Time to share
11/16/2018
The Morning Meeting is an important and vital part of our educational day at PNA, and rightfully so. It starts of each day in a positive and engaging way. It encourages community, fosters peer relationships and develops our social skills. A part of the day that is not as often discussed, but is just as important, is our closing circle. As a class we come together at the end of school to recap and explore the events of the day as well as discuss any issues or future events we may be having. Another vital part of our closing circle is our sharing time or show and tell time. There is a lot of research out the and it overwhelmingly supports show and tell as a positive learning experience for children. One of the main benefits of show and tell is its aid in the development of language skills; it is “language learning made easy” (Dailey, 1997). Show and tell requires that the speaker elaborate to communicate an experience or describe on object, maintain continuity about a topic, and sequence information, it serves as a potent educational tool (Edwards, 1995). Show and tell is so powerful because it provides an opportunity got children to learn new knowledge and extend their knowledge as they share. It helps students’ expressive language develop as they learn to create and construct language (Dailey, 1997). Show and tell also encourages the development of oral narrative, which plays a crucial role in our thinking and language development (Cusworth, 1995). Accordingly, “the oral language and thinking abilities that are developed during show and tell enhance success in reading.” Formulating and presenting ideas during show and tell provides students with the necessary practice to help build continuity of thought and extension of concepts. All of these skills are essential components for successful reading. One of the most obvious advantages of show and tell is the presence of an audience. Feedback is vital to any language development and at the same time students also gain listening skills through show and tell. It provides the teacher with a window into children’s thoughts and feelings. As a teacher, I can notice any special interests of my students and incorporate them into the classroom and discuss them with my students to show that I care about them and that I am interested in them. Knowing students’ interests can also help teachers prompt writing when children become stuck and do not know what to write about for a story. Teachers can also use show and tell as an opportunity to informally assess students’ language abilities. Research also states that show and tell is also a good way to draw children together during the day as a group to talk, which results in better work time at other times during the day. This also helps develop a sense of community throughout the school year. Finally, show and tell helps link home and school, and any school home connections play a large and positive role in a child’s education (Spangler, 1997). This then helps enhance the self concept of the speaker. “As they (children) share something of themselves with one another, they gain confidence in becoming the focus of the group’s attention… they find out that others are interested in them, they discover that there are things they know about, and they feel good about themselves doing it…” (qtd. in Cusworth, 1995). At its best, show and tell can provide an opportunity for students to seek and construct meaningful communication as they attempt to make sense of their world, and represent their learning through spoken language (Dailey, 1997). Egovi The needs of children are countless and encompass all areas. One very important need children have, is to have people around who are concerned enough to listen to them and answer their questions. Sharing time is, at least, one time when children can feel that they have the undivided attention of the teacher and classmates. References
Cusworth, Robyn Ann (1995). “The Framing of Educational Knowledge Through ‘Show and Tell’ in Elementary Classrooms.” University of Sydney. American Educational Research Association. Dailey, Kathleen (1997). “Sharing Centers: An Alternative Approach to Show and Tell.” Early Childhood Education. Vol. 24., No. 4. 223-227. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ549496) Edwards, Patricia A. (1996). “Creating Sharing Time Conversations: Parents & Teachers Work Together.” Language Arts. Vol. 73. 334-349. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ537435). Spangler, Carol (1996). “The Sharing Circle: Themes for Home and School Involvement.” Fearon Teacher Aids. 3-8. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED400045). Comments are closed.
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Hali TuomiMs. Tuomi has over five years experience in ASD, where she taught first and fifth grade classrooms. An avid skier, Ms. Tuomi is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Alaska Pacific University’s Bachelor of Arts in K-8 Education. Archives
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