Ready for Lift Off
4/12/2019
Whatever the theme or focus topic in our classroom, children will be practising their literacy skills all day long. They will be speaking or listening, and maybe reading and writing as part of every activity that they do. Combining aspects from different parts of the curriculum is recognised as good practice. During this focus topic we have been weighing ourselves as part of the role play area, children have been designing and labeling their rocket plans in the construction area, just as a couple of examples. Combining activities makes sense for us and my planning as it’s an efficient use of our time and resources. More importantly, it helps children make sense of their learning. Teaching literacy as part of other curriculum areas ensures that the skills children are practising will be set in a context, and have importance. Writing a letter to Santa or replying “Yes, please” to a birthday party invitation brings its own rewards beyond the initial sense of pride in successfully putting words down on paper. Giving children a purpose for writing helps to build their confidence in themselves as writers. Making learning as interactive as possible creates a sense of fun and involvement, which will carry the children’s interest and enthusiasm in productive ways. It becomes part of children’s play, and it’s as they play that children challenge themselves and attempt more. Sharing ideas Children’s writing and reading is built on their ability to express themselves verbally. As they retell events from real life or stories, they are recalling details and sequencing key events. Giving children opportunities for conversations and discussions helps them learn to take turns as they listen and respond to others, widens their vocabulary and encourages precision in their use of language. Sharing books with young children is recognised as a vital, motivating first step on their journey to becoming readers. Creating an attractive book area will encourage children to take an interest, and helping them to respond to labels, names and notices introduces the idea that print communicates information. Using non fiction and fiction books and sharing these during whole class time has boosted the children’s ideas to retell and share many stories as they collaborate during role play and small world play. A few weeks ago we were visited by an astronaut who had crash landed close to school. He had forgotten his name and where he had come from. He asked us to write some books for him to take back to space to describe some characters he might meet. The pupils used the ideas from their verbal stories and role play and recorded these using the phonic knowledge they have developed during the year. Our astronaut guest was very impressed with their outcomes.
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Melissa SmithMs. Smith has a degree in Early Childhood Education and has taught kindergarten for many years. Alaska has been home to Ms. Smith for 28 years, and she can't imagine living anywhere else! She has four children, a dog and two cats. She loves reading, camping, gardening, and genealogy! Archives
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