Ella Terry (Early Childhood Literacy)
Blog Journal 2-EDU 450
Observing and Interacting With Professionals in an Early
Childhood Setting
During my
observation and interacting with professionals, it was brought to my attention
from the conversation that emergent literacy is important. It supports the learning development of the
child. It is not to be taken
lightly. As professionals, we must make
every effort to provide children with effective strategies as well as offer
positive opportunities for them to want to learn. Also, I found that literacy within itself
is one of the major concerns in assessing how well children comprehend language
and be able to use it fluently.
I did my
observation in a Preschool setting with children ages 6 months-to-5 years of
old. The host teacher in which I did my observation
with name is Ms. Smith. Ms. Smith was
recommended by the Site Manger for me to do my observation because she has a
strong passion when it comes to Literacy.
She has seventeen students and a Co-Teacher that works in the room with
her. She welcomed me as well as the
children as I shared my reason for being there.
Upon my arrival, the children were setting the table for breakfast. They talked during Breakfast. They (the children) were asked questions
about what they were eating. As I looked
around the room, the walls were filled with the students work and at eye level
for the children to view. On the walls
were the children drawing and story dictation, books in every area of the
classroom, writing materials pencils, crayons, markers, envelopes, paper, stamp
pads, stencils, and magazines were placed in the writing center. There was a Sign-In sheet for the children to
sign their names as they enter the room. Each child’s name had a different number and
color. On the wall, the children’s name was placed on
it starting with the child’s name from A-to-Z along with other words. Children’s name was placed on their
chairs. All the areas in the room were labeled
and identified. The Writing Board was
place in the center on the rug where Instructional Time took place. During Instructional Time, I observed the
children take part in meaningful activities, Sing-Along, Read-Aloud, Story
Dictation, Counting, Numbers, and Shapes recognition. The teacher called attention to the
letter-sound relationship. For example
she said, “That word begins just like (L one of the children’s). It begins with the letter “L.” She used
different strategies to incorporate and demonstrate knowledge of the
alphabet. There were two computers in
the classroom with headphones placed along the sides of the computer table. Teaching Strategies is the lesson that the
entire center uses. The Lesson Plan is
placed on the wall in a cover sheet to be seen and observed. The lessons are studies that are provided
within the Teaching Strategy Library that is given to all the teachers. The studies lessons are taken from it. During the week of my observation, they were
doing a study on Mammals (Lions). As an extension
to what the children get in the classroom, the do go to the Library once a week
to hear stories of all kinds by the Librarian followed by an art project. These
are all the things I’ve learned as I spoke with Ms. Smith and during my
observation.
Insights I gained
during my conversation with the different professionals as it relates to
Literacy, is that you can’t expect for children to know literacy if it is not
properly introduced. Literacy starts
early on in life and carries on into adulthood.
Every effort should be made to incorporate Emergent Literacy throughout the
day and in the life of a child. Literacy
starts with the parent. They are the
first to introduce sounds through singing, listening, and talking that supports
the development of the child.
There is a quote
I like to share in my blog this week as it relates to Emergent Reading. Children
do not learn to read by magic. Rather,
they learn by engaging with other, more accomplished readers around print. Caregivers and teachers play a critical role
in promoting children’s participation with books. They explain important concepts, encourage
children’s attention to meaningful events in stories, and involve them in using
the information they are learning in dynamic ways that build connections beyond
the printed page.
---Neuman, Copple, & Bredekamp (2000)
