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Early Literacy Chatboard

early literacy

by Gayla King

Jun 6, 2011

I love to chat about early literacy. It's one of my passions! g

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Early Literacy

by Gipson

Jun 6, 2011

Early literacy is important for the success of all students. This year at our 2-3 school, an early literacy program was implemented. Students with literacy problems were given 40 minutes per day small group instructions. Our students showed tremendous gain in their literacy skills.

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VET Sounds like a good idea.

On 6/06/11, Gipson wrote: > Early literacy is important for the success of all > students. This year at our 2-3 school, an early literacy > program was implemented. Students with literacy problems > were given 40 minutes per day small group instructions. > Our students showed tremendous gain in their...See More

Jun 6, 2011

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Early Literacy - Best Take-Home Readers!

by Jo

Jun 6, 2011

Love the Reading A to Z books! They are printable books that have every subject you can imagine, fiction and non- fiction. They are great not only because you can print the ones you want, but if the children happen to misplace a book, you are only out the cost of the paper not the book, and replacing it is just a matter of reprinting. They truly ar...See More

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Michelle in MI The same company has an online reading program called Raz- kids. It's about $80 for a classroom. Last year 12 of my parents who agreed to pay split the cost. This year my whole school is getting it. It has absolutely beautiful books at every level and it makes it fun for the kids because they get points for reading and taking test that they can red...See More

Jun 7, 2011

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Starfall is great too! On 6/06/11, Jo wrote: > Love the Reading A to Z books! They are printable books > that have every subject you can imagine, fiction and non- > fiction. They are great not only because you can print the > ones you want, but if the children happen to misplace a > book, you are only out the cost of the paper not the book, > and replac...See More

Aug 21, 2011

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The best way to encourage early literacy is..........

by VET

Jun 6, 2011

A home life that values learning. Children being read to and children seeing parents reading is often a great indicator of children who will succeed in school.

Children who do not have these advantages usually start off "behind" and often have difficulty keeping and/or caching up.

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Jo I guess what you are saying is parents need to be taught that the school system, in many cases, sets up its curriculum such that if the child doesn't come in with the advantages they will fail. Doesn't that mean that "advantages" aren't really "advantages" but "requirements"? Since public schools can not turn away a child of age and can not require...See MoreI guess what you are saying is parents need to be taught that the school system, in many cases, sets up its curriculum such that if the child doesn't come in with the advantages they will fail. Doesn't that mean that "advantages" aren't really "advantages" but "requirements"? Since public schools can not turn away a child of age and can not required a child have academic skills when they start their formal education, can't we say that many schools are actually setting kids up for failure by not starting their program to build the necessary skills of those that don't come in with "advantages"?

No matter how any system is set up, some will always have advantages, even if the child were taken at birth.

At parent meetings about K, parents always ask, what does my child need to know coming into kindergarten. The answer is the same, every school, every time. Your child must be 5 before (date given). The parent ask again in a different way. Don't they need to know their letters or how to write their name? No, they must be 5 before (date given).

Why, because public education is open to all. Problem is that the curriculum only accounts for those with "advantages".

On 6/12/11, Karen M. wrote: > On 6/06/11, VET wrote: >> A home life that values learning. Children being read to >> and children seeing parents reading is often a great >> indicator of children who will succeed in school. >> >> Children who do not have these advantages usually start off >> "behind" and often have difficulty keeping and/or caching up. > > What VET said is extremely important. Children copy what they > see. They learn what to consider valuable by what the adults > around them consider valuable. > > Children being read to...there is a solid body of research > which shows that a child who has been read to enters school > with a larger oral (speaking) vocabulary, a larger aural > (hearing) vocabulary, and a larger written/emergent print > vocabulary. Children who have consistently been read to > develop a love for "story". They have already developed a > love for learning. They have already learned that you can > learn from books, and knowledge is power. > > Children entering school who have been read to have already > learned to value books. Children who see older children and > adults around them READING have already learned that this is > an activity of VALUE, and that it is something to emulate. > > Yes, children who have been read to DO have advantages over > children who have not been read to. Children who have not > been read to usually do start formal schooling behind, and > usually do spend a large amount of school time catching up. > This is one of the reasons behind the First Start, First > Steps, and Head Start Programs in the United States. They've > made tremedous strides in offering quality preschool education > to many children. > > Is it too late for children who were not able to take > advantage of Head Start and who come from homes where reading > is not valued (even if learning is)?? No, it's just harder > for those children to catch up. Not impossible, just harder. > What about those children who come from homes of advantage? > The suburban, upper middle class homes who seem to have > everything, and yet the parents are clueless and the child > seems at a loss? Are those parents reading to their child > every day? Do those parents value reading or do they value > their iphones, Wii, and designer clothes more? It is not just > children from low sec that arrive in Kindergarten at a > disadvantage. Those other children will also have to catch up. > > A Kindergarten program that is rich in word play is vital. > Teachers talking to students, having conversations with them > on a daily basis. Teaching songs, poems, rhymes, nursery > rhymes, movement songs. Reading aloud to children, as many as > 3-4 books every day. Using those books as springboards for > other activities: comparing/contrasting two similar stories, > story and music activities, story and art activities. > Providing choral reading activities, guided reading > activities, independent recitation activities, and independent > reading activities. Teaching the very young child how to > express themselves through writing. ALL of it is important. > > At the same time, parents need to be taught that reading is a > valued activity. They need to be taught to turn off the tv > and video games and sit down for a quiet activity with their > child. They need to be encouraged to go to their public > library and take advantage of the FREE activities there. (In > the summer, free and air conditioning are a HUGE bonus.) > Parents need to be taught that often, public libraries have > stories on tape, cd, video, and dvd, that parents can borrow, > not just in English but also in Spanish and depending on the > library resources, often available in other languages too. > Teachers need to make take home books for children to take > home to read at home. Literacy bookbags are another way to > bring reading home with children. Sharing websites with > parents is yet another way. Making reading an integral part > of homework is another way. Teachers need to be doing ALL of > this in order to help children and parents learn that reading > is a valued activity.

Jun 12, 2011

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disneycathy On 6/12/11, Jo wrote: > I guess what you are saying is parents need to be taught that the > school system, in many cases, sets up its curriculum such that if > the child doesn't come in with the advantages they will fail. > Doesn't that mean that "advantages" aren't really "advantages" > but "requirements"? Since public schools can n...See MoreOn 6/12/11, Jo wrote: > I guess what you are saying is parents need to be taught that the > school system, in many cases, sets up its curriculum such that if > the child doesn't come in with the advantages they will fail. > Doesn't that mean that "advantages" aren't really "advantages" > but "requirements"? Since public schools can not turn away a > child of age and can not required a child have academic skills > when they start their formal education, can't we say that many > schools are actually setting kids up for failure by not starting > their program to build the necessary skills of those that don't > come in with "advantages"? > > No matter how any system is set up, some will always have > advantages, even if the child were taken at birth. > > At parent meetings about K, parents always ask, what does my > child need to know coming into kindergarten. The answer is the > same, every school, every time. Your child must be 5 before > (date given). The parent ask again in a different way. Don't > they need to know their letters or how to write their name? No, > they must be 5 before (date given). > > Why, because public education is open to all. Problem is that > the curriculum only accounts for those with "advantages". > > On 6/12/11, Karen M. wrote: >> On 6/06/11, VET wrote: >>> A home life that values learning. Children being read to >>> and children seeing parents reading is often a great >>> indicator of children who will succeed in school. >>> >>> Children who do not have these advantages usually start off >>> "behind" and often have difficulty keeping and/or caching up. >> >> What VET said is extremely important. Children copy what they >> see. They learn what to consider valuable by what the adults >> around them consider valuable. >> >> Children being read to...there is a solid body of research >> which shows that a child who has been read to enters school >> with a larger oral (speaking) vocabulary, a larger aural >> (hearing) vocabulary, and a larger written/emergent print >> vocabulary. Children who have consistently been read to >> develop a love for "story". They have already developed a >> love for learning. They have already learned that you can >> learn from books, and knowledge is power. >> >> Children entering school who have been read to have already >> learned to value books. Children who see older children and >> adults around them READING have already learned that this is >> an activity of VALUE, and that it is something to emulate. >> >> Yes, children who have been read to DO have advantages over >> children who have not been read to. Children who have not >> been read to usually do start formal schooling behind, and >> usually do spend a large amount of school time catching up. >> This is one of the reasons behind the First Start, First >> Steps, and Head Start Programs in the United States. They've >> made tremedous strides in offering quality preschool education >> to many children. >> >> Is it too late for children who were not able to take >> advantage of Head Start and who come from homes where reading >> is not valued (even if learning is)?? No, it's just harder >> for those children to catch up. Not impossible, just harder. >> What about those children who come from homes of advantage? >> The suburban, upper middle class homes who seem to have >> everything, and yet the parents are clueless and the child >> seems at a loss? Are those parents reading to their child >> every day? Do those parents value reading or do they value >> their iphones, Wii, and designer clothes more? It is not just >> children from low sec that arrive in Kindergarten at a >> disadvantage. Those other children will also have to catch up. >> >> A Kindergarten program that is rich in word play is vital. >> Teachers talking to students, having conversations with them >> on a daily basis. Teaching songs, poems, rhymes, nursery >> rhymes, movement songs. Reading aloud to children, as many as >> 3-4 books every day. Using those books as springboards for >> other activities: comparing/contrasting two similar stories, >> story and music activities, story and art activities. >> Providing choral reading activities, guided reading >> activities, independent recitation activities, and independent >> reading activities. Teaching the very young child how to >> express themselves through writing. ALL of it is important. >> >> At the same time, parents need to be taught that reading is a >> valued activity. They need to be taught to turn off the tv >> and video games and sit down for a quiet activity with their >> child. They need to be encouraged to go to their public >> library and take advantage of the FREE activities there. (In >> the summer, free and air conditioning are a HUGE bonus.) >> Parents need to be taught that often, public libraries have >> stories on tape, cd, video, and dvd, that parents can borrow, >> not just in English but also in Spanish and depending on the >> library resources, often available in other languages too. >> Teachers need to make take home books for children to take >> home to read at home. Literacy bookbags are another way to >> bring reading home with children. Sharing websites with >> parents is yet another way. Making reading an integral part >> of homework is another way. Teachers need to be doing ALL of >> this in order to help children and parents learn that reading >> is a valued activity.

AMEN Jo! Being read to starting at infancy is the key to success.

Jun 12, 2011

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Plan Do Study Act

by Katie

Jun 7, 2011

Does anyone use the Plan Do Study Act program? What does it look like for first graders?

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Rosemary On 6/07/11, Katie wrote: > Does anyone use the Plan Do Study Act program? What does it > look like for first graders?

We've used PDSAs at our school. The plan means to take a specific class goal - we (our class)will score 80% on our spelling tests. Then talk as a class about how that will be achieved - what will we do - study our wor...See More

Jun 7, 2011

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JamieNM On 6/07/11, Rosemary wrote: > On 6/07/11, Katie wrote: >> Does anyone use the Plan Do Study Act program? What does it >> look like for first graders? > > We've used PDSAs at our school. The plan means to take a > specific class goal - we (our class)will score 80% on our > spelling tests. Then talk as a class about how tha...See More

Jul 9, 2011

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Hmmm... came here to read and post on a thread.... (more)

by Stellaluna

Jun 7, 2011

that I started earlier about whether or not we are pushing kids too early.... and the thread was deleted? Wow.... what did I miss? Did that really start something controversial?

I read a couple responses yesterday and wanted to have time to think about a response/comment and was ready to do so now.... but would have liked to have read wha...See More

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VET to Stellaluna I agree. Children from homes where they were not read to and reading/education were not valued may not be ready for so much so soon.

On 6/08/11, Stellaluna wrote: > In many areas we are absolutely pushing kids to early.... not all > kids... but many. Fortunately for you (and your students), it > sounds like this is not the case wh...See MoreI agree. Children from homes where they were not read to and reading/education were not valued may not be ready for so much so soon.

On 6/08/11, Stellaluna wrote: > In many areas we are absolutely pushing kids to early.... not all > kids... but many. Fortunately for you (and your students), it > sounds like this is not the case where you are... but it > definitely is where I am. > > Many of my kinders are like yours... are SO excited to learn... > and to show my that they are finding words and letters in the > texts that they have... but there are those who are so lost > mostly because they haven't had the experiences to "wire their > brains" to learn. I am able to immerse them in literacy and > print because I have an administrator who trusts my judgement. > But many of my colleagues in other sites are expected to drill > and kill the decontextualized pieces of language into little guys > who have no idea what is going on. > > The students who come to school from homes where they have been > read to, have access to books, are spoken to and listened to and > have have many opportunities to practice language are generally > the ones that start noticing the finer details of texts.... > recognize the familiar words in books, understand that text > represents language and, most importantly, that books tell > stories or give information. > > It is the others that I worry about... whose brains have not had > the experiences to form those necessary connections who are given > little pieces of the jigsaw puzzle without the picture on the > box, so to speak. > > > Someone in the thread that got deleted mentioned that one reason > (and I am paraphrasing from memory) that we have upped the > standards is because our students are behind. I won't argue that > (though I don't completely agree) but I will argue that upping > the standards and requiring students to learn more faster is > going to contribute to rather than solve the problem. > > One of my mantras is that "in our race to be first, we are > putting ourselves last". I read that countries that delay formal > instruction in reading bypass our literacy rate by 4th grade. I > don't recall the source so don't know if this stat is entirely > accurate, however the argument of the article was certainly in > line with brain research. It said that though formal instruction > is delayed (I believe they were citing Finland and a few > others... maybe Sweden?) students still started school at about > the same age as American students but instead were immersed in > language activities: read alouds, songs, chants, poems, play... > so that by the time the students began formal instruction their > brains were "wired" and ready and they quickly became literate. > Students were not "held back" or bored because they were immersed > in engaging and age appropriate activities. Some learned to read > before formal instruction (I can relate because I was a kid like > that... who read in kindergarten before most of my classmates yet > loved every second of school).... but more importantly few kids > did NOT learn to read... or struggled to learn. My theory is > that we are creating learning disabilites in many students who > otherwise would have been successful by causing confusions in the > brain rather than creating pathways. If we delayed formal > reading instruction but immersed our students in thoughtful and > planned literacy experiences, I think that the number of students > struggling would go down, which would help us to focus our > resources on those students who truly have learning difficulties, > and our reading scores for the rest of the students would go up. > > > On 6/07/11, Well let's begin again wrote: >> We are NOT pushing kids too early. My kindergarteners LOVE to >> read and LOVE to write and when they have free time they are >> writing books and spelling words on the dry erase board and >> reading the word wall. Their choice, not mine. Just because >> we used to teach them to read and write in the first grade is >> just not a good enough reason to keep doing that.

Jun 11, 2011

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Agree On 6/07/11, KMI wrote: > I think it's great that we are able to make reading and writing > part of the kindergarten experience - as long as the child is > ready for it. Many, if not most, are ready sometime during the > kdgn. year. What I have a problem with is when the powers that > be, who make the decisions, (not necessarily we te...See More

Jun 30, 2011

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Teaching Beginning Readers

by Brenda Wohlford

Jun 8, 2011

I am working with beginning reading students this summer. Coming from 4th grade, it is almost a whole new world for me to "back up the bus" and talk about letter sounds, blending, digraphs, etc. I'm loving it and looking forward to seeing these students reach their "aha" moments! But, it's a definite change of pace and routine for me. Any suggestio...See More

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Phonemic rules

by School Psyc

Jun 8, 2011

My childrens' elementary school (and the entire district) have created a method that combines several other methods in what is called, "STEPS."

It starts with the simple basics in kidergarten, but they memorize the rules and expand upon them each year. They learn things right away that most of sort of learned on our own over time, or learn...See More

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School Psyc Here is a website about it: [link removed]."

Jun 9, 2011

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Christy Thank you for posting that link. It looks very interesting and I will explore this summer for next year.

On 6/09/11, School Psyc wrote: > Here is a website about it: > [link removed]."

Jun 13, 2011

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How to Introduce a Story to Build Retelling Skills

by In Teachers.Net Gazette - March 2011

Jun 8, 2011

Excerpt:

For children to be able to retell a story accurately, they need to KNOW the story. They need to “own” it. These are all things you can do in your classroom to help your students:

1. Before reading a story aloud, show the class the actual book and tell them who the author is and what an author does. Tell them who the i...See More

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Karen M. Nice to see this again! Thank you for making it accessible to more people!

On 6/08/11, In Teachers.Net Gazette - March 2011 wrote: > Excerpt: > > For children to be able to retell a story accurately, they > need to KNOW the story. They need to “own” it. These are all > things you can do in your classroom to help your stu...See More

Jun 8, 2011

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Carol/CA This doesn't work with all books, but once you read through the directions, you will be able to use this with the perfect picture book! Helps build sequencing and vocab skills as well.

1,Photocopy pages of the book that contain the important details and paste them on about 15-20 pieces of colored construction paper.

2. Having cut ...See More

Aug 21, 2011

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Literacy Beginnings by Fountas and Pinnell

by pksped

Jun 10, 2011

Have you read it? What are your thoughts? I'm all for improving my instruction and finding new ideas; is it worth the time and money?

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thanks - I'll check it out On 6/12/11, OP wrote: > (I'm not ignoring Karen's post; I indirectly responded to it on the > preschool chatboard.) Yes, it is a new publication. The Guided > Reading gurus now have a book for the pre-k age. > > > On 6/11/11, is this a new publication? wrote: >> On 6/10/11, Karen PK GA wrote: >>> I have not read it ...See More

Jun 15, 2011

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annette On 6/10/11, pksped wrote: > Have you read it? What are your thoughts? I'm all for > improving my instruction and finding new ideas; is it worth > the time and money? I have not seen that book>>and i thought I knew ALL of their work. I will check it out as well

Jun 22, 2011

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