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).