Essentials of Literacy from 0-7 Years : Children's Journeys into Literacy

by Tina Bruce

• ISBN13: 9781847872425
• ISBN10: 1847872425
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-04-14
• Publisher: SAGE Publications Ltd

Summary

This book provides students and practitioners with the essentials of communication, language, and literacy 0-7 through a range of different approaches. They set out why these approaches are important and how to introduce them in ways which are positive for children and their families. The authors guide the reader through the introduction of Finger Rhymes, Action Songs, Nursery Rhymes, Poetry Cards as well as theoretical topics such as the idea of the 'whole child', observation, communication with and without words, and brain development.

Author Biography

Tina Bruce is Honorary Visiting Professor in Early Childhood at Roehampton University Jenny Spratt is Head of Early Years and Childcare Services for Peterborough City Council

Table of Contents

Introduction and acknowledgements	p. 1
Introducing the community of learners	p. 3
The importance of a rich language environment, with multi-sensory experience	p. 8
A broad, rich and deep curriculum, across all areas of development and learning	p. 8
Learning together, adults and children	p. 10
Thoughts to take with you as you read the book	p. 10
Summary - the essentials of literacy	p. 11
Introducing the essentials of literacy	p. 12
When should children be taught to read and write?	p. 12
Key moments in the journey towards literacy: walking, talking and pretending	p. 13
In order for young children to (later) be able to read and write independently, these are the essentials of literacy	p. 14
Taking traditional practice forward in a learning community	p. 19
Observing children in an enabling environment	p. 20
Observing children	p. 20
The Early Years Foundation Stage Profile	p. 22
Continuing the learning journey	p. 23
Creating the atmosphere	p. 24
The (hidden) importance of play	p. 26
Sharing books together, as well as looking at books alone	p. 29
Meaningful print	p. 36
Movement, dance and music	p. 39
Powerful first-hand experiences which support understanding of rhymes	p. 39
Opening up the world of communication, language and literacy in an enabling environment	p. 41
Baby songs	p. 42
Development of the brain	p. 42
The first few months - looking, listening and moving	p. 43
Parents and carers interacting with very young children through movement and non-verbal communication in dance-like ways	p. 44
Baby songs	p. 47
Finger rhymes	p. 51
Sitting - fingers and thumbs	p. 51
Crawling - balancing and travelling at the same time	p. 52
Introducing finger rhymes to children	p. 57
Stage 1	p. 57
Stage 2	p. 57
Stage 3	p. 57
Finger dexterity as emergent 'writing'	p. 58
Finger thymes should not be used in isolation from other types of rhyme	p. 58
Stage 1	p. 59
What were the results (outcomes) for stage 1 finger rhymes?	p. 60
Stage 2	p. 60
What were the results (outcomes) for stage 2 finger rhymes?	p. 62
Stage 3	p. 63
What are the results (outcomes) for stage 3 finger rhymes?	p. 64
Mark-making and writing	p. 66
Mark-making	p. 66
Getting the idea of flow in writing	p. 76
From a three-dimensional world to a two-dimensional world	p. 77
Key messages about children beginning to write	p. 80
Action songs - on the spot	p. 81
Why sing action songs with young children?	p. 81
Who started the tradition of singing action songs with children?	p. 81
Why does the tradition continue today? Is it still a valuable tradition?	p. 81
The upper body: on the spot	p. 82
Head to feet - the order in which the brain develops co-ordinated movement	p. 84
Action songs using the body, but on the spot (non-locomotion)	p. 89
Stage 1 action songs - upper body, simple rhymes and movements	p. 90
Stage 2 action songs - more upper body movement sequences and several verses	p. 90
Stage 3 - whole-body non-locomotion action songs	p. 91
Summary	p. 94
Action songs - moving around	p. 95
Why locomotion action songs come later	p. 95
Action songs involving locomotion	p. 96
Action songs that become ring games	p. 100
Action songs that create a drama	p. 101
Summary	p. 104
Nursery rhymes	p. 105
Nursery rhymes are part of the canon of literature in the English language	p. 105
The sounds of language	p. 106
Using nursery rhymes - strengthening what comes naturally to children	p. 108
Traditional nursery rhymes selected to develop phonemic awareness	p. 110
The importance of not rushing children through their journey into literacy	p. 112
Where is each child in their unique journey into literacy?	p. 113
Summary	p. 117
Poetry cards	p. 118
Understanding comes before competence	p. 118
What are poetry cards?	p. 119
Making the poetry card	p. 119
Poetry cards make a bridge between language development, reading and writing	p. 120
Making human sense of reading and writing	p. 121
In what order should children be introduced to the linking of sounds with letters?	p. 123
English is one of the most irregular and inconsistent languages in the world	p. 124
Poetry cards give children anchor points	p. 128
Summary	p. 131
Bibliography	p. 132
Index	p. 138
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