Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Remembering Critical Lessons in Early Literacy Research: A Transactional Perspective


Welcome parents! I hope everyone enjoyed their summers. Let’s leap into the new school year together. Your child will be spending tons of time in our room. We will call it our “home away from home.” I hope our days inside the classroom are filled with lots of new, exciting adventures and laughter. We will learn through play. We will be heavily focused on reading. Early literacy development is a very part of a child’s learning journey.  Learning begins long before a child enters the classroom. A research article entitled “Remember Critical Lessons in Early Literacy Research: A Transactional Perspective” discusses three main aspects of early literacy of young children. The main aspects are literacy is individual, literacy is social and literacy is a cultural practice.
Children create their own form of literacy at a very young age based on what they hear and learn from adults, peers, family, etc... Children have their own language and form of communication that is individual and unique to them that contributes to their literacy development. Children learn and grow through a community of peers and family. They communicate with symbols and multiple means of representation to get their point across. Play is a huge part of children growth and development. Children's cultural experiences play a part in their literacy development. Family stories and cultural upbringings are an important part in how children develop language and learn how to read.
While working in a daycare, I have watched many infant and toddlers recite in their own way a story that has been read to them over and over again. They know what comes next in a story; they can repeat moments of suspense, and events that they found hilarious. They point, they draw, and they make noises, and act. Literacy is a part of children’s lives from an early age.
I can’t wait to meet your children and start a great year together. I look forward to learning their unique personalities and learning styles. 

5 comments:

  1. This post was very informative and well said. I read this article using two perspectives, a parent's and a future teacher's. As a parent I liked this because it gave me the basics of the article as well as an urge to read it for myself. As a future teacher I found myself agreeing with what was stated. Two points I especially agree with is play and family/cultural inclusion being important to a child's development in reading. As a teacher I plan on using play to promote reading and encouraging family story time.

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  2. That's a good point, Jarrid. Before even reading your comment, I did the same thing. I was simultaneously reading it from a future educator and parent's perspective. That being said, (as Cary and Mary would say) I would have to say that this is a QUALITY first post.

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  3. I thought the greatest thing about your post was the connection that you made with your experience thus far in the classroom. It is great that you noticed that every child is unique and that no child will learn in the same way that another will. I think that you making parents aware of this will make them have a sense of confidence in leaving their children in your hands!

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  4. The background you give on how a child builds literacy from the day they are born is really encouraging for families to acknowledge and participate in their child's journey with literacy. Hopefully with this knowledge they will recognize all forms of literacy in their child's life and expand upon that while at home.

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  5. I read this from a parent perspective, and it was great how you were able to explain the points of the article we read through personal experiences. Those ways of communicating information are what will make a parent feel like they are in a partnership with you which will lead the students to a more efficient year in the literacy attainment.

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