Play and Learning to Read

International. Literacy Association
http://www.scoop.it/t/dyslexia-and-early-literacy/p/4055918135/2015/11/27/misconceptions-about-appropriate-literacy-instruction-for-young-children
 
IN OTHER WORDS
Misconceptions About Appropriate Literacy Instruction for Young Children
BY KATHARINE PACE MILE | Nov 05, 2015

 A Short excerpt:
"I strongly support the claim that children learn best through play. However, as a reading scientist who studies how beginners learn to read, I feel compelled to clarify a few misconceptions about the forms of literacy instruction appropriate during the early childhood years (birth to age 8). The supposition that teachers should not provide literacy instruction to young children is troubling and dangerous, and suggesting that all children will acquire sufficient literacy skills through play alone is misguided."

Creating Passionate Readers and Writers

Weaving Writing & Coding
Sharon Davison

https://kindergartenlife.wordpress.com/creating-passionate-readers-and-writers/

Short excerpts that show Sharon’s skill at creating a classroom that integrates learning, curiosity, and becoming independent learners.  Learners are gently guided to become “learning how to learn” learners.

“Thanks to @DonorsChoose I now have Bee Bots so that my students can explore code all year long. Last week these little, colorful bees arrived and right away my students were engaged. They were curious about “how to” get them to move and do things that they wanted to them to do. This was an opportunity for me to weave a writing theme of study “How To” writing.


So as we began to explore the bees, we needed to understand how they worked and “how to” take care of them…..

I trust my students to be able to make responsible and safe decisions independently because we have spent lots of time creating a culture where we trust and support each other. This is how my students begin to think for themselves…..

We came up with these elements that every “How To” story needed;

1.Title

2. Steps

3. Pictures that match words

4. Tells us “How To” do something

This now becomes an anchor chart that we display in the classroom as a reminder about what our “How To” stories need. Anchor charts are great because they offer opportunities for children to read independently, solve problems they face and also opportunities to ask a friend for help.

This learning experience offers all my students opportunities to create and design using code, oral language and endless ways to explore writing.

This now becomes an anchor chart that we display in the classroom as a reminder about what our “How To” stories need. Anchor charts are great because they offer opportunities for children to read independently, solve problems they face and also opportunities to ask a friend for help.

This learning experience offers all my students opportunities to create and design using code, oral language and endless ways to explore writing….”

 .....

After we explored the care of our bees I decided that my students could create their own Bee Bot out of paper and a “how to” story about how to use and care for our Bee Bots. This was a hit! Not only did every student write a story, but the stories were all different and they highlighted what they understood. Everyone was engaged, interested and successful in creating their story.

This was an opportunity for me also to notice what students understood not only how to care and use Bee Bots, but did they also understand the features of a “how to” story. They did an amazing job.

Poverity, Learning and School Success

http://smartblogs.com/education/2016/01/06/how-poverty-affects-school-success/?utm_source=brief

Story Telling: Developing Language and Literacy Skills

Telling a story about telling stories

This is a 6 minute video from PBS demonstrating how story telling facilitates development of oral language and literacy in preschool.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/telling-stories-helps-refugee-children-learn-a-new-language/  

A short excerpt:

“APRIL BROWN: This classroom is where Lori Espinoza brings stories to life, as her pre-K students are eager to go along for the ride.

Espinoza teaches at the school’s OWL Lab, the Oral and Written Language Laboratory, which uses storytelling and dramatic play to get kids talking. It builds on research that shows a storytelling curriculum can significantly improve vocabulary and literacy. That’s especially important for students whose families don’t speak language at home, where language skills first develop…

DEBBIE PAZ, Rice University: We know that oral language is the foundation for everything that will happen later on. It’s what they will need for reading and writing later on.

APRIL BROWN: Debbie Paz is the associate director of early literacy and bilingual programs at Houston’s Rice University, which worked with the school to create the OWL Lab five years ago….”

Still Need to Work on the Achievement Gap

 5 Classroom Strategies

We ignore these ideas at the expense of children who need our ONGOING SUPPORT!

http://www.scilearn.com/blog/5-classroom-strategies-achievement-gap?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzEmail&utm_content=921406&utm_campaign=0

Some short excerpts:

·         “A vocabulary gap between children from professional families and children from families on welfare is a major contributor to the achievement gap

·         In a child's early years, the quality of conversational opportunities is just as important as the quantity of words spoken

·         Teachers can foster better conversations in the classroom to help close the achievement gap and encourage academic success for all students”

Classroom strategies to boost conversation

“How can teachers help close the achievement gap? A careful focus on exposing all students to high-quality conversational give-and-take and varied vocabulary can make a big difference. Teachers of early learners in kindergarten through third grade should consider incorporating the following 5 activities into their daily routines:

1.    Model appropriate conversation, including asking questions and taking turns. Children without much experience in give-and-take discussions at home will need support in engaging in deep conversation….”

Tune In, Talk More, Take Turns: 30 Million Words To Grow On

I encourage/implore you to read about and listen to Dr. Dana Suskind as she talks about the urgency of helping young children learn by talking!  I have recently purchased her 2015 book, Thirty Million Words and will offer future posts on her work and ideas from the book. 

Dr. Suskind’s 50 minute video on 30 Million Words

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSNRtJtNHT4

A few additional resources

Dr. Dana Suskind, a surgeon at the U of Chicago and founder of the Thirty Million Words Initiative, as reported in USA Today/Burlington Free Press on Sunday October 18 2015.

 A short excerpt from the article by Kim Painter.

 “In a new book, Thirty Million Words: Building a child’s Brain, Suskind says she first encountered the apparent effects of the word gap among deaf children she treated with cochlear implants.  In general, she says, those from poorer homes struggled much more to develop language and other skills.

Her hope is that teaching parents and other caregivers to talk more, and talk more effectively, will help all sorts of children reach their potential….”

As a starting point, she recommends three simple guidelines:

“Tune In:  Notice what the child is focused on and talk about that.  Respond when a child communicates –including when a baby cries or coos.

Talk More:  Narrate day to day routines, such as diaper changes and tooth brushing.  Use details “Let Mommy takes off your diaper.  Oh, so wet.”

Take Turns:  Keep the conversation going.  Respond to your child’s sounds, gestures and, eventually, words—and give him or her time to respond to you.  Ask lots of questions that require more than yes or no answers.”

Dr. Suskind’s interview on public radio

http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/09/14/437515492/the-surgeon-who-became-an-activist-for-baby-talk

Q and A with Dr. Suskind

http://www.chicagomag.com/city-life/September-2015/Q-A-Dana-Suskind-on-the-Importance-of-Talking-More-To-Your-Child/

"Too Small To Fail"...But NOT Too Small to Talk

Everyday activities can give children the opportunity to learn.  Here's one small example:

http://toosmall.org/news/press-releases/too-small-to-fail-coin-laundry-association-partners-launch-first-national-effort-to-provide-early-learning-resources-in-laundromats-for-low-income-families?utm_source=Too+Small+to+Fail+Email+Updates&utm_campaign=d1999aac9f-Too_Small_to_Fail_Email_Updates_10_30_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_2d0a082d4d-d1999aac9f-149677221

A short excerpt:

“Wash Time is Talk Time” will deploy resources to 5,000 laundromats in underserved communities to help families use laundry time as meaningful opportunities to talk, read, and sing with their young children

Oakland, CA – Today, Too Small to Fail launched “Wash Time is Talk Time” in Oakland, California. Today’s launch is part of its 2015 Clinton Global Initiative “Wash Time is Talk Time” Commitment to Action — made in partnership with the Coin Laundry Association (CLA), the Laundry Project, Jumpstart, First 5 Alameda County, University of Arkansas, and Encore.org — which aims to reach parents in underserved communities nationwide. 

Research finds that the average laundromat visit takes two to two-and-a-half hours — making laundry time a valuable, yet often overlooked opportunity to engage in language-rich activities. Today’s events at Advantage Laundry and A1 Laundry in Oakland, California, include resources for young children and families to engage in early learning and development activities. Additionally…”