Gerde, H.K., Bingham, G.E. & Wasik, B.A. 2012, "Writing in Early Childhood Classrooms: Guidance for Best Practices", Early Childhood Education Journal, vol. 40, no. 6, pp. 351-359.
Numeracy:
Zeuenbergen, R., Dole, S. & Wright, R. 2004, Early number in "Teaching mathematics in primary schools", Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW, pp. 121-148
Why?
Still in line with the technician theme, I wanted to explore some of the skills that are essential to be developed in the early childhood years for children's future learning in the later years. The literacy reading addresses the importance of writing as a key skill for early literacy while the numeracy reading addresses some of the skills that are brought to school from kindergarten that help a child in developing his number sense.
Summary
The literacy reading by Gerde, Bingham and Wasik (2012), explained the importance of writing in the early years classroom and how it is a key skill that will affect a child's later learning. Gerde, Bingham & Wasik (2012, p. 351) indicate that recent research has shown that writing is barely included in many early childhood programs, and teachers fail to scaffold writing opportunities for children in early childhood programs. It is important to note that writing did not only refer to handwriting and penmanship but it was the process of communicating and expressing ideas through print. Hence, this may involve merely strokes on a piece of paper, or incompletely formed alphabets. Gerde, Bingham & Wasik (2012, p. 352) include research quotes that indicate that emergent writing in kindergarten is highly related to later literacy skills such as spelling, decoding, reading, word recognition and phonological awareness. Gerde, Bingham & Wasik (2012, p. 352) then include the phases children go through when learning to write:
1. Using small marks that do not resemble letters, or drawing pictures to communicate a message.
2. Continuous scribbles with consistent shape
3. Letter formation
4. Invented spelling (Children arrange letters in a word according to what they think it should sound like)
5. Writing accurately
Gerde, Bingham & Wasik (2012, p. 535) found that the main problem in early childhood programs was that teachers failed to incorporate writing into all other activities; only isolating writing to a writing corner. Here, they include 12 strategies to effectively and meaningfully implement writing in early childhood classrooms.
"1. Build writing into your daily schedule
2. Accept all forms of writing
3. Explicitly model writing
4. Scaffold children’s writing
5. Encourage children to read what they write
6. Encourage invented spelling
7. Make writing opportunities meaningful
8. Have writing materials in all centers
9. Display theme-related words in the writing center
10. Engage in group writing experiences
11. Make writing a way to connect with families
12. Use technology to support writing"
The numeracy reading by Zeuenbergen, Dole & Wright (2004) have a more school-based approach but also highlight some of the key numeracy skills that contribute to a child's development of 'number sense'. Number sense is referred to as 'understanding the meaning of numbers, knowing the relationships between numbers and the size of numbers and knowing the effects of operating on numbers' (McIntosh et al 1992 cited in Zeuenbergen, Dole & Wright 2004, p. 122). The main section in this chapter that is highly related to the early childhood setting is the section on 'Pre-Number'. This section highlights some of the numeracy skills young children have such as classification, patterning, group recognition, counting and one-to-one correspondence (Zeuenbergen, Dole & Wright 2004, pp. 122 - 127). They then further explain how these few skills act as the foundation to further mathematics learning. For example, the ability to detect patterns, helps children to detect the patterns later on in problem-solving activities. Zeuenbergen, Dole & Wright (2004) also emphasise on the need to provide opportunities that involve practicing this numeracy skills. For example, encourage children to count how many cups are needed for the entire classroom or presenting other daily routines that involve counting. It was also stated in the reading about the importance of introducing other cue words when referring to specific operations. For example, use 'take away' instead of subtract or 'join' instead of addition. This strategy is to encourage children not to simply look for specific labels when faced with problem-solving activities.
Implications
Both of these readings indicated the many foundation skills that appear to be the early childhood educator's responsibility to introduce to children. I feel that from this reading, I have understood the importance of providing sufficient learning opportunities and acknowledging children's efforts in engaging with literacy and numeracy learning. While we should freely allow children to participate in the activities that interest them, it is equally important for educators to lay a good foundation for other skills to develop.
Numeracy:
Zeuenbergen, R., Dole, S. & Wright, R. 2004, Early number in "Teaching mathematics in primary schools", Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW, pp. 121-148
Why?
Still in line with the technician theme, I wanted to explore some of the skills that are essential to be developed in the early childhood years for children's future learning in the later years. The literacy reading addresses the importance of writing as a key skill for early literacy while the numeracy reading addresses some of the skills that are brought to school from kindergarten that help a child in developing his number sense.
Summary
The literacy reading by Gerde, Bingham and Wasik (2012), explained the importance of writing in the early years classroom and how it is a key skill that will affect a child's later learning. Gerde, Bingham & Wasik (2012, p. 351) indicate that recent research has shown that writing is barely included in many early childhood programs, and teachers fail to scaffold writing opportunities for children in early childhood programs. It is important to note that writing did not only refer to handwriting and penmanship but it was the process of communicating and expressing ideas through print. Hence, this may involve merely strokes on a piece of paper, or incompletely formed alphabets. Gerde, Bingham & Wasik (2012, p. 352) include research quotes that indicate that emergent writing in kindergarten is highly related to later literacy skills such as spelling, decoding, reading, word recognition and phonological awareness. Gerde, Bingham & Wasik (2012, p. 352) then include the phases children go through when learning to write:
1. Using small marks that do not resemble letters, or drawing pictures to communicate a message.
2. Continuous scribbles with consistent shape
3. Letter formation
4. Invented spelling (Children arrange letters in a word according to what they think it should sound like)
5. Writing accurately
Gerde, Bingham & Wasik (2012, p. 535) found that the main problem in early childhood programs was that teachers failed to incorporate writing into all other activities; only isolating writing to a writing corner. Here, they include 12 strategies to effectively and meaningfully implement writing in early childhood classrooms.
"1. Build writing into your daily schedule
2. Accept all forms of writing
3. Explicitly model writing
4. Scaffold children’s writing
5. Encourage children to read what they write
6. Encourage invented spelling
7. Make writing opportunities meaningful
8. Have writing materials in all centers
9. Display theme-related words in the writing center
10. Engage in group writing experiences
11. Make writing a way to connect with families
12. Use technology to support writing"
(Gerde, Bingham & Wasik (2012, pp. 353 - 357)
The numeracy reading by Zeuenbergen, Dole & Wright (2004) have a more school-based approach but also highlight some of the key numeracy skills that contribute to a child's development of 'number sense'. Number sense is referred to as 'understanding the meaning of numbers, knowing the relationships between numbers and the size of numbers and knowing the effects of operating on numbers' (McIntosh et al 1992 cited in Zeuenbergen, Dole & Wright 2004, p. 122). The main section in this chapter that is highly related to the early childhood setting is the section on 'Pre-Number'. This section highlights some of the numeracy skills young children have such as classification, patterning, group recognition, counting and one-to-one correspondence (Zeuenbergen, Dole & Wright 2004, pp. 122 - 127). They then further explain how these few skills act as the foundation to further mathematics learning. For example, the ability to detect patterns, helps children to detect the patterns later on in problem-solving activities. Zeuenbergen, Dole & Wright (2004) also emphasise on the need to provide opportunities that involve practicing this numeracy skills. For example, encourage children to count how many cups are needed for the entire classroom or presenting other daily routines that involve counting. It was also stated in the reading about the importance of introducing other cue words when referring to specific operations. For example, use 'take away' instead of subtract or 'join' instead of addition. This strategy is to encourage children not to simply look for specific labels when faced with problem-solving activities.
Implications
Both of these readings indicated the many foundation skills that appear to be the early childhood educator's responsibility to introduce to children. I feel that from this reading, I have understood the importance of providing sufficient learning opportunities and acknowledging children's efforts in engaging with literacy and numeracy learning. While we should freely allow children to participate in the activities that interest them, it is equally important for educators to lay a good foundation for other skills to develop.
Great examples! The part about providing opportunities is really important because children will not learn without the opportunities to learn. I enjoyed how you summed up by allowing children to freely play in things that interest them as well as important tasks that develop skills.
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