Week12 Reading Blog

Analyst – What does this do to me?

1.2 Explains how young children’s literacy & numeracy learning can be socially conveyed through their behavior, feelings or approach 

4.2 Describes how parents, peers & communities may see, feel & shape young children’s early literacy & numeracy experiences 

Keywords: critical questions, mathematics, students, critical readers, mathematical problems, critical thinking

What?

The two readings I have selected for this week are the following two articles:

·      Critical questions: Whose questions?

o   Simpson, Anne

·      The Classroom that Math Built: Encouraging young Mathematicians to pose problems.

o   Wallace, Ann., Abbott, Deborah, and Blary, Reneé McAlhaney

So What?

Critical questions: Whose questions?

o   Simpson, Anne

The objective of the author is help children to be critical readers and ask questions based on their understanding of the texts. By teaching readers, including educators, to unmask unwritten words, to enable them to choose whether or not to accept the standards and morals of the text, by being more aware of how to relate to the story and less vulnerable to manipulation.   Although majority of this article talks about her experience with upper primary and lower secondary students/classes, I still believe the strategies used by Simpson (Simpson, 1996) is relevant to the younger age groups.   “Ideals of critical literacy are at best provisional. They are the most favorable constructions possible at given times out of what we have available in the way of theory and practice” (Lankshear, 1994, p. 4) Teaching is a political practice, it is impossible to be neutral with the literacy works that we select and the manner in which we work with them. (Luke, 1988) As teachers we have our own schemas and opinions that will unavoidably impact how and what we teach and affect how students react to texts. The article goes on to say the questions are necessarily the best way to establish critical understanding. Different strategies work with different kinds of texts. When working with questions we must not forget to appreciate and respect children’s own agendas and not influence their talk and thinking with our grown up questions. Our views and predictions can inhibit us from acknowledging what the children are talking about, causing us to anxiously wait to hear what we prefer they talk about. It is not necessary for all questions to be critical, maybe only some.  The best starting points to engaging children’s learning is by listening and responding to their interests and concerns. Textural features and cultural issues can be considered later when they have gained confidence and skill. “if the children don’t care about the answers, we may as well not bother with the questions.” (Simpson, 1996, p. 126)

The Classroom That Math Built: Encouraging Young Mathematicians to Pose Problems

o   Wallace, Ann., Abbott, Deborah. & Blary, Reneé McAlhaney

The author talks about sharing and supporting the construction of mathematical thinking to her year two students.  She incorporated multiple and varied math resources into her activities to augment mathematical learning. Resources such as two and three dimensional geometric shapes, linking cubes, counters, number tiles, pattern blocks, measuring tapes, rulers, calculators, graph paper and writing supplies. The National Council of teachers of Mathematics (NCTM, 2000) encourages teachers to create problem-solving scenarios that will inspire children to develop and resolve their own problems. By building on their curiosity and promoting children’s engagement in genuine mathematical activity that allows them to encounter many problems, techniques and answers rather that just one. In the real world there are no set procedures or answers.  To be an effective teacher we should acknowledge and offer options and instances to construct math skills and ideas with in the environment, by guiding classroom discussions regarding children’s problem solving experiences. We should give children the responsibility of putting value to their learning, highlighting the vital part the teacher plays in the process.  “Effective early childhood educators teach children how to think. The goal of problem posing is for children to figure out how to ask a question from or about a given situation.” (Wallace, 2007, p. 48)

Now What?

Both article highlight how our personal bias may affect what and how we teach our students so it is important to appreciate and respect children’s agendas even when they are different from our own.

Bibliography

Lankshear, C. (1994). Critical literacy. Occasiona paper , No. 3.

Luke, A. (1988). The non-neutrality of literacy: A critical introduction. Australian Journal of Reading , 11, 79-83.

NCTM. (2000). Standards for grades Pre-K-2. In Principles and standards for school mathematics. 29-140.

Simpson, A. (1996). Critical questions: Whose questionS? The Reading Teacher , 50 (2), 118-128.

Wallace, A. A. (2007). The Classroom that math built: Encouraging Young Mathematicians to Pose Problems. YC Young Children , 62 (5), 42-48.

Week11 Reading Blog

Technician – How do I crack this code?

1.3 Specifies the teaching approaches you’ll use & the learning environs you’ll create to support the social dimensions of early literacy/numeracy 

2.3 Sources further information; developing &/or collecting resources for literary & numerical teaching & learning 

Keywords:  Reading comprehension, teaching methods, mathematics education, jargon,

What?

The two readings I have selected for this week are the following two articles:

·      Proof, practice and promise: Comprehension strategy instruction in the primary grades

o   Dougherty Stahl & Katherine A.

·      Introducing young children to mathematical concepts: Problems with ‘new’ terminology

o   Amanda M. VanDerHeyden, Carmen Broussard, Patricia Snyder, Jamie Gorge, Sara Meche Lafleur and Candace Williams

So What?

Proof, practice and promise: Comprehension strategy instruction in the primary grades

o   Dougherty Stahl & Katherine A.

The aim of this article is to review research studies on strategies of reading comprehension instruction, involving students in the primary grades. The teaching methods used by educators are the key to children’s acquiring comprehension strategies, which can improve reading comprehension of beginner readers. Based on the results of the research studies they came up with four general categories of instruction for grades K-2.

1.     Comprehension instructions that were supported by research and widely used by teachers like the use of story maps, guided/instructed retelling, teacher-generated questions, question-answer relationships and reciprocal teaching.

2.     There were some methods that had strong research basis but were not utilized as much like targeted activation of prior knowledge, text talk, directed reading-thinking activity, literature webbing, and visual imagery training, video.

3.     Instructions that had limited research but were widely used by educators, selection of main idea, K-W-L chart and picture walk.

4.     Student-generated question and summarizations were two strategy instructions that should be further researched since they had positive results with the older readers but none for the beginner readers. 

“Phonological awareness and decoding are not enough if we want students to be able to read and make sense of multiple genres for multiple purposes.” (Stahl, 2004)

Introducing young children to mathematical concepts: Problems with ‘new’ terminology.

o   Lanssdell, J M

This study investigates the language utilized when teaching mathematics to young children.

Several familiar words used in our day-to-day vocabulary are given special technical mathematical meanings and young children are expected to understand and use these in a very precise way. (Burton, 1994) Critical mistakes can occur when new mathematical meanings are presented. By evaluating children's understanding of new mathematical concepts via their own use of the terminology, the teacher can then convey new meanings with them through practical experiences, introducing new word meanings only when the concepts have been understood.

Results of the study suggest that timely introduction of ‘new’ terminology plays a vital part in teaching mathematical concepts. Consistent use of vocabulary and the timely introduction of new meanings to already familiar words are important when introducing new concepts to children. (Lansdell, 1999)

Now What?

The research study on comprehension strategies is an eye opener. As teachers/educators we have a huge responsibility for teaching the novice readers to become competent literacy code breakers. It’s not enough for them to simple read we need to inspire them to make sense of what they have read.

The Numeracy article demonstrates how literacy and numeracy are connected with each other. The child in the study (Rosie) had to learn new terminology from familiar words and phrases that are used in order to make meaning of certain mathematical concept. In teaching young children to be competent numeracy code breakers requires them to be code breakers of the literacy terminology used in mathematical concepts.

Bibliography

Burton, L. (1994). Children Learning Mathematics: patterns and relationships. Hemel Hempstead: Simon & Schuster Education.

Lansdell, J. M. (1999). Introducing young children to mathematical concepts: Problems with 'new' terminology. Educational Studies , 25 (3), 327-333.

Stahl, D. &. (2004). Proof, Practice and Promise: Comprehension strategy instruction in the primary grades. The Reading Teaher , 57 (7), 598-609.

Week10 Reading Blog

Technician – How do I crack this code?

2.1 Provides a thorough account of these developmental influences, supported by key theorists, frameworks, literature &/or research 

2.2 Recognises subtle differences & levels in literacy & numerical learning & development according to age, ability, culture & social circumstances. 

Keywords:  Critical Literacy, code breakers, Literacy programs, mathematical teaching,

teacher attitude, teaching methods, student achievement.

What?

The two readings I have selected for this week are the following two articles:

·      Using the Everyday to Engage in Critical Literacy with Young Children

o   Vivian Vasquez

·      Effects of Teachers' Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching on Student Achievement

o   Heather C. Hill, Brian Rowan & Deborah Loewenberg Ball

So What?

Using the Everyday to Engage in Critical Literacy with Young Children

o   Vivian Vasquez

At the time this article was published Vasquez had explored critical literacy in different settings, focusing on children between the ages of 3 to 8 for over 14 years. Her research shows that children are adept and eager to contribute to discussions that are significant and influence their daily lives. Often times it is the adults who were uncomfortable speaking with children about sensitive matters or concerns. For this particular article the author worked with five children (two girls and three boys) over a two-week period. They deconstructed and re-designed a Fruity Pell-outs box, fruit candy snacks for children, as they engaged in critical literacies. Critical literacies use language to exercise power, improve daily life and to analyze practices of freedom and inequality. A curriculum that utilizes everyday textual/print materials and popular culture will have great learning potential for linguistically and culturally diverse group of learners, who can choose text which are readily available that is relevant, fascinating and exciting to them. (Vasquez, 2007)

Effects of Teachers' Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching on Student Achievement

o   Heather C. Hill, Brian Rowan & Deborah Loewenberg Ball

This study shows the relationship between teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching to mathematical achievement of their students in the first and third grades. Coming from varied social backgrounds, student sample size included 1190 first grade students and 1773 third grade students. Schools included were located in different policy and social environments. Teacher sample comprised of 334 first grade teachers and 365 third grade teachers, approximately 90% had more that 12 years teaching experience.  Results of the study show that teachers’ mathematical knowledge was directly proportional to students’ mathematical achievement.  The results from the first grade students suggest that even at this early stage teachers’ mathematic content knowledge plays a vital role. Further more findings suggest that measures for teacher knowledge should be content specific to the knowledge used in teaching students. (Hill, 2005)

Now What?

The Literacy article is very informative, practical and offers up many ideas on how to exercise critical literacies by deconstruct and reconstruct everyday texts and print that children of all ages bring to the classroom. The author offers different ways of approaching text that can be appropriate for children from diverse cultural, economic and social background. This article has definitely help me to better appreciate how as educators we can facilitate children’s appreciation of literacy in their daily lives.

In comparison, the Numeracy article is a lot more technical and complex. This article inspires me to master subject content knowledge and improve teaching style, they suggest that a teacher’s effectiveness is due to both the knowledge of content but also how to teach that content.

Bibliography

Hill, H. C. (2005). American Educational Reasearch Journal , 42 (2), 371-406.

Vasquez, V. (2007). Using the Everyday to Engage in Critical Literacy with Young Children. New England Reading Association Journal , 43 (2), 6-11, 97-98.

Week 9 Reading Blog

Participant - What does this mean to me?

2.1 Provides a thorough account of these developmental influences, supported by key theorists, frameworks, literature &/or research 

Keywords:  Storytelling, Early childhood education, Curricula, Play, Problem Solving, Mathematical problems, Mathematics education, Teaching methods.

What?

The two reading I have selected for my fourth week are the following two articles:

·      Windows into Children’s Thinking: A Guide to Storytelling and Dramatization

o   Cheryl Wright, Chiara Bacigalupa, Tyler Black & Michael Burton

·      How Children Problem Solve.

o   Julie Sarama, & Douglas H. Clemets

So What?

Windows into Children’s Thinking: A Guide to Storytelling and Dramatization

o   Cheryl Wright, Chiara Bacigalupa, Tyler Black & Michael Burton

This article examines methods and procedures that promote storytelling and dramatization with preschool children, incorporating children’s creativity, expand their literacy skills, develop social skills and enrich relationships between home and school. Dramatizing stories is extremely stimulating for young children; it enables them to think in more complexed ways.   Storytelling techniques used were mostly child-directed, child-centered, play-based and advantageous to teachers since they expanded understanding into the thinking of their students.  The stories narrated by young children offered valuable understanding into what they observe and what they think about our world. Stories can help educators effectively meet children’s social and emotional needs by creating a curriculum based on children’s interests and welfare. (Wright, 2008)

How Children Problem Solve.

Julie Sarama, & Douglas H. Clemets

This short concise article discusses how young children can be remarkable mathematic problem solvers in their day-to-day lives. Once  we identify the approach young children use in solving the problem we can assist them in becoming even better thinkers. The author’s son, a 3 year old boy used ‘means-end’ thinking to solve a problem with a floating helium balloons. Modeling and scaffolding are strategies that educators can use to encourage young children to a wide variety of problems. Educators can: help children to see the maths problems around them, make sure they have plenty of manipulates, ask children how they solved their problems (whether with the help of fingers or mental strategies), and readily offer help when needed. These strategies will help children learn maths skills, maths ideas, and become powerful problem solvers.  (Sarama, 2007)

Now What?

The article about storytelling and dramatization has given me great ideas about how I can encourage young children to tell stories. The authors’ have detailed how educators can support young children in telling their stories without affecting the story content.  They have suggested prompts including opening prompts, prompts for children who do not know how to start a story, continuation prompt and closing prompts. I particularly like the idea of connecting school and home by giving parents copies of their child’s story.  This is an article that I would want to keep handy for future lesson plan references and ideas.

The other article about problem solving with young children was a short but informative one.  It is another resource that I am sure will come in handy as it gives instructions that are practical, easy to understand and follow. 

Bibliography

Sarama, J. &. (2007). How Children Problem Solve. Scholastic Early Childhood Today , 21 (7), 16, 18-19.

Wright, C. B. (2008). Windows into Children's Thinking: A Guide to Storytelling and Dramtization. Early Childhood Education Journal , 35 (4), 363-369.

Week 8 Reading Blog

Participant - What does this mean to me?

Keywords: Literacies, technoliteracies, Mathematisation, connections, argumentation, number sense, special thinking,

What?

The two reading I have selected for my fourth week are the following two articles:

·      A Is for Avatar: Young Children in Literacy 2.0 Worlds and Literacy 1.0 Schools

o   Karen E. Wohlwend

·      What did you do in mathematics today?

o   Bob Perry & Sue Dockett

I chose these articles because during tutorials last term we discussed how children made meaning of mathematics and literacy in their day to day activities. 

So What?

A Is for Avatar: Young Children in Literacy 2.0 Worlds and Literacy 1.0 Schools

Karen E. Wohlwend

This article scrutinizes the link/conflict between literacy, play and technology in early childhood classrooms to appreciate how meaning-making opportunities offered to the children are a reflection of how educators see them. They revealed alternative ways for young children to understand and approach literacy with the use of technology (with images on a screen rather than print on the page). By adapting to the new forms and bringing together old forms of literacy so that children have a “literacy of fusion”. While observing how children interact with dynamic literacies to obtain a greater understanding of how to better prepare them for their future. As educators we should embrace policies that support literacy curriculum that inspires young children to express their cultural resources while in school, use digital technologies and popular media. (Wohlwend, 2010)

What did you do in mathematics today?

Bob Perry & Sue Dockett

The data collected in this study is not statistically significant. Although this article does surveys the changes that children go through, particularly in their mathematics experience, when they move from prior school setting to formal school setting. Mathematical ability of children was observed prior to school settings (homes and preschools) and school. Children experience mathematics and mathematical language before they start school, (families, daycare, preschool). The author of the study encourages early childhood educators to acknowledge the mathematical abilities of children and to cultivate it to its fullest potential.  (Perry)   

Now What?

While I was looking for readings I tried to find articles where children used mathematics and literacy in their daily activities. The article on literacy was particularly interesting to me because they talk about the use of technology and how it is beneficial to young children. So when I interact with young children I can appreciate the advantages they receive from having technology readily available to them. The mathematic article has help me to realise  that as educators we can help young children in their maths simply by being encouraging listening and observers.

Bibliography

Perry, B. &. Dockett, S. (2005). What did you do in matematics today. Australian Journal of early childhood , 30 (3), 32-36.

Wohlwend, K. E. (2010). A is for Avatar: Young children in literacy 2.0 worlds and literacy 1.0 schools. Language Arts , 88 (2).

Week 7 Reading Blog

User – What do I do with this?

2.3 Sources further information; developing &/or collecting resources for literary & numerical teaching & learning 

Keywords: Numeracy, Toddlers, Infants, Technology, Picture books, Oral language, literacy development,

What?

The two reading I have selected for my third week are the following two articles:

·      Using Picture Books to Support Young Children’s Literacy

o   Janis Strasser, Holly Seplocha 

·      More, All Gone, Empty, Full: Math Talk Every Day in Every Way

o   Jan Greenberg

I chose these articles because

So What?

Using Picture Books to Support Young Children’s Literacy

Janis Strasser, Holly Seplocha 

This article highlights the importance of classical and new picture books and reading aloud to children in supporting literacy during their early years. “The single most important activity for building . . . understandings and skills essential for reading success appears to be reading aloud to children” (p8) (Neuman, 2000). They define picture books as books where text and pictures are of equal value; you cannot have one without the other. (Norton, 1999). Picture books, whether factual, fictional, historical or cultural have the potential to weave interesting stories that can stimulate children’s minds and make them reflect, ponder, and laugh. Pictures may take the form of photographs, paintings, drawings, black and white line drawings, unusual designs, woodcuts or collages. Oral language in the form of text is another valuable aspect of literacy development. Reading and encouraging young children with activities on expressive language, phonological awareness and high level thinking is critical for emerging skills and traits necessary for reading and writing. 

More, All Gone, Empty, Full: Math Talk Every Day in Every Way

Jan Greenberg

This article highlights that within a child’s first year of life, math concepts, ideas and skills has begun to develop. Math is everywhere and a vital feature is language. We may have been using math and math language without being aware of it. Young children know to sort and classify, when they differentiate between familiar and unfamiliar faces, spatial relationships and patterns, when they sing songs and repeat reading stories aloud. Components of Math are; Number and operations, shapes and spatial relationships (geometry), measurement, patterns, relationships and change, collection and organizing information. Infants and toddlers use math to make sense of their world, parents and families are their main and primary teachers, the more talk math and share they experience the higher their chances of a optimistic attitude towards math and learning in general.   

Now What?

Implications for Practice

I enjoyed reading the two articles. Both are informative and practical. The article; “Using Picture Books to Support Young Children’s Literacy has strengthened and backed up the belief of reading aloud of picture book to infants and toddlers. While “More, All Gone, Empty, Full: Math Talk Every Day in Every Way” has reinforced how infants and toddlers might develop math concepts etc. The concepts in both articles are easy to understand and practical to incorporate and conduct with young children and their families.

Bibliography

Greenberg, J. (2012). More, All Gone, Empty, Full: Math Talk Every Day in Every Way. Young   Children , 67 (3), 39.

http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.flinders.edu.au/docview/1019288580/fulltext/1408C0B8DCD5B078B5/6?accountid=10910

Neuman, S. B. (2000). Learning to read and write: Developmentally appropriate practices for young children. National Association for the Education of Young Children .

Norton, D. E. (1999). Through the eyes of a child: An introduction to children's literature (5th edition ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill.

Strasser, J. a. (2007). Using Picture Books to Support Young Children's Literacy. Childhood Education , 83 (4), 219-224.

http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.flinders.edu.au/docview/210390785/fulltext/1408C58F411B4DEE82/11?accountid=10910

Week 6 Reading Blog -

User – What do I do with this?

1.1 Clearly describes how the concepts are connected to & supported by social Relationships & contexts

Keywords:  Technology, Emergent literacy, Classroom instruction, learning standards,

Cooperative curriculum approach,

What?

The two reading I have selected for my second week are the following two journal articles:

·      Handy Manny and the Emergent Literacy Technology Toolkit

o   Hourcade, J., Parette Jr., Boeckmann, N and Blum, C.

·      Shopping for mathematics in consumer town.

o   Wolff, A and Wimer, N

I chose these articles because they both talk about the practical side of learning and teaching.  Wolff and Wimer said it best when they said, “learners need to know how various concepts learned in class can be applied in the real world”

So What?

Handy Manny and the Emergent Literacy Technology Toolkit

Jack J. Hourcade, Howard P. Parette Jr., Nichole Boeckmann, Craig Blum

This article makes an analogy between ‘Handy Manny’ and early childhood educators of today. Manny is the leading character in popular children’s shows; a handyman who uses talking tools to accomplish particular tasks. Manny is a successful handy man because he has a deep understanding of his trade; he knows the individual traits of his tools, and the circumstances in which each tool is to be used.   Today’s early childhood professionals should be like Manny, today’s ‘educational handymen” we should practice and acquire knowledge and skills needed to utilize classroom technology, the hardware and software tools of the technology toolkit, to reinforce emergent literacy curriculum in the early childhood setting. Incorporated in the toolkit are Software and hardware devices that can be used to introduce and improve key emergent literacy skills.

Shopping for mathematics in consumer town.

Ann L Wolff and Nancy Wimer,

This article is about a project, ‘Consumer Town’, which was developed by high school classes, (consumer math and child development) and a preschool class. The teachers joined forces to use a cooperative curriculum approach. The project was designed to stimulate student’s interests (high school and preschool) while they applied their maths skills and integrated the curriculum with other subject areas. Consumer town’s aim was to helped the preschoolers attain learning standards and get involved in hands-on learning while inspiring some high school students to regain yearning to learn.  It is important for learners of all ages to appreciate the concepts learnt in class and apply them to real life situation. This encourages them to be independent, lifelong learners.  Over the entire project was a big success, the children and teachers all learned from each other.

Now What?

Implications for Practice

These two articles, particularly “Shopping for Mathematics in consumer town” have shown me that learners are practical learners. Often times we need to simplify our teaching by showing our students the connection between what they learn at school and the practical, real world application of this knowledge, information.  I really appreciate how the students and teachers “became like a one-room school-house as students of all ages learned from one another”.

While the other article, “Handy Manny and the emergent . . .” showed me the importance of not only being well informed on the subjects that we will be teaching but up-to-date on the other tools that assist us with our teaching. Then knowing the appropriate time to utilize these “tools” (Hardware – videos, computer screens, audio, digital cameras etc. Software- Microsoft, PowerPoint, Clicker 5, etc).

Bibliography

Hourcade, J. P. (2010). Handy Manny and the emergent Literacy technology toolkit. Early Childhood Education Journal (27), 483-491.

http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.flinders.edu.au/docview/228490016/fulltextPDF?accountid=10910

Wolff, A. a. (2009, May). Shopping for mathematics in consumer town. Young children , 34-38.

http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.flinders.edu.au/docview/197640000/fulltextPDF?accountid=10910