Running head: Kristy Snell EDU10002. ASS3: Portfolio Class Newsletter February, 2014. Language and Literacy.

Literacy is the ability to read, write, use written information and to write appropriately within a range of contexts; literacy also involves the integration of speaking, listening viewing and the development of critical analysis of reading and writing, including the cultural knowledge that enables children to use appropriate language relevant to the situation (Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs, 1997). Children are confident and involved learners. Children use processes such as exploration, collaboration and problem solving across all aspects of curriculum (EYLF, 2009). Creating environments that enable children to explore different concepts of literacy enables children to become confident and involved learners. Culture in the classroom. As we are exploring different cultures within our community we are creating a sensory display to encourage children to accept and acknowledge cultures that may differ from their own. Cultural artifacts such as clothing, jewelry, eating utensils, music and instruments, stories, toys, games and currency can be found within the home environment. Could each child please bring one cultural artifact to represent a part of their culture to be included in the display? Culture influences how families raise children and how a child behaves, communicates and learns (York, 2003). This display will allow us to explore different cultures and talk about what culture means to us individually. Children have a strong sense of identity. In early childhood settings children develop a sense of belonging when they feel accepted, develop attachments and trust those that care for them. As children are developing their sense of identity, they explore different aspects of it (physical, social, emotional, spiritual, and cognitive), through their play and their relationships (Early Years Learning Framework, 2009). Children come from many diverse backgrounds involving various cultures and home languages. Promoting the use of languages other than English enables students to feel comfortable and express their needs in a way they feel appropriate. Home languages are the basis for developing meaningful relationships and relationships and learning about communication and interaction (Clarke, 2009). English as a second language. When children mix languages it can be seen as a normal phase of development and contrastingly can be seen cognitively or socially inappropriate. Children mix languages according to their individual learning styles, age, personality, home and school languages. Children are learning to express themselves as they have a repertoire of resources at their disposal (Raguenaud, 2009). Encouraging and promoting languages enables children to connect to and contribute to their learning and social communities. Supporting Literacy Development

Running head: Kristy Snell EDU10002. ASS3: Portfolio Childrens Literacy Development. There are various ways to encourage the development of your childrens literacy development. This can be done by: reading the mail, the names and address; Writing shopping lists together before you go to the supermarket, and checking the items off as you collect them; creating and writing birthday/holiday cards together; observing street signs as you walk or drive to school; following a recipe when cooking at home; oral language modelling in conversations and daily routines. Each of these involves literacy and encourages development through family literacy practices. Story Time is an exciting way to meet new families and for children to be involved in their community. A library also provides endless resources to support and develop your childs literacy skills. Peter Piper is a fantastic story teller and he uses a variety of voices and engages children in the listening process. Community resources such as the library offer opportunities for children and families to explore book concepts, print concepts, listening skills, and oral language and literacy skills. These literacy skills and understandings are the foundation for success in learning to read and write as they are a part of emergent literacy, paving the way to standard reading and writing (Fellowes and Oakley, 2010). Story Time. An opportunity to bring your children along to the local library for story time with Peter Piper. Every Wednesday 12.00-1.00. Enquiries phone: 58812546 Remember Engage with your children within all aspects of daily routines and activities. This can range from narrating your routines to devising a shopping list to do the groceries together. Supporting Early Literacy Development The Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY, 2008) provides emphasis on interactions between children and their parents, supporting early literacy development and is consistent with key policy initiatives across Australia. Take a look at the website: http://www.hippyaustralia.org.au/about_H IPPY.html Reading skills. Does your child have the skills they need to read? Pamela Snow (2014), explains how families can develop a childs language skills so they are able to cross the bridge to literacy. http://splash.abc.net.au/teachers/blog//b/624968/does-your-child-have-the-skillsthey-need-to-read?WT.mc_id=Innovation_InnovationSplash|DoesYourChildHaveTheSkillsTheyNe edToRead_FBP|abc Reading Eggs. Reading Eggs is an online interactive program based on scientific research and developed by educators with 20+ years experience. With over 500 games, this makes reading fun and provides a detailed progress assessment. It is suitable for children 3-12 years of age. http://readingeggs.com.au/freetrialv2/?gclid=CO2i0PO_srwCFa6DQgod3hwAY A Deniliquin Toy Library. The Toy Library is a great place to access and borrow a range of resources that can encourage childrens literacy development. Its free to join! http://www.toylibraries.org.au/content/de niliquin-toy-library

Running head: Kristy Snell EDU10002. ASS3: Portfolio Smart Goal 1

Before completing the next literacy unit I would like to improve on my time management skills. Time management and organisation are an integral part of literacy development; to understand concepts and gain knowledge within constraints of time to the best of my ability, to be able to achieve a desirable outcome. Creating a timetable or checklist would be an appropriate way to measure my use of time. Working towards this outcome would enable me to possess the time management skills that will be required within a classroom environment. Time management is relevant to literacy within the classroom as students and teachers are required to learn and teach their materials/curriculum according to standards and outcomes that have a designated time frame to be achieved. Smart Goal 2 Before completing the next literacy unit I would like to improve on my academic referencing skills. This can be achieved through revision of appropriate guidelines, conversing with eLAs and peers and accessing other online resources to guide my understanding of referencing. To measure my progress, I can access feedback from my eLAs regarding past assignments and my use of both correct and incorrect referencing. This is an important skill for both my academic writing and also to be confident in understanding and following rules involving literacy. Smart Goal 3 Before completing the next literacy unit I would like to improve on my use of sentence structures. This can be achieved by reading a sentence out loud to ensure that it makes sense and flows correctly. Feedback from my eLAs has shown my lacking in ability to structure sentences

Running head: Kristy Snell EDU10002. ASS3: Portfolio

correctly and concisely to get my point across. I tend to drift off on an irrelevant tangent, causing my sentences to not make sense. Also linking paragraphs together involves sentence structure and clarity to indicate the next topic. Practicing different ways of creating a sentence will provide me with the foundations to improve on my literacy and language skills. Reflection Literacy pedagogy needs to mesh with curriculum, frameworks and practices to ensure learning and support for childrens language development occurs. I believe literacy and language to be a complex yet achievable outcome for children within an educational context. Developing a curriculum for children, focusing on partnerships, diversity, family involvement and implementation of the Early Years Learning Framework (2009) is fundamental to build the foundations for childrens language development. Improving on my time management skills (smart goal one), will enable me to use this attribute within the classroom. Providing adequate time for children to explore using play, collaboration, investigation, imagination and encouraging participation in a variety or rich and meaningful experiences enables flexible learning processes to occur (LOC4.1, EYLF, 2009). Appropriate time management will allow children more opportunities to become confident and involved learners as there would be adequate time to gather the knowledge and skills required for language development. Improving on my academic referencing skills (smart goal two), will assist my teaching regarding rules that apply to language and literacy. To develop childrens awareness I can support their learning as children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating (EYLF, 2009).

Running head: Kristy Snell EDU10002. ASS3: Portfolio This will enable me to intentionally scaffold childrens understandings of language through appropriate use of rules and strategies. Sentence structures are an important component of language. Language and literacy

involves the verbal and written means of communicating by grouping words together (American Speech Language Hearing Association, 2013). This can be achieved by understanding the concept of sentences through reading stories, talking, taking turns and communicating. Exploring and creating interesting ways for children to develop their language by supporting their individual interests and needs through partnerships with families and the curriculum. By engaging in sustained communication with children about ideas and experiences, and extending their vocabulary through appropriate modelling of language will assist in the development of their language (LOC5.1, EYLF, 2009). Children come from a diverse range of backgrounds and families and this needs to be considered when planning the curriculum in the classroom. Providing children with skills and strategies to become confident learners will assist in the development of their language. Providing resources such as books, songs, games and activities build the foundation for language development, which can be encouraged in daily routines within personal, educational and social contexts. I believe through my own understanding of literacy as an integral part of childrens development, I will be able to support childrens language development. The importance of role modelling correct language is detrimental to a childs development of literacy and language skills and outcomes. This role modelling can be achieved through education with the purpose to ensure that all students benefit from learning in ways that allow them to participate in public, community and economic life (Cazden et al, 1996).

Running head: Kristy Snell EDU10002. ASS3: Portfolio References American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2013). "What is Language? What is Speech?" Retrieved from: http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/language_speech.htm Cazden, C., Cope, B., Fairclough, N., Gee, J., Kalantzis, M., Kress, G., Nakata M. (1996). A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures. Harvard Educational Review 66(1): 60-89. Clarke, P. D. (2009). Supporting Children Learning English as a Second Language in the Early Years (birth to six years). Retrieved from: http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/earlyyears/supporting_children_learning_esl.pdf Deniliquin Toy Library. http://www.toylibraries.org.au/content/deniliquin-toy-library Early Years Learning Framework. (2009). Australian Government Department of Education. Retrieved From: http://education.gov.au/early-years-learning-framework Fellowes, J. & Oakley, G. (2010) Language, literacy and early childhood. South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University press. Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters. (2008). Home Interaction Program. Brotherhood of St Laurence. Retrieved from: http://www.hippyaustralia.org.au/about_HIPPY.html Ministerial Council for Educaiton, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs. (1997).

Running head: Kristy Snell EDU10002. ASS3: Portfolio Retrieved from: http://www.mceecdya.edu.au/verve/_resources/sect10.pdf Raguenaud, V. (2009). Bilingual By Choice : Raising Kids in Two (or more!) Languages. Nicholas Brealey Publishing. Snow, P. (2014). Does your child have the skills they need to read? Retrieved from: http://splash.abc.net.au/teachers/blog/-/b/624968/does-your-child-havethe-skills-they-need-

toread?WT.mc_id=Innovation_InnovationSplash|DoesYourChildHaveTheSkillsTheyNee dToRead_FBP|abc York, S. (2003). 'Culturally Responsive Care and Education'. Roots and Wings: Affirming Culture in Early Childhood Programs (Revised Edition). (pp. 59-76). Minnesota: Redleaf Press.

Running head: Kristy Snell EDU10002. ASS3: Portfolio