Developing Literacy Centers

1. Developing Literacy Centers Chapter 7

2. Early literacy skills lay the foundation for current and later success in oral and written language. Did you know? Literacy skills at the end of the preschool years are predictive of later reading and academic success (Farran, Aydogan, Kang, & Lipsey, 2006).

3. Oral language development • Around 18 months, children learn their first 50 words (Berger, 2006). • After learning approximately 50 words, children go through a naming explosion gaining 50-100 new words per month (Berger, 2006). • By 60 months most children understand between 5,000 and 20,000 words and have an average sentence length of six or more words (CDC, 2007).

4. Stages of writing • Random scribbles • Controlled scribbles (linear scribbles used to represent print) • Letter-like forms (mock letters with letter-like forms) • Letter and symbol relationship (begin to write their name and other words within their environment) • Invented spelling (write their own words spelling them phonetically for example wuz for was) • Standard spelling (conventional spelling)

5. The literacy center enhances children’s: • Oral language • Listening skills • Print awareness (organization of print, print carries meaning) • Phonological awareness (sounds of speech) • Alphabet principle and phonemic awareness (relationship between letters and sound) • Positive attitude toward reading and writing

6. The literacy center can also assist children to: • Increase knowledge in all curriculum areas • Learn about new worlds, both real and imaginary • Cope more effectively with difficulties • Improve social interactions • Be entertained and experience enjoyment

7. The effective literacy center contains: • A reading area • A writing area • A listening area • Literacy manipulatives

8. An effective reading center is: • in a quiet, clearly defined, separated area of the room • well-lit • large enough to accommodate five to six children • comfortable and aesthetic • enticing (for example, contains book related displays or objects that go with highlighted books) • engaging (opportunities for active reading through such things as flannel boards or puppets) • well stocked with quality books • responsive to the needs and interests of the children • representative of a variety of cultures

9. Well stocked with quality books • The literacy center contains 5-8 books for each child in the classroom (Reutzel & Morrow, 2007). • There is a display of books with their covers showing. • Additional books are categorized in baskets or on shelves. Did you know? Every year more than 4,000 children’s books are published (Sawyer, 2004). Since we can expose children to so few of these books we want to choose the highest quality literature we can locate.

10. Criteria for high quality books: • Interesting and enjoyable • Developmentally appropriate for the audience (appropriate topic, length, amount of text on each page, print style, and print size. The location of print should help children to understand that reading in English proceeds from left to right and top to bottom) • Literary value (credible, consistent, realistic characters; descriptive, “rich” language; interesting, engaging well-developed plot) • Quality illustrations and photographs (award winning art work, well integrated with the text, demonstrates attention to detail, mood in artwork complements story, allows the child to “tell” the story from the pictures)

11. free from stereotypes (authentically portrays diversity, does not promote stereotypical views of gender, culture, or families) appealing to you as an adult (if you enjoy the book you are more likely to demonstrate this joy as you read the book) quality binding and paper that will last through many readings

12. Did you know? • To prevent bias by omission, books need to be representative of the children in the classroom as well as expose children to those not present in the classroom, including those from cultures different than their own and those with disabilities.

13. Critique this reading area. In addition to the rocking chair, a comfortable futon is available for the children to sit on while reading.

14. Literacy manipulatives: • may be located in the literacy center or other classroom centers such as the manipulative center • literacy manipulatives include • oral skills materials • alphabetic awareness materials • phonemic awareness materials • materials to enhance the knowledge of words

15. An effective writing center includes: • a table and chairs • author’s chair • an assortment of writing materials • a variety of materials to write on including journals, transitory surfaces, and computers • book making supplies • alphabet strips and sample words • planned special activities such as creating big books

16. This aesthetic journal center encourages children to write. The Children’s Center at Paradise Valley Community College

17. An effective listening center includes: • A tape player or CD with multiple headphones • A variety of labeled CD’s or tapes with stories, activities, finger plays, music, and listening games • Blank tapes so children can record their own stories • Comfortable seating • Materials to encourage active listening (for example, children might act out the recorded story using puppets)

18. The two rocking chairs in this listening center encourage children to share a story.

19. Teachers facilitate language through: • Providing opportunities for children to gain background knowledge • Expanding children’s language • Intentionally using rich language and new vocabulary words • Modeling active listening • Asking appropriate, open-ended questions

20. Supporting peer interactions and discussions Reading to children Developing interest in books Converting oral language to text Modeling the use of reading, writing, and storytelling props Offering individual and group instruction for reading and writing Meeting the needs of all learners Teachers facilitate language through:

21. In supporting children who are learning English as a second language • Teachers should view the second language as additive, rather than in a negative light. • Teachers need to continue to support the first language while teaching the child the second. Did you know? • When children first begin to learn a new language they often will understand up to 500 words and respond nonverbally before beginning to speak the new language (Reed & Railsback, 2003).

22. According to research, children who live in low socio-economic households begin kindergarten: • With lower vocabularies • With fewer literacy skills such as recognizing the alphabet • With poorer background knowledge (Neuman, 2006) Did you know? • Often children do not catch up. One classis study revealed that if a child is a poor reader at the end of first grade there is an 88% chance they will still be a poor reader at the end of grade four. Therefore, it is crucial to provide rich literacy experiences in early childhood settings (Juel, 1988).

23. Literacy centers for infants and toddlers: • Are rich with books, pictures, language, and experiences • Assure books are within children’s reach • Contain quality books • relevant to the children • wordless or with few words • realistic illustrations • small enough for little hands • durable enough for rough exploration • Contain some personalized books (such as a small photo album with pictures of the child’s family members and pets)

24. Caregivers of infants and toddlers need to: • Talk to children throughout the day including during routine caregiving • Read books to children • Sing songs with children • Engage in conversational give and take • Respond to all children’s efforts to communicate • Expand and extend speech as children begin to use words

25. Literacy can also be enhanced in the playground • Place reading and writing materials in outdoor centers. • Label areas with signs. • Take advantage of outdoor events as a catalyst for new vocabulary and to encourage children’s oral language.