Thy word literacy workshop

Editor's Notes

• #2: Introduction of Presenters Jean Smith and Bonnie Sears
• #3: Children do not learn to read the same way they learn to talk. A baby needs little more than exposure and opportunity to learn to talk, yet a child doesn’t learn to read by immersion alone. Children need to develop an understanding that the words they speak and hear can be represented by written symbols; letters. Then children need to develop an understanding that letters are associated with sounds and when we combine and recombine letters and sounds we create words, and these words represent our speech. In preschool the foundation for reading needs to be done in a way that is meaningful, engaging and playful for the child. As teachers and administrators we need to be purposeful in our planning of literacy rich learning environments. The entire preschool environment needs to support, encourage and scaffold children in their development of literacy knowledge and skills. We as teachers and parents are helping to launch the child on a lifelong journey of finding pleasure and joy in the written word.
• #4: In order for a child to become aware of print it first must be present. A key in early childhood learning is to become more aware of the variety of print that surrounds them. An early childhood classroom should be filled with a variety of print. Although Alphabet letters are one way of displaying print, it is only a small part of a print rich environment. Print should appear in a variety of places and formats including books (big books, board books, classroom made books, ABC books, non-fiction books), labels, children’s names, environmental print especially items from their home environment, classroom charts, and posters. Your classroom should include the children’s attempts at writing, it may be their names, journals, dramatic play signs or play writing attempts. It is important that they see print as important and that their attempts at writing are acknowledge and given credibility.
• #5: Ask yourself where is the print in your classroom located? Is it for the eye of the child or the teacher? Print that is around the ceiling or high on the classroom walls is ineffective for the children. When we think of proximity we need to think beyond the walls of our classroom, print needs to be in reach of the children, it needs to be where they can see it and interact with it. Print needs to interest them, and reflect their cultural backgrounds, language and thinking. Think of your housekeeping area, what type of print can you find there? Recipe books, food containers, board books for baby, dish soap containers, these are just a few ideas. What are some of yours?
• #6: Children need to understand that print has a purpose, the more they understand that print is a necessary part of our daily routine, the more important print will be to them. Children need to see adults writing, to associate the spoken word with the written word, they need to see that print is useful when it comes to our daily routines. Preschool children find out quickly the importance of recognizing their own name and the names of their peers. When cubbies are labeled they can quickly identify their own space. Teachers and other adults provide examples for children of how print helps us communicate our needs to others, from choosing our daily jobs, to making lists, to writing Valentine’s day cards, to putting toys and supplies away. Children learn that print is productive when we spend time documenting their drawings and art pieces with their words and stories.
• #7: In a print rich environment shelves and bins are labeled with pictures and words. In this environment children begin to understand that print has a purpose, and meaning. That words are attached to concrete objects in their environment. Print needs to be purposeful for children, labeling is important when it serves a purpose, such as where toys or supplies are kept. Labeling that has no purpose soon becomes mere wallpaper and blends into the background for children. Literacy standards: Recognize and “read” familiar words or environmental print Understand the meaning of new words from context of conversations, the use of pictures that accompany text or use of concrete items.
• #8: A well organized and labeled classroom helps children develop independence and self help skills. When it is time to clean up children are involved in a variety of other skills such as sorting by shape; curved or straight, sorting by environment; farm set. Learning takes place during all times in the preschool classroom. Transitions provide for great learning opportunities. Labeling bins and shelves in the classroom makes clean up a snap for children and teachers. Notice that the print is accompanied by photos and or symbols of the object. Mathematical Standards: Sort order and classify objects by one attribute: (e.g., size, color, shape, use.) Identify, name and describe three-dimensional objects using the child’s own vocabulary (eg., sphere-ball, cube-box, cone-ice cream cone)
• #9: Literacy Standards: Begin to use resources to convey meaning. At the writing center a variety of print is available for children, an alphabet chart and placemat, a children's dictionary and science magazine. In the drawers are letter stamps and stamp pads and a variety of writing tools, as well as paper and envelopes to encourage children to become young writers. Children like real objects, especially those that they see adults using. Your writing center as well as other areas of your room should include a variety of real writing tools, pencils, colored pencils and markers. When children are understand that paper and pencils are the tools for writing they will begin using them in appropriate ways.
• #10: In housekeeping include a variety of items that children find in their kitchen at home. The spice jars not only provide exposure to environmental print, but they help children experience the smells associated with that product. (e.g. pepper, garlic, minced onion and cinnamon) The addition of real products adds a new dimension to a child’s dramatic play experience. This can be a great way to get parents involved, ask parents to bring in items from home that are familiar to their child. Dramatic play areas need to change to create interest and to further develop rich dramatic play experiences. Literacy Standards: Understand the meaning of new words from context of conversations, the use of pictures that accompany text or the use of concrete objects. Recognize and demonstrate an understanding of environmental print. Recognize “read” familiar words or environmental print. Teachers create familiar environments with authentic props and print materials within the classroom.
• #11: Where the print in your classroom is located is important. If print is in the teachers reading proximity and not the child’s it serves little to no purpose. A print rich environment has print that is at the level of the child. Our farmers market dramatic play area has a variety of different print, it includes the child generated print as well as vegetable and fruit posters, and a open and closed sign. The print is at the child’s level. In setting up your areas you help children meet several of the literacy standards in your classroom, within this setting children begin to recognize environmental print (open/closed) the various posters can help them name items in common categories (fruits/vegetables) especially when models or real objects are also accessible to them. Here we see real pumpkins, straw, cornstalks for sale and there are a variety of fruits and vegetables as well. Children begin to understand the meaning of new words from the context of conversations as well as from the use and exposure to the real object. (Vocabulary: Indian corn, cornstalks, corn husks, straw, pumpkins, farm market, gourds, cornucopia) During this time we read many books on apples, farms, markets, and other fall themes. Another way to enhance their learning would be to include a field trip to a real apple/farm market.
• #12: In our classroom we make use of a large chalkboard, which has been lowered to be within the children’s reach. This chalkboard is always in use, depending on the child’s interest level and skills a variety of items are near the board, colored chalk, linking letters, and upper and lower case letters. This also is where children put their name cards each morning.
• #13: Children can also sign themselves in and this example shows the diverse attempts at children writing their names. Literacy Standards: Modeling the writing process through authentic, purposeful and meaningful writing experiences. Demonstrating that writing is purposeful and has an intended audience. Recognize letters in their first name.
• #14: Be creative in the ways that you use print and writing in your classroom. When you include a variety of opportunities for children even the most reluctant writers will give it a try. Encourage children to make “their marks” and accept and praise their attempts. Encourage each child at what ever skill level they are at, but be clear that writing their name is their work. When using this type of sign in chart children respond to the print message. This helps them develop an understanding that the print in their environment carries a message, print can asks questions, and they can react to those questions by giving their answer. This particular sign in chart was related to our study of winter clothes and the difference between mittens and gloves.
• #15: Sign in charts can be used to manage the number of children at a popular center or activity. During our community helpers unit, several children wanted to be firemen, so a sign up chart was posted where children signed in when it was their turn to be in the a firemen in the firetruck. One of my fours is very inhibited about attempts at writing, but he makes his marks with out hesitation when it means a turn at being a firemen.
• #16: This chart appears in a classroom for children 2 ½ to 3 year olds. The chart is low on the wall so that children can visually associate the print with the real objects and place their own name on the board. One of the first things a child will learn to read is their name and the name of their friends and family. It is important that we as teachers include their names in a variety of ways through out the classroom.
• #17: Print opportunities need to be authentic, child generated and useful. Create a classroom environment that encourages and supports a child’s natural interest in print opportunities. This child took the opportunity to draw a life size picture of himself. We helped Roy by labeling the photo for him. Roy’s name tag is also next the drawing.
• #18: Literacy does not take place in just the writing center. Children need to become involved in meaningful and purposeful print related activities in all areas of the classroom. Your various centers are key places to introduce a variety of literacy opportunities. Being creative and encouraging literacy activities through out the classroom helps literacy skills like writing and reading become a natural part of each child’s day.
• #19: Dramatic play opportunities give children opportunities to relate to print in a variety of ways, as well as be involved in variety of literacy habits and skills. Dramatic play is a wonderful opportunity to broaden a child's vocabulary and social knowledge as well. When designing dramatic play areas include real items, and real writing opportunities. Support play with various types of literature, special guests and field trip opportunities. One of the keys to being a fluent reader is vocabulary children with limited vocabularies struggle with reading and reading comprehension. Dramatic play opportunities are a meaningful, concrete way to expand on children’s word knowledge and the world around them. Create opportunities to use descriptive language as it relates to real objects. Literacy Standards: Distinguish print from pictures, note their signs contain both words and print. Understand the meaning of new words from context of conversations, the use of pictures that accompany text or the use of concrete objects. Recognize and demonstrate an understanding of environmental print(e.g., Closed sign) Name items in common categories: sorting fruits and vegetables Print letters of own name and other meaningful words with assistance using mock letters and or conventional print. Name objects and label with assistance from adult cues (pumpkin sign,) Ask questions about experiences, areas of interest, pictures letters, words, logos or icons (closed/open, pumpkins, pumpkin snack box)
• #20: This dramatic play area includes a variety of print, including child initiated, books, posters and charts. Notice print is at the child’s level.
• #21: This is our dramatic play hospital area. Books on our theme are included in this area. Here a child takes a moment to look at a book about a child’s visit to the emergency room.
• #22: Doctor’s Office- Props include real hospital scrubs and masks, clip boards, paper, pencils and play doctor’s medical bag. Children love to act out situational roles that they have had exposure too. Every preschool child has been to the doctors office and many have seen a hospital room as well. This dramatic play allows them to take on a variety of roles and to imitate behaviors that they have seen and experience. Here is one child who is writing down notes on a clip board as he calls his next patient. We set up a waiting room with two chairs and a bin of magazines and books. We discussed how every doctors office has doctors as well as patients. Children were much more willing to be the patient when they knew that their turn at doctor play would be soon. Ask parents to help you out when it comes to donations of real items from doctors and hospitals. Discuss the various items and what their purpose serves, have in your classroom a variety of non-fiction as well as fictional books on visiting the doctor or hospital. This might be an excellent time to have children create cards for hospital shuts in your congregation as well. Literacy Standards: Understand that print has meaning by demonstrating the functions of print through play activities. Begin to visualize, represent and sequence an understanding of text through a variety of media and play. Dramatic play allows them to extend their understanding of what takes place in books as well as real life situations. Begin to determine purpose for writing (doctor prescriptions, notes) Retell message conveyed through dictation or “writing” (e.g. retell what was written) Such as doctors notes and patients names.
• #23: Literacy Standard: Concepts of Print Understand that print has meaning by demonstrating the functions of print through play activities. E.g.. Children write out doctors orders and prescriptions for their patients as they role play doctors in this dramatic play doctors office. Begin to visualize and represent and sequence an understanding of text through a variety of media and play. Retell or re-enact events from Social Study Standards: Demonstrate increasing ability to make independent choices and follow through on plans ( Making choices in the classroom during free play) Engage in problem solving behavior with diminishing support from adults (negotiating roles in play, turn taking)
• #24: Including Special guests to coincide with your classroom theme brings an added dimension to their learning experiences. Here the children pose with a nurse who came and shared with the class her responsibilities as well as the tools she uses in her job. She even included some medical garb for each child in the class. Literacy Standards: Attend to speakers, stories, poems and songs. Connect information and events to personal experiences by sharing or commenting. Understand the meaning of new words from context of conversations, the use of pictures that accompany text or the use of concrete objects.
• #25: A fieldtrip to the zoo’s animal hospital brings new understanding to a child’s back knowledge about doctors. This opportunity allowed us to talk about how we are responsible for caring for all of God’s creatures. It expanded their knowledge of what role a Veterinarian plays. Different type of veterinarians care for different types of animals, pets, zoo and farm animals. Here a child creates his own story of how his alligator received a broken tail. At the Cleveland Zoo Animal Hospital the children were able to see a doctor caring for a Howler monkey that had been injured during play and had a deep cut on his forearm. Literacy Standards:
• #26: Letter knowledge plays an important role in a child’s literacy foundation, but children need to learn more than just the names of letters; it is important that they develop a sense of purpose for letters. Children need to see print as an important part of their daily life and relate it to real life experiences. When children view reading and writing as important parts of their lives, they will be motivated to continue learning more about reading and writing. Literacy Standards: Retell or re-enact events from a story through a variety of media and play events (e.g., dramatize a favorite story.) Begin to determine purpose for writing. Science Standards: Demonstrate the use of tools, such as scissors, hammers, writing utensils, with adult guidance. Social Studies Gain information through participation in experiences with objects, media books and engaging in conversations with peers. Represent ideals through multiple forms of language and expressions (e.g. drawing, dramatic play, conversation, art media, music, movement, emergent writing).
• #27: We have been studying about community helpers during February. The children have heard several stories about mail and the postal service. In our dramatic play area we have set up a post office and here the children are creating their own mail bags. All week long the children have been writing letters to one another and placing them in their mailboxes. It was their idea to make mailbags so they could carry their mail home. This activity makes several connections to the Early Childhood Standards not only in Literacy, but also in science. Standards in Science : Explore new uses for familiar materials through play, art or drama. Use familiar objects to accomplish a purpose, complete a task or solve a problem (e.g. using scissors to create paper tickets for a puppet show, creating a ramp for a toy truck) Pg. 20 Literacy Standards Begin to visualize, represent and sequence an understanding of print through a variety of media and play.
• #28: In the block area children are encouraged to label their buildings. Here in the pre-k classroom, children are busy building a camp out made from blocks.
• #29: In the block area we have included blocks, that include environmental print. These blocks include types of buildings that a child finds in their own neighborhood environments, as well as signs that are present in their community. This plays helps introduce them to a variety of environmental print. Include in the area is a book on the various street signs. As we played with the blocks children asked questions relating to the various street signs. Literacy Standards: Ask questions about experiences, areas of interest, pictures, letters, words, logos, or icons (e.g., DO NOT ENTER, or a sign in the grocery store.)
• #30: Children identify their block building with their names and the type of structure, a school.
• #31: Literacy Standard: Play at writing from top to bottom, horizontal rows, as format. Such as: markers, (narrow, fat) colored pencils, letter and picture stamps, stamp pads, and a variety of paper envelopes and notepads. May also include envelopes, stationary and stickers for letter writing. Other items word cards, and alphabet chart at child’s eye level, familiar word and picture cards, name cards of the children in your class.
• #32: Table top activities and alphabet manipulative are building blocks for a child’s letter knowledge.
• #33: Both activities not only work with letter recognition, but also beginning sound associations for each letter of the alphabet. Literacy Standards: Recognize when words share phonemes(sounds) and repeat the common phoneme Recognize and name some upper and lower case letters
• #34: This child manipulates the blocks himself, these activities are a child’s initial introduction to the alphabet and numbers. Teachers can have fun pointing out different letters and numbers as they build, but even with out our assistance children are being exposed to print. This is the first stage of alphabet knowledge. In the book 50 Early Literacy Strategies it talks about the three steps in learning about letters. An important first step is for children to be able to manipulate objects, the next step is mastery where they may line letters up, group them together and finally they exhibit meaning when they use the letters to write a name or story.
• #35: A child learns to recognize letters by their shapes. A child who is beginning to build on his/her alphabet knowledge needs a great deal of hands on opportunities to interact with three-dimensional letters. What is in a name? Everything when it’s yours. Children will first begin to recognize those letters which are personal to them. The letters in their names are the most important letters and most likely will be the first they learn to read and to write. A child learns best when they can manipulate an object, here a child works with the letters in his name. Children need to be exposed to all types of letters to handle, to play with, to touch and to manipulate. Here they can notice the shape of the letter and also match it correctly to the page. Through the handling and matching of the letters they become more aware of their shape. Children can be and should be exposed to both lower and upper case letters. Most print in books and in the world around them consists of lower and upper case letters, although most children learn upper case letters first they should be exposed to and encouraged to use both. In my class, many of the children who have learned how to write their names at home, spell it in all caps, but those who learn how to write in school often begin using lower case right from the start. Here we can see that Ricky is able to see, feel, and manipulate the letters in his name with both upper case and lower case. This activity also helps children see how a letter spatially appears on paper as well as the order of the letters as they appear in their name. When children have worked with their names many move on to do the names of their peers or other meaningful words. Word recognition Recognize and name some upper and lower case letters by providing letters to children in many forms (magnetic letters, alphabet blocks, labels, signs) Displaying and discussing names in print.
• #36: In the science center include books that relate to the objects you have available. With our rock display we have a book on Rocks and Gem stones. Literacy Standards: Understand the meaning of new words from context of conversations, the use of pictures that accompany text or the use of concrete objects. Name items in common categories (e.g., animals, food, clothing, transportation) Use a variety of resources to gather information with assistance (e.g., pictionary, informational picture books.)
• #37: Teachers need to provide children with a variety of literacy resources and hands on experiences to gain new knowledge about the world. Here a child is learning about animals found in the artic. Animals, books and an environments mat help children gain a better understanding about the subject of artic animals. Literacy Standards: Understand the meaning of new words from context of conversations, the use of pictures that accompany text or the use of concrete objects.
• #38: Charts can be used in a variety of ways in the preschool classroom. Here children make a hypothesis, will the pumpkin sink or float? And then they place their name under the prediction. Literacy skills: Comprehension skills: Predicting what might happen next.
• #39: According to the ELLCO Environmental checklist their should be a separate area for book reading. The area should be inviting and orderly, and should include soft materials. The books in the classroom should range in their level of difficulty, included should be board books, wordless books, fiction, and non-fiction. There should be books related to the children’s interest and the current theme. It is important that books are displayed in an attractive way with their front covers showing if possible.
• #40: A listening center with books on tape, plus big books add other points of interest to the library area.
• #41: Literacy Standards: Concepts of Print Holds book right side up, know that people read pages from front to back, top to bottom, and read words from left to right. Begin to visualize, represent, and sequence an understanding of text through a variety of media and play. Uses pictures and illustrations to aid comprehension (e.g., talks about picture when sharing a story in a book.)
• #42: Included in your selection of books should be non-fiction books. In February we have a variety of books on community helpers, this child is looking at a book about Police Officers. To coincide with our look at community helpers we had a police officer come and visit our classroom to tell us more about his duties as a police officer. Literacy Standards: Research Use a variety of resources to gather information with assistance (e.g., pictionary, informational text, field trips, speakers)
• #43: Be creative in creating interest in books. In this photo we are reading books on camping and animals found in the woods near our own neighborhood. We included field trips to the Science and Nature Center as well as a visit to the local Metro Parks in our area.
• #44: We had read the book Color Farm by Lois Elhert, and children than created their own animals from colored shapes of paper.
• #45: Here children connect with the book Leaf Man through art exploration and real nature items.
• #46: At the easel we placed the letters that were used in the words I Love You and allowed children to use them to create Valentine Hearts. Include alphabet letters in through out your classroom environment. Some children just stamped with the letters while others used the letters to stamp out the words “I Love You”.
• #47: Children created doctors hats and used alphabet letters to write out their names.
• #48: After a recent fireman visit to our classroom, children were asked to draw a picture and write a Thank You to go out to our classroom visitor. Here one of the children illustrate crawling out under a blanket of smoke. The fireman painted a blanket the colors of smoke and children crawled under it to practice what they would do if they were in a smoke filled house or room. The words Thank You had been printed out as an example, the other words include familiar text, including her brothers name and her own name. Notice the mix of upper and lower case letters in her writing. Literacy Standards: Share findings of information through retelling, media and play Recall information about a topic dictated or constructed by child.
• #49: Children were asked to draw a picture about a favorite type of book before a visit to the local library. Curious George and princess’ are obvious favorites of the child’s. Left to right directionality Upper and lower case letter recognition Name recognition Letters are used to create words Display or share writing samples, illustrations, and dictated stories with others. Dictate stories or produce simples stories using pictures, mock letters or words. Begin to demonstrate letter formation in “writing” Indicate an awareness of letters that cluster as words, words in phrases or sentences by use of spacing, symbols or marks.
• #50: Parents and families play a vital role in forming a solid literacy foundation, this is one type of story extension that involves the child and parents. The children were read the book Whomever You Are by Mem Fox, than they created their own very individual self portraits with the help and support of their parents.
• #51: Children gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be “fearfully and wonderfully made”.
• #53: Writing follows a continuum, and is effected by a child’s physical development. A child’s motor control begins from the trunk out, and writing largely takes place in the wrist and hand. It is important to encourage this physical development in children by exposing them to a variety of activities and opportunities to use their hands and fingers, especially the pinscher grip of the thumb and pointer finger.
• #54: Here a child is in the stage of creating marks. A child’s initial marks need to be celebrated, supported and encouraged by parents and caregivers, just as a they celebrate a child’s first attempts at talking. These first marks are an important step in their writing development.
• #55: Here we can begin to see that a child is beginning to develop an understanding of print. This examples shows that the child has a growing awareness that print is different than a picture and takes on a more linear form.
• #56: This child understands that print carries a message, and has meaning. He is writing out a grocery list and has included some marks that resemble letters. The child shows an understanding that print is linear and that print is different from a picture.
• #57: Child age four practices her writing. Example of letter like shapes (mock letters). This writing contains both mock cursive and mock manuscript letters. This child is also demonstrating some knowledge about how print and writing appear as linear expressions, that print moves from left to right and top to bottom.
• #60: This child is practicing her letters over and over at the writing center. She demonstrates a knowledge of left to right directionality, upper and lower case letter knowledge.
• #61: A closer look shows that the child has included some personally relevant words such as love and letters of her friends name: Lidia
• #62: Here a child practices letters in her journal. At this stage formal letter practice should be initiated by the child’s interest and the child fine motor ability. Each child needs to be encourage regardless of where they are in the writing continuum.
• #63: Journal writing age 4
• #64: Encourage writing by providing new and different types of opportunities for children to engage in. A variety of opportunities creates excitement and interest. Children are drawn to this table covered in plan white paper. With a variety of writing and drawing tools they go to work. Here a three year old uses the large blank paper to write his letters. The large space allows him freedom of movement and doesn’t hinder him with space restrictions.
• #66: Once a child has mastered some letter-sound correspondences, encourage them to sound out simple words. Invented spellings helps the child gain an understanding of the letter sound relationship and helps teachers assess the child’s phonemic abilities.
• #67: Child makes a sign for farmers market using drawings and invented spelling. Literacy Standards: Dictate words or produce writing approximations for a variety of purposes Display or share writing samples, illustrations and dictated stories with others. Differentiate between sounds that are the same and different (e.g., environmental sound, animal sounds, phonemes) Recognize that words are made up of letters Recognize and name some upper and lower case letters in additon to those in print.
• #68: When we set up our doctors office, one of the children decided to make a sign. This child has begun to understand that letters have sound associations with them. Here she sounds out the words “doctor office” This is a big step in building on her understanding of letters and sounds. At this stage we are to encourage them to sound out words, and to write them as they sound, correct spelling comes later. Children need to be encourages to sound out words and to write them as they hear them. As adults we often want things to be perfect, but our jobs in preschool our to encourage the exploration of letters and sounds and to encourage their attempts. We can see that no space is left between the words that she wrote as we help scaffold this child to the next level it will be to begin pointing out the spaces left between words in big books and other print around our room.
• #69: Here a child demonstrates her new knowledge about print and mail when she writes her grandma “Pokey” a letter at school. Notice, the stamp, the to and from, these are all concepts that we discussed through literature, dramatic play and hands on writing experiences such as Valentines cards.