Building Literacy

Child Care Information Exchange 9/99 — 43

Promoting Language, Literacy, and a Love of Learning Makes a Difference by Joan LombardiCreating Readers by Leah Curry-RoodFamily Literacy by Jean Berry RacinSetting the Stage for Literacy Events in the Classroom by Judith A. SchickedanzBuilding Literacy Curriculum Using the Project Approach by Jeanette Allison

Photograph by Bonnie Neugebauer

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Child Care Information Exchange ¥ PO Box 3249, Redmond, WA 98073-3249 ¥ (800) 221-2864

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➤ Building Literacy

Research Council of the National Academy of Sciencesand the National Academy of Engineering asked apanel of experts to review the existing research andmake recommendations to prevent reading difficultiesamong young children. Their groundbreaking report,Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children (Snow,Burns, & Griffin, 1998), states that the primary preven-tion of reading difficulties during the preschool yearsinvolves ensuring that families and group settings foryoung children offer the experiences and support thatmake language and literacy accomplishments possible(p. 17).

According to the joint position statement of the Interna-tional Reading Association and the NAEYC (1998),although reading and writing ability continues todevelop throughout the life span, the early childhoodyears Ñ from birth through age eight Ñ are the mostimportant for literacy development. Success in readingdepends on the language and literacy experiences thatstart during the first few months and years of life. TheNAS report found that too often preschools and othergroup settings for young children provide a Órelativelyimpoverished language and literacy environment,Ó inparticular those programs available to families withlimited economic resources.

Fortunately, we also know that with adequate resourcesand well trained staff, child care programs can providea rich literacy environment for children. For example,the Books Allowed program funded by the William PennFoundation provided some 330 centers in the DelawareValley with high quality childrenÕs books and ten hoursof training to child care staff. Bookcases and storageracks were also provided, resulting in the reorganiza-tion of the child care facilities to include reading activ-ity areas and library corners. Researchers from TempleUniversity conducted a pre- and post-test study on 400three- and four-year-old children who participated inthe program, along with 100 children from child carecenters not in the project. The assessments revealedsignificant changes in early literacy abilities of the Books Allowed children (Neuman, in press).

Furthermore, a number of studies continue to docu-ment the importance of the quality of care to laterlearning. According to recent findings from the NICHD


Six month old Katrina gurgles and coos as she sits onAmyÕs lap. Amy coos back. Katrina looks up and laughs.Amy laughs back and starts to sing softly.

Three year old Brian draws a picture and talks about thegiant bird flying in the sky, claiming it lives next door tohis grandmother. His child care teacher writes the wordsÒgiant birdÓ on his picture and puts it up on the wallnear his locker.

Nine year old Carmen enters her after-school program.After putting her coat away, she joins a small group sit-ting on the couch listening to another chapter of a mys-tery book they started the day before.

These everyday scenes demonstrate the importantways that quality child care contributes to the

education of children. With millions of childrenspending part of each day in child care, everyonefrom parents to principals, from pediatricians topolicy makers, is beginning to make the linkbetween good child care and improved educationaloutcomes. Given the current interest in reading, wehave a unique opportunity to shine a spotlight onthe critical role that child care can play inpromoting language, literacy, and a love of learn-ing.

What Does Research Tell Us?

Learning to read and write is a critical element insuccess in school and throughout life. The National

Promoting Language, Literacy, and aLove of Learning Makes a Difference

Joan Lombardi, Ph.D., is a seniorassociate at the Bush Center in

Child Development and Social Policy,Yale University. She served as the

first associate commissioner of theChild Care Bureau and as deputy

assistant secretary, Administrationfor Children and Families,

U.S. Department of Health andHuman Services.

by Joan Lombardi

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The same good practices should continue through-out the early school years. For school-age child careprograms, children need quality programs with aconsistent adult to talk to and to listen. They needenvironments that can stimulate their curiosity andpromote physical activity as well as provide ampleopportunities to enjoy reading and writing, toexpress their creativity and to receive individualassistance with homework and skill buildingactivities that go on during the regular school day.

The America Reads Challenge and Child Care

Too many children today are not able to read atgrade level. In 1994, according to the NationalAssessment of Educational Progress, 40 percent ofthe nationÕs fourth graders failed to read at the basiclevel. In 1997, President Clinton issued a challenge toevery American to help all children become goodreaders. Child care providers in homes and in cen-ters need to be supported in their efforts to expandliteracy activities for children of all ages. The AmericaReads Challenge provides an opportunity for all of usto rally our communities to provide this support.

All across the country, parents, providers, libraries,businesses, and public officials are stepping upefforts to link child care and literacy. For example:

■ In Nevada, the ChildrenÕs Cabinet held an EarlyEducation and Care summit to explore and to promote literacy and young children. Sessionsincluded information on such topics as literacy andlinks to the media, the business community, and thequality of care.

■ In Johnson County, Kansas, the public library cre-ated the Books to Grow program to reach homeproviders with books. Providers can check out bagswhich contain picture books, an audio tape and avideotape, and a folder of ideas for the provider.More than 100 kits representing more than 40 themesare in circulation in the community.

■ In Seattle, the Reading Is Cool project offers train-ing to out-of-school providers in the form of work-shops on such topics as developmental stages ofreading, learning styles, journal writing, and creatinga print-rich environment. The project also providesreading kits with information and materials forproviders, parents, and children.

■ In Maine, the Humanities Council, with supportfrom the Corporation for National Service and in

Study of Early Child Care, quality care effects schoolreadiness. For example, children in higher quality carescored higher in their ability to express and compre-hend language (NICHD ECRN, 1999). Similarly, theExecutive Summary of the Children of the Cost, Quality andOutcomes Study Go to School (Peisner-Feinberg, et al.,1999) found that children who attended child care withhigher quality classroom practices had better languageand math skills from the preschool years into elemen-tary school. In addition, children with closer teacher-child relationships in child care had better classroomsocial and thinking skills, language ability, and mathskills from preschool to elementary.

Recommended Practice

At least two important works provide critical guidanceto promote childrenÕs reading success. The NationalResearch Council report, Starting Out Right, providesspecific recommendations for parents, teachers, andchild care providers on how to help children becomesuccessful readers (Burns, Griffin, & Snow, 1999). TheIRA and NAEYC position statement, Learning to Readand Write: Developmentally Appropriate Practice for YoungChildren, includes a set of principles and recommenda-tions for teaching practices and public policy (IRA &NAEYC, 1998).

There is no simple answer to helping children to readand write. As the authors point out in Starting OutRight, reading is a complex and multifaceted process,and children need an approach to learning that inte-grates many elements (p. 6). Young children need lots ofexposure to oral language and print material. Theyneed to have the self-confidence to explore new ideasand feel the pleasure and excitement of listening andtelling stories, the intimacy of sharing, the joy of learn-ing.

During the infant and toddler years, children need rela-tionships with caring adults who engage in many one-on-one, face-to-face interactions with them to supporttheir oral language development and lay the foundationfor later literacy. During the preschool years, youngchildren need a wide range of developmentally appro-priate experiences to support literacy, including Ñ butnot limited to Ñ positive, nurturing relationships withadults who engage in responsive conversations withindividual children. Child care providers need to modelreading and writing behavior and foster childrenÕsinterest in and enjoyment of reading and writingthrough exposure to a print-rich environment and dailyadult reading of high-quality books (IRA & NAEYC,1998).


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bring a copy of the goals to the next meeting of yourorganization or network and help plan a literacy train-ing session for your annual conference.

■ If you are a trainer, you can share the goals, alongwith the IRA and NAEYC position statement, during asession on language and literacy.

■ If you work in a child care resource and referralagency, you can call a Child Care READS! meeting todiscuss launching a child care literacy campaign inyour community. Invite providers, parents, trainers,libraries, local businesses, and television stations.

The possibilities are endless. Whatever you decide todo to promote literacy, make sure you have fun, shareyour accomplishments and ideas with others, and letyour enthusiasm for childrenÕs language, literacy, andlove of learning shine through!

References

Burns, S., Griffin, P., & Snow, C. (Eds.). (1999). Startingout right. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.International Reading Association and the NationalAssociation for the Education of Young Children.(1998). Learning to read and write: Developmentallyappropriate practice for young children. Young Children,53(4).

NICHD Early Childhood Research Network. (1999).Does child care quality matter? The Society for Researchin Child Development.

Neumann, S. B. (in press). Books make a difference: Astudy of access to literacy. Reading Research Quarterly.

Peisner-Feinberg, et al. (1999). Executive summary of thechildren of the cost, quality and outcomes study go to school.

Snow, C., Burns, S., & Griffin, P. (1998). Preventing read-ing difficulties in young children. Washington, DC:National Academy Press.

Resources

To find out more about the America Reads Challenge,contact the Department of Education at (800) USA-LEARN or www.ed.gov.

The following publications are available throughNAEYC (www.naeyc.org):

■ Starting out right: A guide to promoting childrenÕs reading success.

partnership with the Maine Office of Child Careand Head Start, is sending Americorp members toprovide direct family literacy training to the staff ofa number of community agencies including HeadStart and child care centers and home child careproviders as part of the Born to Read program.

■ In Boston, WGBH is working on a new dailychildrenÕs television series to promote literacycalled Between the Lions, coming to PBS next year.Through the PBS Ready to Learn effort, affiliate stations across the country are promoting literacyand young children.

Hundreds of other examples of linkages betweenchild care and literacy are emerging. In 1999, theReading Excellence Act passed and was signed intolaw. This new competitive grants-to-states programincludes a focus on providing children with thereadiness skills and support they need in earlychildhood. It encourages school districts to formpartnerships with early childhood organizations,libraries, and a number of other community-basedorganizations. In addition, as part of the AmericaReads Challenge, federal work-study students canhelp increase time spent reading to children in childcare programs. Finally, the Department of Educa-tion, in collaboration with the Department ofHealth and Human Services and the Corporationfor National Service, has developed a set of materi-als called Ready-Set-Read which includes a guide forcaregivers and families.

Child Care READS! A Call to Action

These and other new opportunities serve as a call toaction to increase language and literacy for all chil-dren in child care from infancy through school age.It is time for all of us to expand our efforts to pro-vide language-rich and stimulating environmentsfor children in care. With this in mind, the ChildCare READS! goals were drafted to provide pro-grams and communities with a starting point foraction. Regardless of what role you play in thechild care community, you can use these goals tohelp decide what steps you will take to link childcare and literacy. For example:

■ If you are a teacher or director, you can discussthe goals as part of a staff or parent meeting. Askthe group what you can do together to increaseliteracy and how this may be different for babies,toddlers, preschoolers, school- age children?

■ If you are a family child care provider, you can


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■ The joint position statement of the International Reading Association and NAEYC: Learning to read and write: Developmentally appropriate practice for young children.

■ Raising a reader, raising a writer (a brochure for parents).

To share your ideas on Child Care READS!, contactLaurie Miller at the Child Care Action Campaign at(212) 239-0138 or at www.usakids.org/sites/ccac.html.


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nap/ rest time. This is especially good when veryyoung children are in transition and no longer needlong naps. Being able to read on the cot or bed at naptime allows the child to slow up a bit and give her body the rest she needs and perhaps even a few minutes ofsleep.

Most young children have figured out that when adultsare doing something, that thing is usually important.When they see their parents and teachers in an activity,such as reading, it takes on a new importance to them.When adults surround themselves with things such asbooks and other reading material, those things alsobecome important to children. Helping young childrenget hooked on books should be the goal of every parentand teacher.

I believe if we read to children every day from the timethey are born, surround them with good books at home,in the car, and in their child care settings, and set anexample with our personal reading habits, most chil-dren will be reading, without instruction, before they arefive. If televisions are removed from family rooms (putin closets or behind doors, only to be brought out forspecial programs), the natural reading age will be ear-lier than five for many children.

An evaluation of our surroundings to see how readerfriendly they are for children should be an ongoing procedure. Some ways we can encourage children toappreciate books and reading are listed below.

■ Read stories aloud every day, any time, and anyplace. Make reading an intimate experience at both thebeginning and ending of each day. Read as often astime allows, remembering that you can never read toomuch. Reading must be an everyday experience if youare seriously committed to helping children develop alove for books and reading.

■ Travel with books. We are a very mobile society andoften make several trips away from home or school

Creating Readers


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Over the years, talking with teachers and parentsabout reading, I have often shared one of our

family secrets Ñ we never had a Òlights outÓ rulefor children or adults! People respond with looks ofdisbelief and questions pour forth. ÒHow is bedtimemanaged? Do children ever want to go to bed?ÓThe answer is yes, they do want to go to bed.

Establishing a bedtime based on the age and devel-opment of the child was the first part of our rule.The second part was that you could read until youwere ready to turn off the lamp on the bedsidetable. (Many adults are not aware that childrenneed a reading lamp on a table next to their bed!)Once you were in bed with your books, you neverhad to get out again. With this rule, reading is theonly activity Ñ no telephone, no television. Inter-estingly enough, even young children are capable ofassuming this responsibility, and it makes them feelwonderfully good about themselves. The books weread the night before are often part of early morn-ing conversations, and children want to show spe-cial pictures or share part of the story that meantsomething special to them. Books and reading takeon a whole new importance with the bedtime reading adventure. The same rules can apply to

Leah Curry-Rood is vice presidentand co-owner of Gryphon House. For

the last 35 years, she has beenhelping early childhood profession-als use books creatively with young children. When she is not reviewing

children’s books, she studies the history of tea and tends a

beautiful flower garden.

by Leah Curry-Rood

Researchers have shown that an infantÕs hearing begins in the fifth month of prenatal life and is fullydeveloped by the time an infant is three months old. Reading to children should begin the fifth monthof prenatal life and continue until children are able to read to you. Children who have parents andcaregivers who read to them develop strong neural connections that lay the pathway for later learning.

Ñ Dr. Pamela Schiller, Start Smart: Building Brain Power in the Early Years (Gryphon House, 1999)”“

ing television and playing computer games can easilybecome an addiction. Young children need to beactively involved with manipulatives, games, friends,conversation, exploration activities, and problem-solv-ing experiences. The passive nature of time with elec-tronic machines violates everything we know abouthow young children learn and grow. Television encour-ages a short attention span and provides no opportu-nity for children to ask questions, one of the ways theylearn. Eight years old is soon enough for most childrento be involved with television. DonÕt let the commonpractice of others contradict what you know is the rightthing to do. The grumbles and mumbles will end in afew days, especially if the television is replaced withbooks, games, and other fun activities. Be the first totake a stand. Conversation takes on a whole newdimension without the sounds of televisions, VCRs,and computer games in the background!

■ Be an adult model. Having a period of time forpersonal reading in the presence of children allowsthem to note an important event in the life of anadult who is important to them. This can be letters,daily schedules, magazines, product labels, direc-tions, etc. Modeling becomes an even more meaning-ful experience for children if you answer theirquestions about what you are reading, or share withthem what was learned from your reading.

■ Take time for conversations. Take time each dayto have a special conversation with each child.Engage children in conversation about things theywant to talk about or things you know they are inter-ested in. Know the literature available in the class-room to the point that you are able to direct them toa book that will enhance their current interest. Parents can use information gleaned from daily con-versations to make special gift selections or to assiston the next visit to the library. Networking betweenchildren and books and language is the real job ofteachers and parents.

Reading Aloud to Young Children

It is always preferable to read to one or two childrenwho have selected a book from the shelf that is specialfor them, at that moment. However, in reality, that isnot always practical or possible and we find ourselvesreading to a group. Reading to groups of childreninvolves some careful planning and preparation. Thereare a few important things to remember when readingis a group activity.

■ Be selective. Choose stories to read aloud that youlike. There are too many wonderful stories from which

each day. Delays and standing in line are boring forchildren and adults and waste much time. Keeping abox of books in the car (which are changed frequently)and suggesting to children that they bring a book forthe outing will give some extra reading time. Reading iscontagious. When adults see other adults reading inpublic places such as a long line at the store, a doctorÕsoffice waiting room, a restaurant, and dozens of otherplaces, they silently say, ÒWow, what a good idea,maybe I should try that with my children.Ó This is theway we will build a nation of happy reading children,and the side benefit will be that there will no longer bea need to worry about test scores.

■ Set up a library learning center. The library centershould be a place that invites children to come in: aplace they choose to go to read. Display books face outso children can see the covers and select ones thatappeal to them. Make available other reading materials,such as childrenÕs magazines and colorful pictures.Wordless books are also an important ingredient in thechildÕs library. Even very young children just learningto talk can become wonderful storytellers when givenstimulating pictures and wordless books. Comfortablefurniture and soft floor pillows will encourage childrento rest a while and read. At home, children need a special bookshelf or plastic crate that will hold theirpersonal books and other reading materials. Their per-sonal books should be easy for them to reach withouthelp.

■ Establish regular visits to the local library. Takechildren for regularly scheduled visits to the library.Each child should have a library card. This is a veryimportant step and one that often changes a childÕs self-perception, from that of a non-reader to that of a reader.The only limit on the number of books checked outshould be the libraryÕs rule. Children should be encour-aged to take as many books as they want. It would bedifficult to over indulge a child with too many books. Ithink we should be concerned with the opposite, notenough books. Getting hooked on books needs to hap-pen in the early years.

■ Encourage children to share favorite books. Findways to help children share their favorite books withfriends and classmates at school. This provides anopportunity for the child to identify closely with a bookand will help children and adults to see the child as apotential reader. This positive image helps both thechild who is sharing the book and other children whomight be reluctant to spend much time with books tothink again about the possibility of giving booksanother chance.

■ Turn off computers, VCRs, and televisions. Watch-


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libraries at home and at the center to be sure our collections contain only the highest quality literature forchildren. The characteristics below are considered basicto any childrenÕs book collection. It is important toidentify the characteristics you expect books in yourcollection to have and be sure that all staff and parentswork cooperatively to make these types of books avail-able to children.

■ The story must be enjoyable to young children andcapture their attention in the first couple of pages.

■ The text and illustrations must work together on thesame page. Both the text and the illustrations must befree from any stereotype or prejudice about any personor group of people.

■ The story should stimulate the childÕs imagination.

■ A sense of self-worth should be encouraged in thestory.

■ A wide range of family lifestyles and cultures shouldbe included in the book selections for all children.

■ Stories with minimal text are preferable for youngchildren. Stories with repetitive phrases, rhymingwords, and crisp dialogue are often favorites.

■ Illustrations should be of highest quality, with goodcolor, crisp line drawings, and superior photographs.

■ A variety of artistic styles should be evidenced in aquality picture book collection.

■ Stories should encourage independence and cele-brate competency in children. They should affirm thevalue of each child.

Short List of Favorite Picture Books

Owl Babies, Martin Waddell, Illustrator Patrick Benson

All Kinds of Families, Norma Simon, Illustrator JoeLasker

Going Home, Eve Bunting, Illustrator David Diaz

Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown, IllustratorClement Hurd

Honey I Love, Eloise Greenfield, Illustrator Jan SpiveyGilchrist

Pretend YouÕre a Cat, Jean Marzollo, Illustrator JerryPinkney

to choose to read something that you donÕt enjoy.The effectiveness of the way you read the story willbe in some measure related to your own enjoymentof the story.

■ Practice reading the story. Practice reading thestory, making additions and deletions to the text,turning the pages at the appropriate time, holdingthe book in such a way that you can still have eyecontact with the children. When you are familiarwith the story and are comfortable with your pre-sentation, read the story in front of a mirror. Thiswill give you an even better perspective on youroverall presentation.

■ Express your feelings. All good stories haveemotional content: happy, sad, joyous, disappoint-ment, fear, courage, desire. Reveal the feelings theauthor has planned through your reading or tellingthe story. Use lots of expression, and change yourtone of voice to suit the story. Your feelings shouldcome through loud and clear.

■ Pace your reading. Most of us read too fast whenwe read aloud. Be aware of that and slow downyour overall pace. After that adjustment, begin tonotice parts of the story that need to be read evenslower, and parts that may need to be faster. Chil-dren need time to paint their own mental picturesfrom the words you are reading. Adjust your pace tofit the story, and bring the listeners to the edge oftheir chairs or to their feet at the appropriate time.

■ Make illustrations or pictures easily visible.Hold the book in such a way that all the childrencan see the illustrations as you read the story.

■ Make the story fit. Elaborate, eliminate, or other-wise change your reading or telling of a story if itimproves the story for the children.

■ Plan the story time with children. It is importantto finish a story unless you plan with the children toread only a portion at a particular time. If this is nec-essary, the plan should also include an announce-ment of the time the story will be finished. Whenyou interrupt a story abruptly with no explanation,you signal to the children that this is not veryimportant, and it is also disrespectful to them.

Important Things to Look for WhenSelecting Books

Just as we check the environment to be certain it isreader friendly for children, we need to check our


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Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, Bill MartinJr., Illustrator Eric Carle

You Be Good and IÕll Be Night, Eve Merriam

WeÕre Going on a Bear Hunt, Michael Rosen, IllustratorHelen Oxenbury

My Very First Mother Goose, Iona Opie (Editor), Illustrator Rosemary Wells

The Carrot Seed, Ruth Krauss, Illustrator Crockett John-son

Dancing with the Indians, Angela Shelf Medearis, Illus-trator Samuel Byrd

Mrs. Katz and Tush, Patricia Polacco

Tacky the Penguin, Helen Lester, Illustrator Lynn Mun-singer

The Keeping Quilt, Patricia Polacco

All Kinds of Children, Norma Simon, Illustrator DianePaterson

Zora Hurston and the Chinaberry Tree, William Miller,Illustrators Cornelius van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Laura Joffe Numeroff, Illus-trator Felicia Bond

Knots on a Counting Rope, Bill Martin Jr., Ted Rand

All the Colors of the Earth, Shelia Hamanaka

Amazing Grace, Mary Hoffman, Illustrator CarolineBinch

My Fried Bear, Jez Alborough

Turtle Bay, Saviour Pirotta, Illustrator Nilesh Mistry

Miss Tizzy, Libba Moore Gray, Illustrator Jada Rowland

If, Sarah Perry


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Additional Resources

Start Smart: Building Brain Power in the EarlyYears, Pam SchillerFailure to Connect: Why Computers Affect OurChildrenÕs Minds and What We Can Do

About It, Jane M. HealyThe Plug-In Drug: Television, Children and theFamily, Marie WinnThe Complete Learning Center Book, RebeccaIsbellStory S-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-r-s: Activities to ExpandChildrenÕs Favorite Books, Shirley RainesThe Read-Aloud Handbook, Jim Trelease

Family Literacy by Jean Berry Racin

We ÒnaturallyÓ help children develop spoken language. We can do the same with literacy. We need to help parentsunderstand THEY ALREADY KNOW what their children need to know to develop prereading/writing skills. Weneed to help them in their role as coaches and cheerleaders of literacy. And we need to show them how to transfer thisknowledge to their children, as Jim Trelease wrote, ÒTo gently match the skills with the developing interest. . . .Ó Theparent is the childÕs first teacher as well as the childÕs most significant role model in manners and morals. This is notnew Ñ ÒSchool of motherÕs kneeÓ is a 17th century line!

■ One of Jean PiagetÕs most profoundly simple research conclusions is his observation that Òthe more a child hasseen and heard, the more he wants to see and hear.Ó And as Dr. Saso wrote, ÒThe curriculum that most benefits babiesis simply common sense . . . carrying on an ongoing dialogue with adult speech. Vocabulary words are a magnet for achildÕs thinking and reading skills.Ó In other words, from the very beginning, respond to babbling!

■ Talk, talk, talk, and listen! What to talk about? Everything! Describe what you are doing, what is going to happennext, and why. What are you seeing? As you move about the house, the playground, the store, the library, the gas station, the cleaners, use descriptive words. And read, read, read Ñ street signs, billboards, the mail, when makingnotations on the calendar, when making lists, store signs, and when using the dictionary. And use the word READ Ñi.e., ÒWhile you are in the sandbox, I am going to read my book.Ó ÒI need a rest, letÕs read a book!Ó ÒI shall have toread the recipe before I start the cake.Ó ÒAfter your bath, we will read a library book.Ó Keep a list of the library booksyou read Ñ when you have brought the same library book home six times, put it on a list to BUY because you willknow you all love the book!

■ Talk about writing Ñ ÒI am going to write out our shopping list.Ó ÒIÕm going to write your name and the date onyour picture, on the snapshots (checks, notes, plans).Ó Every time you are writing, explain what you are writing.Every time a family member leaves the house, let it be a habit to write where one is going and when returning. (It will not be a problem then when the child is 14 and suddenly one wants to know where he/she is going and whenreturning!) And have crayons and paper available for the child to write!

■ Language can also help a child begin to understand manners. Diogenes said, ÒWhen the child swears, strike thefatherÓ Ñ this is not a new theory! Listen to yourself. Do you say: ÒPlease,Ó ÒExcuse me,Ó ÒThank you,Ó ÒIÕm sorryÓ?Do you say: ÒLet us help our friendsÓ? ÒLet us write a note to thank . . .Ó? Modeling responsibility and understandingis done through talking as well as actions! And be specific in praise or redirection Ñ children need to know why theyare ÒgoodÓ Ñ or in need of redirection!

■ Sing or say all the rhymes and songs you know Ñ from childhood, from church, from jumping rope, from camp,from high school, from long car trips Ñ along with finger plays and games (make believe begins with Òpeek-a-booÓ).Also, ÒLet pretendÓ Ñ real (playing Òtea partyÓ) or imaginary (ÒletÕs pretend we are kittensÓ).

■ Connect the rhymes, songs, stories to what you are doing Ñ ÒThis is the way we wash the baby.Ó And tell storiesÑ stories you remember, family stories, stories which include your children: ÒWhen we first saw you . . . .Ó ÒDo youremember when . . . ?Ó Stories can begin ÒOnce upon a time . . .Ó or ÒI remember . . .Ó or ÒLet me tell you about . . . .Ó

■ Stories told or stories read in books can relieve anxiety before a new experience: off to the dentist, to a sitter,company is coming, a new baby Ñ and they can be a way to reflect on past experiences. Life is total immersion for the child Ñ and whatever is in the environment is a learning opportunity!

In Playtime Learning Games, Dr. Alice Honig describes the learning tasks of the young childas ÒLearning to make groups . . . Learning to see separate parts in a big group . . . Learningto line up objects in a logical order . . . Learning howtime goes . . . Learning about places and how space isorganized . . . Learning what numbers mean . . . Learningthe difference between real and seeming change . . .Learning to use body parts together . . . Learning to reason . . . Learning language and using books . . . Learning social skills.Ó Learning language encompassesall Dr. HonigÕs learning tasks and is critical in learning toREAD!


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Jean Berry Racin has three major passions — children, reading,

and chocolate — and loves traveling! Currently, she is a

Head Start consultant, CDA rep,NAEYC validator, and education

consultant at Gryphon House.


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When children are provided with literacy-relatedmaterials in their classroom, they often engage in

many literacy behaviors. A glimpse in one classroom onseveral different days yielded many episodes, five ofwhich will be described here.

Episode One

ÒGotta have this, and this, and I need this, this, and this.Gotta get the eggs. There, the eggs. Okay. Hey! Wait aminute. Gotta have, gotta make, gotta have a recipe.Ó

After placing several containers, a mixing bowl andspoon, and a half-dozen size egg carton full of plasticeggs on the play kitchen table, Daniel dashed off to thewriting/drawing center shelves. He stood back for amoment, inspecting the colored paper sitting there inpiles. He selected a white piece and quickly headedback to the play house area where he put the piece ofpaper down among the containers of ingredients (oneeach labeled flour, sugar, and salt) and his mixing bowland spoon. He looked across the kitchen to the tele-phone, and eyed the pad of paper there, before movingto pick up the pencil attached to it by a piece of string.He stretched the string as far as it would go toward thetable. ÒWonÕt work,Ó Daniel said, as he realized that thepencil would not reach all the way to the table. ÒOh,my. Hey! What now?,Ó he muttered to himself.

He returned to the writing/drawing table and selecteda yellow marker from a can of markers sitting on theshelf. Then he dashed back to the kitchen table andused the marker to write five zig-zag lines across hiswhite piece of paper. After dashing back to the writ-ing/drawing table to return the marker, he hurriedback to the kitchen, picked up his recipe, and began toconsult it as he started to cook. ÒEggs,Ó he said as hepeered at the recipe as if reading it. ÒCrack, crack!,Ó hesaid as he banged two eggs against the side of the bowland then added them (shell and all) to his mixing bowl.After stirring the plastic eggs for a few quick stirs, hethen read again from his recipe: ÒFlour,Ó he said.ÒWhereÕs the flour? This? No. This? Yes!,Ó he said tohimself as he lifted first the sugar container and thenthe flour container. (Both were one pound coffee canscovered with construction paper and labeled sugar andflour, respectively.)

Daniel pretended to dump flour into the mixingbowl from the flour container and then consultedthe recipe again. ÒSugar. Got to have sugar,Ó he saidto himself. He removed the plastic lid from the topof the container labeled sugar and began to tip it toadd some to his mixing bowl. Then he put the con-tainer down, put his hands on his hips, and said,ÒWait a minute. Got to make some sugar.Ó Hecrumpled his recipe loosely between the palms ofboth hands and then stuffed it into the sugar con-tainer. Then he tipped the container upside downwhile holding it over his mixing bowl. When therecipe paper (now sugar) did not fall out, he usedthe handle of his mixing spoon to jab and pull itout. Then he stirred everything up in his mixingbowl, poured the mixture out into a metal pan hehad found on the shelf, put his cake into the playmicrowave oven, and set the timer.

Episode Two

ÒThere are sharks in the water. Get out of here. Get inthe boat. Get in the boat!Ó

Kevin and some friends had been building boats inthe block area. Once finished, the play began.

ÒMaybe you need a sign to warn people,Ó a teachersuggested. ÒI think they post signs at beaches when

Judith A. Schickedanz is professorof education at Boston University.She coordinated the program inearly childhood education for 20years and continues to serve asthe director of the Early ChildhoodLearning Laboratory, a facilityfocusing on teacher education andthe development of curriculum and instructional practices forpreschool and kindergarten class-rooms.

by Judith A. Schickedanz

Setting the Stage for LiteracyEvents in the Classroom

Episode Three

ÒThis is a ship, and I want to make a sign for it. How do youspell ÔshipÕ?Ó

ÒIt begins with SH,Ó the teacher said.

ÒI know that,Ó Nicole said, Òbut I donÕt know how towrite it.Ó

ÒOkay. Well, SH is spelled with the letters S and H. Youknow how Josh spells his name at the end. His nameends with SH.Ó

ÒI canÕt make an S,Ó Nicole complained.

ÒI can,Ó said Kyle, who was playing nearby. ÒIÕll showyou.Ó He took another marker and made an S onNicoleÕs piece of paper (the first thin one to the left inFigure 2). ÒLike that,Ó he said.

Nicole took her own black marker in hand but thenpaused. She handed the marker to a teacher standingnearby as she said, ÒI canÕt make an S. You do it.Ó Theteacher took the marker and formed an S while Nicolewatched. Then Nicole wrote an H and a P. She pausedfor a moment and then added the word MOTR (crossedout the T she had added right after the M, realizing,apparently, that an O comes next) under the word SHP(ship). ÒItÕs a motor boat,Ó she explained. ÒThat saysÔmotor.ÕÓ

ÒYes, I see that it does,Ó said the teacher as she glancedat the paper.

Nicole got some tape and stuck her sign on the boat shehad built with blocks.

Episode Four

ÒIÕm going to write a letter to my mommy.Ó

Natashamade thisannounce-ment as shejoined otherchildrenwho weresitting at thewriting/drawingtable. Shecarried withher a piece

it isnÕt safe to swim. They say something likeÔShark-infested waters. No swimming.Õ That way,people know it isnÕt safe to be in the water.Ó

Kevin jumped out of his boat (into what had beenthe shark-infested waters) and plopped down bythe small table in the back of the block area wherepaper, markers, and tape supplies are kept. Hequickly formed a string of letters, BVOVOHR. Thenhe made two drawings. Next he added anotherstring of letters, TOPBIV. He then grabbed the tapedispenser and cut off a piece of tape. He started toattach the sign to his boat.

ÒWhat if you go far out to sea?,Ó the teacher asked.ÒPeople wonÕt be able to see the sign. They mightnot know of the danger and that they need to takesafety precautions.Ó

Kevin stopped for a minute and then transferred hissign from his boat to the edge of the block areashelf. As he finished posting it, the teacher asked,ÒWhat does it say?Ó

ÒIt says, ÔYou have to be safety because there is dan-ger.ÕÓ As he read it, he ran his finger under the firstline of letters.

ÒAnd what does it say down here?,Ó the teachercontinued, pointing to the shorter string.

ÒIt says, ÔA beluga whale can be happy.ÕÓ

ÒOh, I see,Ó said the teacher. ÒWell, thanks for mak-ing asign towarn ofthe dan-ger. Itwillprobablypreventsomeinjuriesnow thatpeopleknowsome

sharks have been spotted here.Ó

With that, Kevin hopped back in his boat and wentout to sea. The seas were rough, though, and he wastossed overboard many times. Luckily, he escapedfrom the sharks each time by getting back in hisboat, just in time.


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Figure 1

Figure 2

the other. We call that a colon. Then you need toadd two zeros. Then you need a dash. Then youneed the numeral 7. Then you need another colonand two more zeros after that.Ó

After Tamara finished writing the time, Mollyasked what kind of a dance recital it was.

ÒA ballet recital,Ó Tamara answered.

ÒI think youshould writethat on my invi-tation,Ó Mollysuggested.

ÒHow do youspell it?,ÓTamara asked.

Molly soundedout the word,sound by sound,and Tamaraknew which let-ter to write foreach one. Mollythen toldTamara that theword ballet hada T at the end,even though wecanÕt hear it.

of paper she had selected from the shelf. Several cans ofmarkers were already sitting on the table. She pulledover the closest one and selected the orange marker. Shestarted her letter by placing a line of large zig-zags nearthe top. After finishing it, she announced that they wereMÕs. Then she added a second line, beginning it withanother M and then what appeared to be an inverted Vfollowed by two marks which looked like NÕs.

She continued adding lines of writing to her paper.There were more MÕs and another inverted V mark. Shealso added a patch of four lines, consisting of a long linefollowed by a short line, repeated twice. At the verybottom, she added a series of marks, which she wrotevery quickly. Then she returned to the top of the paperwith her marker and drew a continuous, loose lineacross the first line of MÕs and then over most of the restof her letter to mom.

ÒIÕm going to give this to my mommy,Ó she announcedas she put away her marker, picked up her paper, andheaded for her take-home folder sitting in the basketnear the door.

Another child sitting at the writing/drawing table hadbeen stringing letters together on the pages of a blankbook, making what appeared to be words. ÒIÕm going togive this to my mommy, too,Ó he announced.

Episode Five

ÒMolly, will you come to my dance recital?Ó

ÒSure, IÕd like to. Are you going to send me an invitation?Ó

ÒIÕll make one,Ó Tamaraannounced.

Tamara headed away fromthe climber on which sheÕdbeen playing over to thebench where she knew aclipboard with paper and amarker could be found. Firstshe drew three lines of zig-zag scribble writing. ThenMolly asked what time therecital was. Tamara said thatit was from two to sevenoÕclock. When she askedhow to write this, Mollytalked her through it: ÒFirstyou need to write thenumeral 2. Then you needtwo dots, one right above


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Figure 4

on the other side. On the playground, there is a signposted on the wall where the wheel track, whichextends all around the perimeter of the playground,curves. Its purpose is to remind children to slow down:Dangerous Curve, the sign says. No doubt Kevin hadseen signs outside of school as well.

Daniel (episode one) had also seen print used in a spe-cific context Ñ on a recipe. In his classroom, recipecharts are used fairly routinely in the many cookingprojects in which the children often engage. Danielliked to participate in these real cooking projects, andthe detailed knowledge he revealed in his dramaticplay was probably based in part on this previous class-room experience, as well as on experience with cookingthat he might have had at home. Daniel received nodirect assistance from an adult when he made his recipeand used it in the house play area to make a cake. Butthe adult assistance Daniel had received in previous sit-uations, such as in classroom cooking projects, wasclearly evident in his play.

Both Nicole and Tamara needed some direct assistancewith their writing. Nicole was perplexed about how tomake an S and asked the teacher to make it for her. She also asked how to code /SH/. Tamara needed theteacher to segment the words she wanted to write onher invitation, but she could form the letters without

help, and she knew which let-ter is used to code a specificsound. Of course, she didnÕtknow that ballet has a T atthe end. The teacher providedthis detail about its spelling.

Although the examples usedhere all involve childrenÕswriting Ñ their creation ofprint Ñ children in this class-room also try to read printthey encounter in many con-texts. Daniel read the wordsflour and sugar on these housearea play props. He also pre-tended to read his ownrecipe. Sometimes childrenretell favorite books that havebeen read to them repeatedly,often from a Big Book. Somechildren pretend to read bylooking at the pictures in thebook, which helps prompttheir recall of a predictabletext.

Molly then suggested that Tamara write ÒTo Molly,Óand she helped her spell these words. Finally, Mollyasked Tamara what she would wear for her balletrecital. Tamara said, ÒA leotard and a tutu.Ó Shewanted to know how to write these words. Mollysounded them out and Tamara wrote these wordsat the bottom of MollyÕs invitation because Mollysaid it was okay for her to write them there.

How Does theClassroom

EnvironmentSupport

Literacy-Related Engagement?

The most obvious answer to the question posed inthe above heading is that materials must be avail-able to the children. Had paper and markers notbeen in the classroom and on the playground at thisschool, it is doubtful that the children would haveexhibited these literacy-related behaviors. But phys-ical resources are not enough. Adults must be avail-able to help children in various ways. SometimesadultsÕ comments are what prompt children tothink of writing.

Kevin (episode two) mightnot have made a sign warning others about thesharks had the teacher notmentioned the possibilityto him. KevinÕs previousexperiences with signs also(no doubt) came into play.Knowing that signs func-tion to provide informationto people, Kevin under-stood what the teachermeant when she suggestedthat he should make a signto warn people of danger.

Kevin gained some of thisunderstanding about signsfrom those posted in theclassroom. One is on adoor through which chil-dren exit the building to goout to the playground. It isa warning to adults whoalso pass through the door:Please open this door slowly.Children might be in the hall


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Figure 5

Other children, who are closer to reading convention-ally, use their knowledge of the storyÕs text to locateand point at specific words. Children also read signs inthe classroom, and they often ask about the writingthey see printed on other childrenÕs clothing. At snackeach day, children help a teacher read a picture/wordmenu card that tells how many crackers they may have.At group time, they see the teacher read lines frompoem and song charts, and they often try to read along.When children check in the books they have borrowedfrom the classroom library, they often scan the booksÕtitles and then match these to the title printed on thecard they must return to a pocket in the back of eachbook.

In all of these ways, and more, children in print-richclassrooms engage in literacy-related behaviors. Theteacher sets the stage by providing both literacy-relatedmaterials and a supportive social environment in whichchildren can test out their budding understandings andobtain the instructional help they need.


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Figure 6

Figure 7

Drawings in this article provided by the author


Jeanette Allison, Ph.D., is an associateprofessor in early childhood educationin the College of Education at Arizona

State University West, Phoenix, Arizona.She has taught at both the preschooland elementary levels and worked for

Head Start. She specializes in the project approach, multiage grouping,

and urban education.

Think about a time when you were especiallyinterested in something Ñ planning a special

outing, developing a hobby. Remember howabsorbed you were in the process? Children, too,become absorbed in what they are doing whensomething has high personal interest to them. Theproject approach is a wonderful way to help children become more absorbed in learning. It is anespecially useful tool for literacy curriculum.

The Project Approach

The project approach focuses on topics, places,people, events, phenomena, animals, and objectsthat are of particular interest to children. Children

learn about these things through projects. Projects arein-depth investigations that can last from two weeks toone year (Allison, 1997a; Hartman & Eckerty, 1995; Katz& Chard, 1989). The average time frame for a project isfour weeks. Projects:

■ are driven by what children want to know.

■ center on direct contact with environments.

■ result in something children make that representswhat they learn.

Projects and Very Young Children

Projects seem to be more developmentally appropriatefor children four years old or older due to the in-depthnature of project work. Very young children appear tobe interested in pieces of project work that offer imme-diate success Ñ mixing paint, painting objects, playingwith something they made. If three year olds partici-pate in projects, enlist the support of older peers andfamily members. Practice with table top projects that aresmall, self-directing, and of high interest. Children loveturning small milk cartons and tissue boxes into objectsthat represent real things.

Literacy-Project Connections

Reading experts recommend that teachers Òstart withthe knownÓ (Clay, 1993). This means that teachers basecurriculum on what children already know. Childrenalso work from their strengths as they learn about reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Projects offerfriendly environments for children to try out theirdeveloping literacy skills in familiar situations. Duringprojects, children build literacy skills as they:

■ use oral language during high interest tasks (e.g.,asking questions about a puppeteer that visited theclass).

■ experiment with written language as they seekanswers to these questions (e.g., journals, books,posters, pamphlets, songs).

■ use oral and written language together as they createartifacts that represent what they know (e.g., discusswhat to call their homemade village and then createsigns for it).

The Phases of Projects

Projects usually go through three main phases. Somechildren will be involved throughout the entire project;others will dabble in the project at different times.

by Jeanette Allison

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BuildingLiteracyCurriculumUsing theProjectApproach

Table-top projects are small constructions to fit on topof tables, with three children working on individual orsmall-group projects. Making animals and animalhomes from milk cartons and recylables are populartable-top projects. Children can think of favorite ani-mals and habitats Ñ birds and nests, for example Ñdecide on and gather necessary construction materials,and make their creations.

Meanwhile, the teacher guides children through plan-ning, preparing, constructing, and sharing these pro-jects in the same manner she would for large projects.The construction phase can occur in various locationsÑ on the floor, on the sidewalk outside the room, aswell as on tables. When most children understandhow to create a project, the teacher can solicit fromthem topic ideas for larger projects. Pieces of thesmaller projects often lead to larger projects.

Choosing a topic. The best topics stem from what children want to know. For in-depth topic advice,please see Allison (1997b) and Katz and Chard(1989).

When project work is new to the teacher, she candecide on the topic. Soon thereafter topics need to bedriven by childrenÕs curiosities. Try these interest-targeting strategies:

■ Observe a recurring interest in childrenÕs play.Ask, ÒWould you like to know more about that?Ó

■ Wait for children to tell you that they want toknow about something (e.g., after watching a con-struction site next to the center, three children ask,ÒCan we go see what the big people are doing?Ó).

■ Hold a general interest-probing session to askwhat children want to know more about. With multiple responses, vote for one topic and follow upon others later.

■ Initiate a specific, short-term investigation (e.g., aschildren look through the book Cactus Hotel (Guiber-son, 1991), ask, ÒDo you know how that book wasmade? There is a place we can visit that will show ushow books are put together.Ó). An author study couldcomplement this investigation.

Gathering resources. (Do ahead of time if possible.)Collect all types of odds and ends: toilet paper andpaper towel rolls; all sizes of boxes; craft items such asribbons, buttons, fabric, and glitter; plastic containers;empty cardboard egg cartons and milk cartons (paintadheres to these better than plastic); masking tape;

Offer activities that are both related (e.g., buildinghouses with blocks in the block corner for a house pro-ject) and unrelated to the project (e.g., standard centerchoices such as dramatic play or puzzles). Projects canbe initiated at home also.

Phase One Getting Started

The first phase of a project is the most time consuming.It involves deciding on a topic, assessing childrenÕsskills and knowledge, brainstorming plans, gatheringresources, identifying literacy resources, and assigningresponsibilities. The teacher continually writes downchildrenÕs ideas in order to model connections betweenoral and written language.

Before creating larger projects, it is a good idea for chil-dren to experiment with smaller projects. Children needto learn the process of the project approach Ñ fromconceptualizing ideas to making concrete artifacts fromthose ideas. Many teachers find that table-top projectshelp children learn the process of the project approach.


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Choose topics that require children to exploretheir surroundings directly and repeatedly. Thebest topics allow children to generate more topicsas they work. Here are some examples:

1. The children: Houses/homes, shelters, schoolbus, popular businesses that cater to children(e.g., toy factory).

2. Immediate surroundings: School buildingsand places such as the cafeteria, the neighborhood.

3. Places of special interest or concern:Hospital, police station, post office, zoo, grocery store, city dump, special landmarks,puddles and ponds.

4. Things of special interest: Musical instru-ments, appliances/mechanical devices, shoes,toys, silly songs and things, lemonade stand.

5. Animals and insects of special interest:Dogs, cats, birds, snakes, spiders, dog houses,bird houses, cat condos (check local wildlifehabitats also).

6. People of special interest: Puppeteer, firefighter, dentist, veterinarian, mascot.

glue; etc. Contact potential community resourcessuch as the local science center, a nearby park, andthe zoo. Encourage parents and caregivers to sharetheir own talents and artifacts.

During resource-gathering times, children willencounter a lot of oral and written information.Designate small and large discussions to recordtheir findings. Dedicate special places for childrento deposit information they glean for the project(e.g., wildlife zoo pamphlets displayed in a classphoto album).

Building background knowledge. Be sure childrenhave a common understanding of words and information. For instance, common words for aÒSheltersÓ project are protection, habitats, struc-tures, homes, caves, burrows, and nests. Commoninformation can be found in posters and childrenÕsbooks (see list at the end of this article). Promi-nently display words and information around theroom. Take field trips and involve guests. SolicitchildrenÕs questions about the project (e.g., How dobirds make nests? How do birds make holes in thecactus when there are needles that could hurtthem?) Encourage them to record (draw, write) theirfindings in daily journals.

Phase Two Project in Full Action

By the second phase, the project gains momentum.Most children will have begun to experiment withproject words during reading, singing, drawing,and writing. Children will have completed simpleinvestigations and will know a lot more by now.Phase Two is the messiest and noisiest part of theproject. Do not panic. For children, this stage is themost invigorating, motivating, and productive time.They put action to wonderments, plans, and liter-acy skills. They create artifacts that represent whatthey are learning. For example, children will:

■ make an object (small or large).

■ draw or paint what they learned.

■ act out project events.

■ write about project experiences (from scribblingto conventional writing).

■ talk about their investigations and discoveries.

■ sing about their investigations and discoveries.

■ seek out more information about the project.


Child JournalingWHAT: Child journaling is a wonderful focal point of aliteracy program. Journaling involves children record-ing their thoughts and experimenting with written com-munication. Children draw, illustrate, scribble, andwrite in blank journals made by the teacher or pur-chased commercially. A highlight of the journalingprocess is when children share and read their journalsto themselves and others.

WHO: Journaling can be introduced at any age, evenwith infants. The goal is to familiarize children withwriting tools. Toddlers can experiment with non-toxiccrayons and markers. Preschoolers and kindergartnersbegin to understand that ideas are expressed in sym-bols, both illustrated and written. Preschoolers typicallyfocus on drawing and are fascinated by unusual writingtools such as smelly markers. Kindergartners will usejournaling to transition into writing. They begin toinclude letters and words with their drawings. Firstgraders continue to be fascinated with drawing but willinclude much more invented and conventional writing.

WHY: Often children draw before they write or read,and usually they write before they read. Journaling provides teachers and children with a non-threateningway to help children transition from drawing to writingto reading. Journaling also is personal for children; itaffords them open-ended moments to record theirthoughts and feelings.

WHEN: Offer journaling every day at a consistent timeÑ possibly each morning as children come to school.Journaling is a useful activity to supplement key experi-ences such as reflecting on a recent field trip. If somechildren do not want to journal, do not force them to.Instead, make journaling a very special time of interac-tion and sharing as a way to motivate involvement.

HOW: The journaling process can be open ended orguided by the teacher. Open-ended journaling allowschildren the greatest flexibility in their journal entries;they can draw and write about anything they choose. Itis especially advantageous for younger children andreluctant writers who need simply to experiment withlanguage and ideas. Sometimes childrenÕs reluctancestems from a need for involvement with the teacher.Other times a teacher may want children to journalabout certain topics such as Òmy favorite placeÓ and thezoo. In both cases, guided journaling is appropriate ifthe teacher remains encouraging and non-judgmentalabout all childrenÕs entries. A handy technique to usewith guided journaling is Òdraw and talkÓ Ñ as a topicis discussed, the teacher draws the topic or event onlarge paper, white board, chalkboard, and so on.

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eracy programs (decoding and breaking down wordsinto letters). Yes, reading involves phonics, but it is somuch more than that. It involves a complex combina-

Building upon childrenÕs wonderments. Encouragechildren to find answers to their questions. Their dis-coveries add additional direction to the project. Forinstance, kindergarten teacher Richard Radtke started aproject on ÒSheltersÓ with his children. During theirinvestigations, children constructed structures fromtissue boxes and milk cartons. Radtke noticed a lot ofchildren making miniature-size houses. He followed upon this interest by bringing in large boxes, placing themin front of children, and asking, ÒWhat could we dowith these boxes?Ó Children immediately replied,ÒMake houses!Ó

Making detailed plans. Next, Radtke solicited simpleplans from the children by asking, ÒHow do theseboxes become houses? What should we do first (second, third, etc.)? What do you need to do thesethings? How will we decide who gets to make thehouses? How will we use the houses when we are fin-ished making them?Ó These questions led to question-answer lists to which children referred duringdiscussions.

Phase Three Project in Transition

Phase Three is an important part of a projectÕs life. Theproject will go through natural changes that presentmore literacy learning opportunities. The project could:

■ splinter focus Ñ children continue to investigate theoriginal topic (houses) and add related investigations toit (kitchens and bedrooms).

■ shift focus (from animal shelters to people sheltersbecause children become more interested in the peoplepart).

■ dramatically shift topics (from animal shelters tostudying about ladybugs because children becameintrigued by ladybugsÕ shelters).

■ be used for other activities (using a house childrencreated as a hospital or library).

■ end with a culminating event (displaying project artifacts in the hallway or hosting a project fair for parents or peers).

■ fizzle out (children are ready to start a different pro-ject altogether or are needing to have a break from pro-ject work).

Conclusion

Often adults are overly concerned about phonics in lit-


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Literacy learning occurs throughout projects, notas separate activities. Literacy must be naturallyoccurring extensions of project activities (e.g.,vocabulary words come from books and pam-phlets children read, not from commercial, predetermined vocabulary lists). Include these literacy events throughout the entire project:

The children . . .

■ share questions and responses in groupings Ñpartners, small, and whole groups.

■ sing about what they are learning.

■ document answers and information (writing,drawing, videotape, audio tape, drama).

■ draw what they learn (with blank journals,construction paper, water colors, various writinginstruments).

■ write about what they learn (scribbling anddrawing are forms of writing).

■ read (pictures and print) about what theylearn via numerous print sources.

■ present what they learned using oral and written language and illustrations.

The teacher . . .

■ supports all childrenÕs literacy attempts eventhough they will vary.

■ holds many discussions with children to talkabout the project.

■ solicits childrenÕs ideas and writes theirresponses on flip-chart paper.

■ displays childrenÕs words, ideas, and workequally.

■ models connections between oral and writtenlanguage.

■ uses comprehension strategies such as K-W-L(Ogle, 1986), daily journals, discussions, andword walls.

tion of skills, knowledge, and events that extendbeyond looking at symbols on a page. Childrenneed to live literacy in different ways, starting withoral language and drawing, reading pictures, andturning their ideas into tangible products (such aswith project work). Projects provide children withendless opportunities to use their literacy.

Selected Children’s Books

Gibbons, G. (1990). How a house is built. New York: Holiday House.

Guiberson, B. Z. (1991). Cactus hotel. New York: HenryHolt.

Hoban, T. (1983). I read signs. New York: GreenwillowBooks.

Morris, A. (1992). Houses and homes. New York: Mul-berry.

Pfeffer, W. (1997). A logÕs life. New York: Simon &Schuster.

Ringgold, F. (1991). Tar beach. New York: Scholastic.

ReferencesAllison, J. (1997a). The project approach. In P. Rillero& J.

Allison (Eds.), Creative early childhood experiences inmathematics and science: Projects, activity series, and cen-ters for early childhood (pp. 223-232). Columbus, OH:ERIC Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics, andEnvironmental Education, (800) 276-0462,[email protected], www.ericse.org.

Allison, J. (1997b). Topics. In P. Rillero & J. Allison(Eds.), Creative early childhood experiences in mathematicsand science: Projects, activity series, and centers for earlychildhood (pp. 3-9). Columbus, OH: ERIC Clearing-house for Science, Mathematics, and EnvironmentalEducation.

Clay, M. M. (1993). Reading recovery. A guidebook forteachers in training. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Hartman, J. A., & Eckerty, C. (1995). Projects in theearly years. Childhood Education, 71, 141-148.

Katz, L. G., & Chard, S. C. (1989). Engaging childrenÕsminds: The project approach. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.

Ogle, D. (1986). K-W-L: A teaching model that devel-ops active reading of expository text. The ReadingTeacher, 39, 564-570.


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The author thanks Richard Radtke, kindergartenteacher, for collaborating on the Shelters project.

Documents

Building Literacy