First Week Post/Reading, Writing and Communicating

In the Sulzby and Teale article I read that emergent literacy is a newer term; and yet I remember being read to as a child. It was a special time; with four kids in the house this was an opportunity to have mom (ususally) or dad to ourselves, if only for a few minutes.

It may be a new term but literate parents have known that to pass on the LOVE of reading you must read to your child. To share your old friends; Spot, Harold and the Purple Crayon, Berenstein Bears, Lilly, and Corduroy with your children; that is heaven, and a chance to hand the keys to heaven on earth to your child.

Emerging literacy, as seen from a childs point of view, makes good sense. So does the conclusion they reached that a strong oral language base facilitates language learning. A strong base will always facilitate upward growth, in my opinion, and a strong speaking and comprehension of a language must facilitate greater language learning; including writing.

Examples of emergent literacy I have seen in children would include our own grocery lists constructed here at home; with pictures and scribbles underneath. Usually on the back of the grocery list is the "map" of all the errands that must be done that day; and we were helped by the third child with Dora the Explorer and her interactive map. First they draw a picture of where we are going, provide an initial sound or scribble underneath and then memorize the path we will take. Then we get to hear them repeat this until all the errands are done; and checked off in their memory. The youngest is the most concrete about this; and is not happy if we deviate from the list or need to add another stop.

In the classroom the temporary spelling is a big one for me; Kindergarten and first grade both use it in story and short answer writing. By first grade they are doing short spelling tests already, but spelling is not part of the rubric for their assignments either in class or outside as homework. Our eldest still uses temporary spelling and relies on her spell check to catch her innacuracies; which I find discomforting at best. The child in the middle has awesome natural talent in the spelling arena and just finds the right letters in place, even when he has not seen that word before. It doesn't seem fair to compare one that really does not need to work at a skill to one that needs to correct nearly 30% of her essay, even in middle school. She just does not remember past getting them right on the spelling test.

Also in the classroom; the rich use of stories and opportunities to go beyond the worksheets has abounded in classrooms I have been a guest in. Pre-reading, story telling, discussion, sharing, cheers for the letters and letter sounds, songs for short stories, pictures in story format, and more. Always more. Making letter shapes with their bodies, hands, paper. Marching to the alphabet song. Letters cut into scrabble blocks used to play games. For each of our kindergarteners it seems that the curiculum gets broader and richer; more inclusive and exciting.

In nearly every classroom undert third grade that I have been a guest in there has existed a separate world of reading that lives under the banner "labels." Over the water fountain, the cupboards, the math games, the book case, each child's place at at table or desk, the teacher's desk and all the belongings there (stapler; tape; pencils) as well as the door, coat racks, windowns, glue sticks and colored paper drawer. Younger grades may have pictues as well, but always tied to the letters and sounds of the descriptive word. Older grades may have instructions on their labels; "One or two paper towels please" or A two second drink if there is someone in line."