everyday routines and exposure to literacy materials is beneficial – especially if an adult is available to interact. Emerging Literacy (Whitehead & Whitehead, 2009) Week 2: Contemporary Resource Resource title ABC Reading Eggs (Ages 4-11years) What is the resource? Reading Eggs is an online program/app of play-based literacy lessons How is this resource used in children’s literacy development? The program can be used for individual children/pairs on a computer or iPad or used as part of a whole class lesson on an interactive whiteboard. Reading Eggs is a fun way for children to work on areas essential for learning to read: phonemic awareness and phonics, sight words, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension (McLachlan et al., 2012; Reading Eggs, 2014). What are the benefits and limitations of the resource? Benefits: Interactive, ICT and play based format are engaging and motivate literacy learning (Passey et al., 2003). Could provide connections with home literacy experiences which increases feelings of belonging in the educational setting (Gee, 2004 as cited in McLachlan et al, 2012 & DEEWR, 2009). Limitations:
Cost and availability of setting resources may be an issue Educator, families’ and setting’s attitudes and values regarding the use of ICT for young children needs to be considered (Yelland, 2008). Can be used inappropriately – it must be balanced with other authentic literacy experiences (Waugh & Joliffe, 2013) What academic links support the resource being useful? Links to The Australian Curriculum Recognise rhymes, syllables and sounds (phonemes) in spoken words (ACELA1439) Recognise the letters of the alphabet and know there are lower and upper case letters (ACELA1440) Australian Curriculum: General Capabilities – ICT capabilities “Students develop ICT capability as they learn to use ICT effectively and appropriately to access, create and communicate information and ideas, solve problems and work collaboratively in all learning areas at school, and in their lives beyond school”. Links to the EYLF Outcome 5: Children are Effective Communicators. “Children use information and communication technologies to access information, investigate ideas and represent their thinking” (DEEWR, 2009, p.44). “Children begin to understand how symbols and pattern systems work” (DEEWR, 2009, p.43). The Motivational Effect of ICT on Pupils (Passey et al., 2003)
benefits and limitations of the resource? These environments communicate to children that literacy is a crucial part of everyday life (Neuman, 2004) Assists children to develop understandings of the use and purpose of print (Scholastic, 2013). Limitations Literacy rich environments are not enough on their own. They require the careful scaffolding of an educator to make concepts more explicit (Scholastic, 2013). What academic links support the resource being useful? EYLF Links Outcome 5.2: Children engage with a range of texts and gain meaning from these texts “Provide a literacy-enriched environment including display print in home languages and Standard Australian English” (DEEWR, 2009, p.41) Links to The Australian Curriculum “Know that spoken sounds and words can be written down using letters of the alphabet and how to write some high-frequency sight words and known words (ACELA1758)” (ACARA, n.d.) The effect of print-rich classroom environments on early literacy growth. (Neuman, 2004) Staff workshop teacher handout: Integrating a print-rich environment in Early Childhood programming. (Scholastic, 2013)
meaning about key events, ideas and information in texts that they listen to, view and read by drawing on growing knowledge of context, text structures and language features (ACELY1660)” (ACARA, n.d.) Links to the EYLF Outcome 5.2 – Children engage with a range of texts and gain meaning from these texts “explore texts from a range of perspectives and begin to analyse the meanings” (DEEWR, 2009, p.41) Reciprocal Teaching procedures and principles: two teachers’ developing understanding (Seymour & Osana, 2003). Links to theory – Vygotsky’s ZPD and Bruner’s scaffolding Hands-On Reciprocal Teaching: A Comprehension Technique (Stricklin, 2011). The Princess Storyteller, Clara Clarifier, Quincy Questioner, and the Wizard: Reciprocal teaching adapted for kindergarten students, (Myers, 2005). The above two sources provide ideas about how to make reciprocal teaching engaging and more appropriate for younger children. More about reciprocal teaching (Victorian Department of Education, 2007) WA First Steps Reading Resource Book
challenges, solutions (McLachlan et al., 2012) WA First Steps Linking Assessment, Teaching and Learning Literacy portfolios: challenges that affect change (Roe & Vukelich, 1998) This source discusses some challenges in implementing portfolio assessment – particularly in relation to making sure it is meaningful and purposeful. Week 5 – Oral Language – Encouraging Vocalisations and Talk in Early Childhood Settings Resource title Sustained Shared Conversations (All ages) What is the resource? Sustained shared conversations are extended interactions between educators and children that enhance children’s thinking and allow opportunities to work together collaboratively on challenges (Touhill, 2012). How is this resource used in children’s literacy development? Educators need to be able to harness opportunities for sustained shared conversations during play and routines. Educators assist children to extend on conversations using strategies such as asking open-ended questions, displaying genuine interest and clarifying ideas (ECA, n.d. & Siraj-Blatchford, 2009). Sustained shared conversations reflect a Vygotskian perspective to extending on children’s talk and understandings 2009). What are the benefits and Benefits
and the explicit teaching of skills such as active listening, structuring sentences etc. (Department of Education WA, 2013c). Limitations Provision of the resource needs to be supplemented with scaffolding from the teacher to reap full benefits (Gelmini-Hornsby, 2012). What academic links support the resource being useful? Links to The Australian Curriculum “Make short presentations using some introduced text structures and language, for example opening statements (ACELY1657)” “Listen for specific purposes and information, including instructions, and extend students’ own and others' ideas in discussions (ACELY1666)” (ACARA, n.d.) Links to the EYLF Outcome 5.3 – Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media “ Use the creative arts such as…storytelling to express ideas and make meaning” (DEEWR, 2009, p.42) WA First Steps Speaking and Listening Resource Book Developing oral language in primary classrooms. (Kirkland & Patterson, 2005). Scaffolding children's collaborative story-telling through constructive and interactive story-making 2012).