the student look at a name chart (example below) and see what the letters sound like. 

What's a Comprehensive Literacy Framework?

Pat Johnson and Katie Keier, authors of Catching Readers Before They Fall, discuss the components of a comprehensive literacy framework. What exactly is a comprehensive literacy framework? It's a classroom environment that incorporates reading and writing to, with, and by children. Within this framework, teachers are able to reach all of their children, including the readers who are struggling. This is possible because the framework addresses specific needs through multiple ways of instruction. Furthermore, the framework encourages student independence, so teachers can work with small groups and individual students when necessary.

I have included a visual representation of the components of a comprehensive literacy framework. I made this representation myself to get a better understanding of the framework. The top web is of the first component of the framework: reading, to, with, and by children. The bottom web includes the second component of the framework: writing to, with, and by children. Reading and writing are both crucial to the comprehensive literacy framework.

There are four parts to reading to, with, and by children: read-aloud, shared reading, guided reading, and independent reading. Read-alouds are for the enjoyment of books. There are two types of read-alouds, traditional, where the teacher models the language of books, and interactive, where the teacher engages children and helps them make connections. Shared reading includes repeated reading where teachers model skills, and texts are also accessible to all children. Guided reading challenges readers and allows them to predict what will happen next in a story. Finally, independent reading is where students reread familiar texts and have choice in what they read.

Writing to, with, and by children has three parts: morning message, community writing, and independent writing. Morning message depends on grade level and can meet the needs of specific students. Community writing is generated from authentic discussions, and gives student the opportunity to work in their zone of proximal development. When students begin independent writing, they are in charge of the topic, content, writing and illustration. Additionally, their skills learned through community writing are used independently.

Teaching within the comprehensive literacy framework helps all students build an effective reading process system and helps them become better writers as well.

Literacy in the Community

Literacy is everywhere in my community. Walking through a college campus is a great way to think about what literacy looks like in the community. When I walk through campus I see street signs and buses with advertisements on them, whether it's for a new production coming to the theater or a new app for students to download. Literacy is also seen through flyers that are spread throughout campus. Whether handed out by students or posted to the wooden kiosks, flyers provide information about the many events that are happening throughout campus. Living in a literacy rich community is important because it is available to people of all ages.

I should care about what literacy looks like in my community because as a future teacher, I want my students to be aware of literacy in their community. I want to help my students understand that literacy can be pictures and symbols and not just words on a page. A fun way to incorporate this into the classroom would be to go on a literacy walk with students. Students can write down different types of literacy throughout the community, and then as a class create a "What Literacy Looks Like" book. 

Language Learners

I have recently experienced what school is like for students whose first language is not English. Of course I took the required Spanish courses in high school, but my memory was put to the test recently in a literacy class I am taking this semester. Our instructor handed out instructions on what to do, and it was all in Spanish. I immediately struggled to make sense of the task. Luckily, one of my classmates understood Spanish a lot more than I did, so she was able to figure out it out. The activity only lasted about ten to fifteen minutes, but the entire time I had difficulty understanding and communicating. I can only imagine what this feels like to language learners in the classroom.

Just think for a minute about this. Here's a student whose first language is Spanish, or something other than English, and they are sitting in your classroom each day. They may not understand what is going on and they may have difficulty expressing themselves. Sitting in school for seven or eight hours a day feeling lost is most likely a horrible feeling to those students who don't speak English very well. The recent experience I had of feeling this way after ten minutes has really opened my eyes. I immediately thought of ways to support language learners in the classroom.

Support is essential to the students who are struggling with language. If there is no support these students may feel lost or disconnected to the teacher and their classmates. They may not feel like they are a part of the class. Teachers must work with these students and communicate with them. They can never give up on their students either. A great way to incorporate their language into the classroom is to bring in books and other resources. It gives the student an opportunity to enjoy school. Showing the student that you really care about them and their success is another important goal.  Most students, no matter what language they speak, want to learn and discover new things. It is up to us teachers to provide these opportunities for our students.

What is Literacy?

Literacy embodies reading and writing; however, when you think deeply about literacy, so many other things are embedded within. In addition to reading and writing, literacy includes prior knowledge, experience, and interests. Can you think of a memory (positive or negative) that has affected the way you think about literacy?Literacy also includes different ways to engage students, for example, during a read aloud, have students repeat certain parts or even act out the story. Another way to engage students is to have students write or draw what their favorite part of the book was. There are so many ways to make literacy engaging for students. Literacy is about making meaning; however, to make something meaningful a connection has to be made, whether it's from prior knowledge or experience.

As teachers, it's important to reflect on our own past experiences with literacy. A creative way to do this is to create a literacy timeline. After creating my literacy timeline, filled with positive and negative moments from preschool through college, I couldn't help but reflect on these moments and how they have affected me as a teacher. I remember enjoying literacy and its creative aspects, for example, writing my own version of a book I read in elementary school. Another thing I enjoyed about literacy was being able to experience it through theater. I have learned from my positive memories, and I have also learned from my negative ones. I want to give my students a choice in what they read. I want to create engaging and authentic lessons that incorporate activities where students will use their imaginations and creativity. Finally, I want to incorporate my student's interests into literacy. Through this my students will make meaning and connect with what they are reading.

Early Literacy Teaching Strategies

 

According to the article "The Essentials of Early Literacy Instruction", the development of reading and writing concept skills is a dynamic process, meaning the process is constantly changing. In order to support this dynamic process of early literacy, the article provides essential early literacy teaching strategies. Also known as mediation strategies, teachers create ways to extend learning and build upon content knowledge. Effective early literacy instruction includes providing children with developmentally appropriate materials, environments, experiences and support. In addition to effective teaching strategies, play is also essential to making literacy activities meaningful.

The strategies listed in the article include: rich teacher talk, storybook reading, phonological awareness activities, alphabetic activities, support for emergent reading, support for emergent writing, shared book experience and content-focused activities. These teaching strategies are effective in different ways. For example, rich teacher talk can be most effective in large group activities, like read alouds. Phonological awareness activities can be effective for small group activities, specifically clapping out sounds to the children as they spell out words.

In addition to the early literacy teaching strategies, children can develop reading and writing skills through play. Children are exposed to environmental print through play, and children's narrative skills are practiced through play. One example of play as effective literacy development is through dramatic play. In the article two children are playing in a restaurant. The children pick a restaurant that is familiar (environmental print) and the conversation begins with, "Can I take your order?" Verbal and written communication skills are being practiced as well as the children talk back and forth and one of them writes down the customer's order. 

Early literacy instruction is essential for children's development of reading and writing. It's important for teachers to understand and implement the teaching strategies in order for children to make meaning of early literacy.

#Kinderchat: Tools & Tech for ABCs

The #kinderchat from December 2, 2013, discussed tools, toys and technology for ABCs and phonics. This topic interested me because it relates to early literacy and the different materials that teachers can use in their classroom. A lot of the conversation was about what teachers would like to have in their classroom. One teacher said that although she loves her students' journals, she would like for them to have blogging as an option. Another teacher said that he wished he did a better job of going outside more often; furthermore, he said the best tools are dirt, sticks, insects, and worms. What was so interesting to me was the variety of tools, toys and technology that are used for literacy the #kinderchat participants were discussing. One teacher wanted her students to use more technology whereas the other wanted to go outside and use materials through nature. Either way teachers can develop activities in which children learn more on literacy. 

Another tweet from a #kinderchat participant I thought was interesting was from a kindergarten teacher. He said that there is power in the opportunity to share and  his kindergartners will stand patiently in line for "DAYS" to sit in the author's chair. One other teacher said that she wished there was more time for her kids to talk and share their ideas. This aspect of the #kinderchat made me think of the activities we discussed in class. Shared reading and shared writing in small groups gives children the opportunity to share their ideas and work together to create meaning. In relation to the teacher who said his students will stand in line to sit in the author's chair, shared reading is a wonderful way to allow children to let their voices be heard.

Classroom books was another topic brought up in this #kinderchat. One teacher said that student created books are very effective for literacy development, whereas another teacher said Story Kits are great ways for children to bring stories home to share with their families. Scaffolding letter knowledge with each other is another important thing I read from the chat. Scaffolding is an important teaching strategy and one that allows children to explore their interests. For example, teachers can scaffold by doing before-reading activities that spark children's interests. This week in class I was introduced to books that are made by the class. This is a great way for children to be creative and express their ideas. Children can recreate a story through art; they can draw certain objects that relate to the story, or even ones that aren't related at all. Either way the child is making meaning of the story. The #kinderchat was interesting in that I was able to read different teachers' perspectives on effective ways for children to increase literacy skills.

#kinderchat: Tools & Tech for ABCs

Playing Stories: The Mitten

 

Shared reading is a wonderful way for teachers and children to read together. Children make predictions based on the text and the pictures which creates meaning. When introducing a new book to children, the teacher first goes through a picture walk in which the teacher will show the children the pages and asks what they think will happen based on what they see. Next, the teacher will read the book and children are able to predict what is going to happen. After reading the book multiple times the children will be able to recite parts of the story with the teacher.

The large group activity in class this week was just another way to make shared reading effective and enjoyable. Playing stories means the teacher reads the book to the class, and the children act out the book. After the large group activity on The Mitten by Jan Brett, I wanted to think of other ways to involve a large group in playing stories. I was able to find a list of activities on Jan Brett's website, and one in particular is based on The Mitten. This is the activity on Jan Brett's website. The website has printable PDF files of two mittens and each of the animals in the stories. Teachers can print them and cut them out and have children color each of the objects. The two mittens can be taped together to make sure the animals can fit inside. Then, when the book is being read, the children can add each animal one by one into the mitten.

This activity is a great way for children to participate in the shared reading. Although there are only eight animals, each child can take turns being a different animal when the book is read. Children can also hold the mitten while the animals are crawling inside. Shared reading in large groups is an effective way for the teacher to model reading and for children to participate, predict and expand on their literacy skills.

Environmental Print for Preschoolers

This week we are learning about environmental print and how important it is for early literacy. Children become curious about print which leads them to experiment with reading and writing. When children see familiar logos in their environment they are able to make meaning based off of what they know. In a YouTube video shown in class, a five-year-old girl was asked what each logo represented. For example, this logo was one of the many presented:

The little girl said that it was GE and that her grandpa worked there. She made a connection between the logo and the fact that a family member works there. In the article "Print Awareness", an example of a toddler seeing a Burger King coffee cup and asking his mother for French fries is presented.

The activity our class worked on was a great way to collect environmental prints for several objects: Mott's Applesauce, Starbucks, McDonald's, and Pop-tarts were just a few that were brought into class. The books that we created will be helpful when we assess environmental print once we are out in the field. Observing and documenting environmental print awareness is important for effective teaching. Environmental print is very important for early literacy because it expands children's ability to learn language.

How to Read Aloud

In preparation for our trip to the Monroe County Public Library, I listened to the read aloud lesson on the Mem Fox website. Listening to the lesson really helped me understand how to read aloud, and the speaker gave me a lot of helpful information on how to read aloud well. For instance, it is important to maintain enthusiasm and be expressive as possible when reading aloud. Furthermore, you should not use a patronizing voice that makes it seem like you're talking down to children. There are multiple things we can do to our voices for a read aloud: high and low, loud and soft and pausing are just a few. One thing that stood out to me was the statement, what we love, our listeners will love. When we present something with excitement to children they will reciprocate the feeling.

Literacy is Cultural

One important aspect of early childhood literacy that I learned today is that literacy is cultural. Since families come from many different cultures they learn words and make connections and meaning of those words differently than other families. In class each group drew a diagram of representing important information on literacy. Drawing a diagram was a great way to visualize how families in different households are all connected to school. Children learn literacy at home through their cultures as well as in the classroom.