Read Alouds and Storytelling

Read alouds are great experiences for children. Not only do they gain literacy skills, but they participate in a very interactive experience with their peers and teacher. While reading, they share their ideas, wonder about things and convey their emotions.

In the classroom, a good foundation with books is necessary to allow children to understand the role of a writer and their ability to write. To do this, texts should be explored in the classroom, the process to make them, and what exactly it means to be a writer.

There are five key areas to focus on in the classroom:

• the people who make books: understanding that normal people write and illustrate books and do this as a job. through this knowledge, they will understand that they too can be writers and "play" being a writer in the classroom.
• what makes a picture book a picture book: students start to understand that a picture book has both writing and illustrations, they change from page to page while still on the same topic, it is about something and the writer decides what it will be, and the book has crafted language in it. The students and teacher can wonder aloud why an author decided to write the story or why the illustrator chose to illustrate a page a certain way.
• different kinds of books: Students understand the difference between books with stories and books with lists.
• different purposes for books: A beginning to understanding the difference between fiction and nonfiction. Some books are made for entertainment, while others are made for informing. Other elements of literature are discussed, such as maps in books. This helps to build intentionality when children write their own books. A great way to involve the children is to have them make a book about what they are doing.
• decisions that writers and illustrators make: This helps children notice how the author and illustrator are using elements of the story to bring it to life. Words that are written a certain way and pages illustrated convey a specific meaning that children can talk about and understand. This will come out in their own writing work.  

Another great tool to use in the classroom is storytelling. Similar to read alouds, it builds a strong connection to story writing with the added play factor. It helps children to feel in control and really helps them to convey their meaning thoroughly.

Some great ideas for lessons are:

• Stories have settings: Find different settings that stories can take place. After choosing, they may create life size representations of their ideas. 
• Stories have characters: Stories all have characters with unique characteristics and purposes. Children can brainstorm characters and decide what makes them special to identify them and create their own image. From here, they can illustrate their own character.
• Stories have a sense of time: All stories use time. Time uniquely places what is happening. Several books can be investigated to see how they use time to do different things. Children can then make their own set of "time-based" stage props to illustrate their ideas.
• ...and so much more!

Storytelling can really be investigated through many topics. They all are engaging and meaningful ways to get children involved with their work around them. 

Reference:

Already Ready by Katie Ray
Castle in the Classroom by Ranu Bhattacharyya

Reflecting on Tweets from the NAEYC Convention

Children's imaginations will wake our own. - Vivian Paley 

I totally agree with this statement. Several times in the class, I am amazed by something the children do that never came to my mind. It is humbling to step back and realize that as the teacher you do not know everything and there are so many opportunities to get inspiration from young children!


Tell me & I'll forget; Show me & I may remember; involve me & I'll Understand by mentormadness

Another great quote that I agree with. Unfortunately, when you enter the elementary grades so much emphasis is put on memorizing with no context or relation to their life. Most of this is forgotten and children struggle with work they consider boring. It is important to involve them in their work and make connections to their lives so that those meaningful experiences will stay with them and really prepare them for school. 



Ability to creatively use what u already know is much more a success predictor than rote memorization by teachermeg

This is so crucial for the future. What we lack in schools now is creativity, which is more closely related to real world experience. There won't always be set answers and we need students prepared to take on that challenge!

Technology: Where Does it Belong?

We can't deny it; technology is everywhere! As technology becomes more and more advanced, students are preparing for things that do not even exist yet. Children are arriving at school for the first time knowing more about technology than their parents did at the same age. Yet, technology at school is usually not embraced in the early childhood classroom.

Children's lives are full of technology, whether it be through TV, the computer, or video games. The question is how to integrate their experiences in the classroom so that their work is relevant. Many people think of integrating technology in the classroom as making tasks too easy, or that it will be detrimental to grades and state standards but this is not necessarily true. Technology can be used in a way that promotes strong literacy skills and social/emotional skills. Technology can be integrated in the classroom in a way that still builds key skills. The only difference is that instead of using traditional materials, more modern technologies are used.

For example:

• Claymation with Photostory allows children to use digital photographs with toys or clay figures*;
• Storyboarding and live action media allow children to plan, direct and record their own plays*;
• Use of digital texts such as wikis, classroom blogs, and podcasts*;
• Activities using mobile, multifunctional, handheld devices in the classroom*;
• Bring in technology resources that children are already using at home*

Resources:
*A is for Avatar: Young Children in Literacy 2.0 Worlds and Literacy 1.0 Schools by Karen Wohlwend

Play it to Learn it!

It is well known among early childhood educators that play is the key to learning.

So why is play so beneficial? The answer is quite simple once you think about it. A play environment is stress free and without the worries of judgement and failures. Because of this, children feel more confident to explore new topics and make meaning of what they see around them.


For example, Abi may imitate an eye doctor in the classroom after a recent visit. The child has tapped into their background knowledge and confidently practices what she knows. She repeats what she has heard and speaks in a professional tone. She may look into her peers' eyes and ask them to read a letter board that she has created while covering one eye. All of this is important interaction with a new experience in her life!

Sociodramatic play easily ties into literacy due to the print rich environment that we live in. Students notice print and writing all around them such as lists, signs and menus. Naturally, they mimic those same things and interact with form, letters, punctuation etc.

A great way to further learning connected to curriculum in the classroom is to set up sociodramatic play areas in your classroom. These can even be done in the home. They can be as simple or as elaborate as you'd like.

Some examples:

• Art Gallery: To supplement experiences with an art gallery such as demonstrations of art and visiting museums, rope off a corner of the classroom with plenty of wall space for hanging children's art. In the middle, place a shelf with children's sculptures. Include a stand for patrons to pay for tickets and pick up brochures (either real or made by the children). Nearby, have easels and small tables for artists to do work with plenty of materials. (ex. cash register, money, note cards for naming the artist, gallery maps, etc.)
• Some questions to explore: Who contributes to the workings of an art gallery? What do exhibit designers/tour guides/patrons/artists/custodians/museum shop workers/cashiers/ticket takers do? What materials and tools do they use to do their jobs? What print materials do they use? How are you using the art gallery to explore the artistic techniques you are learning at other times of the day?

• Bakery: Supplement a tour of a bakery and cooking activities done in the class with families and teachers with a table for baking. Include a shelf to display baked goods and a cash register stand with money. Include many baking materials such as cookie sheets, pie pans, pots, spoons, rolling pins etc. Some literacy items to include could be recipe books, note cards for recipes, and materials for labeling and pricing objects.
• Some questions to explore: What kind of jobs are in a bakery? What ingredients, equipment, and tools do bakers/cake decorators/cashiers need to do their work? What literacy materials do they use? What do people bake? How do people learn to bake?

If you would like to see a few videos of sociodramatic play in action, check out these videos here and here.

Take Home Literacy Packs: A Great Way to Involve Families!

Every year, many teachers worry endlessly about how to develop a trusting relationship with the families of the students in their classroom, and how to get them involved in the classroom.

There are so many ways to give families an active role in their child's education; they also become a partner with the teacher throughout the school year.

For example,

• Invite them to do a read aloud for the students in the classroom;
• Encourage them to chaperone field trips;
• Have them share their jobs with the students to model real life experiences;
• Create a blog that is updated weekly with helpful resources and news;
• Get to know the interests of the families and integrate their ideas into the curriculum if possible (such as a parent who is interested in sustainability helping out during a sustainability unit);

Of course, to get parents participating in the classroom you must communicate, communicate and communicate some more! Keep your interaction meaningful and pleasant; families may become embarrassed and frustrated if they feel that too much is expected of them.

A great idea for incorporating family participation in the classroom without having them come into the actual classroom is to send home literacy packs throughout the year. A literacy pack is usually a a file that includes several books and activities on a certain topic that can be enjoyed by families and their children. It is extremely easy to use because all of the materials have been premade with directions.

Recently, I created a take home literacy pack for the topic "Counting and Numbers". It is extremely easy to make and can be reused throughout the year again and again. It doesn't have to be elaborate, all of the items are inexpensive.

For this literacy pack, I have used a expanding file folder to hold the books and activities. Included inside are:

• 1, 2, 3 to the Zoo by Eric Carle
• One Too Many by Gianna Marino
• Bag of colored popsicle sticks
• Bag of assorted "creatures" (for use with paper cups)
• 10 paper cups, labeled first, second, third, etc. 
• Number cards
• Number-Word cards

As you can see, there are many materials for use at home. Families can easily use the literacy pack with their child and be assured that they are helping them learn critical skills; they have a powerful role in their child's education and this should reflect in their communication with the teacher because they have taken the time to prepare materials and include families in their child's learning. Not only parents can use this pack; other family members, such as siblings, can also easily do these activities.

So, what activities can be done with this pack? Ideally, there should be an index card with each bag in the folder that tells families how to use the materials, and a letter to the family in a folder/journal explaining the purpose of that particular literacy pack and how it will help their child.

• Read the books together;
• Use the popsicle sticks to make different shapes. Increase the number of sticks each time and discuss what shapes are made and how many sides it has;
• Arrange both the number and number-word cards in order (1-10);
• Count the "creatures" by twos, fives, and tens. Free play with the items and make up a counting or number game;
• Play a guessing game: Line the cups from first to tenth and hide a "creature" under one of the cups. Have the child guess which cup has the "creature" by using first, second, third, etc;

 

While I have chosen two counting books that I enjoy, any books can be used. Some other excellent counting books are More than One by Miriam Schlein, The Icky Bug Counting Book by Jerry Palotta, Over in the Meadow by Ezra Jack Keats and Anno's Counting Book by Mitsumasa Anno.

Getting the Most Out of Books

I have fond memories of spending countless hours with my mother reading books. While fiction is the preferred genre of books for children in classrooms today, I was an avid nonfiction reader. I could not get enough of the books my mother would pick out. The world was full of amazing possibilities I hadn't thought of; a book gave me many answers!

When I think about classroom libraries, this scenario comes to mind. Fiction books are great, but to appeal to all students you need a good variety of books available in the classroom.

But literacy does not stop with just reading a book! There are so many possibilities that educators and parents can use to further the benefits of reading a book which I will discuss here.

An activity can be made for literally every book that a child will read. One of my favorite options for furthering information gained from a book is to use sensory tables. Not only do students remember information better, but other skills are gained depending on the activity.

Here are some great examples for what can be done with a book and a sensory table:

• Bunny Cakes by Rosemary Wells: Fill a sensory table with toy rabbits, soil, worms (real or gummy), eggs, milk, flour, sugar, birthday candles and baking utensils. Provide writing utensils and paper nearby in case they need to make a list for the grocery store like in the book!
• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr: Fill a sensory table with letters, trees, and moons.
• Happy Halloween, Biscuit! by Alyssa Satin Capucilli: Fill a sensory table with toy dogs, pumpkins, figurines of children, baskets, ghosts, toy cats, pumpkin bags, dog bones.
• Shark in the Park by Nick Sharratt: Fill a sensory table with water, telescopes, cat toys, birds, and sharks. 
• On Top of Spaghetti by Tom Glazer: Fill a sensory table with cooked spaghetti, tomato sauce, toy meatballs (that are able to be mushed), forks, and toy trees.

Another great way to further learning is to incorporate art activities:

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle: Eric Carle's unique use of artwork in his stories are very famous. Have the children experiment with various art techniques used in the books. Students will be able to create their own stories.
• Questions, Questions by Marcus Pfister: Leave acryllic paints out with paper and other interesting items to entice students to explore this art medium.

Phonological Awareness: What is it and why is it so important?

If you have a child in preschool to second grade, you may have heard teachers mentioning the words "phonological awareness". While you may be unaware of what phonological awareness is, it is good to have a basic understanding. Phonological awareness is actually a crucial set of skills that are typically mastered as a child progresses through preschool to second grade. A crucial part of phonological awareness is phonemic awareness.

• Definition: Ability to attend to and manipulate unites of sound in speech (syllables, onsets and rimes, and phonemes) independent of meaning.

 A crucial part of phonological awareness is phonemic awareness.

• Definition: Ability to attend to and manipulate phonemes, the smallest sounds of speech. 

But what does it really mean? How does it look? Lets see some examples!

• Abi has a set of pictures in front of her. She matches each picture with another picture that rhymes. 
• Mr. Mustafa is leading his class in a syllable activity. As he says each word, they clap the syllables. 
• Natalie is sitting with her teacher during group time. Her teacher says the word "cat" and asks her what sound is in the middle. She replies, "/a/". 

Phonological awareness is very important to master. The English language is made up of sounds, and our writing system is based on these sounds. Without mastery of these skills, reading will be difficult.

There are several ways to incorporate phonological awareness activities, at school and at home.

• Books: Find books that play with sounds. There are many children's books that focus on alliteration, rhyming and sound substitution. 
• Poetry: Many poems rhyme. Children can add to the rhyming after the poem has finished to create their own rhymes. 
• Songs: Songs can be great to play around with sounds. Some good examples are: Willoughby Wallaby Woo, Down by the Bay, Apples and Bananas and The Bee and the Pup.
• Games: Many games can be adapted to work with sounds in words. For example, I Spy may be used to find words that begin or end with a certain sound.