Extending Literacy Learning: Take-Home Literature Packs

It is of great importance to consider the whole child when thinking of children's development and learning. In order to best support children, we must not think of them in one specific context, such as student, son, daughter, etc. Each child lives within a combination of contexts with a variety of influences. If we can build relationships and connections between the contexts in which children live, then we can more fully support each child in their development and learning. A very significant connection that we can make is the one between school and home. This is especially true in regards to literacy, since a child will be immersed in it both at school and at home. One approach to creating this connection is to implement a take-home literature program, mentioned in Gretchen Owocki's book, Make Way for Literacy!

A program such as this would involve creating a variety take-home literature packs and sending them home with children based on a rotation schedule. Each pack includes a set of books that share a common theme along with materials and activities that extend the ideas of the theme. The intention is for children and their families to explore and interact with the literature together and share meaningful experiences through the activities and materials provided. Ideally, a take-home literature program benefits everyone involved. Children benefit from the experience of collaborating with members of their family to interact with literature and further their learning and development. The program allows families to directly support their children's learning in a meaningful and enjoyable way that is specific to the abilities, interests, and needs of their children. It provides a method for teachers to connect and work with families in order to share expertise and ideas that will benefit the learning and development of the children.

For further reading about the benefits of reading at home with your child, below is a link to an article on the website for Scholastic.

http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/reading-together/make-connection

Fostering and Supporting Literacy Development for Young Children

The early stages of literacy development begin long before a child walks into a classroom. When children are enrolled into a childcare center, preschool, or school, they have already begun to develop communication skills and make connections between concepts and language. So what role does a parent, caregiver, or educator have in the literacy development of young children? One way in which we can support this development is discussed in an article titled, "“Why do you like this page so much?” Exploring the Potential of Talk during Preschool Reading Activities," written by Efleda Preclaro Tolentino, an early childhood assistant professor at the University of Vermont. In this article, she discusses the potential of talk and conversation in preschool reading activities. One of the main points of the article is that children communicate their knowledge through talking, which allows them to share ideas and make meaning. If we wish to foster and support literacy development, along with many other areas of development, then we should provide an environment which lends opportunities for children to engage in talking and conversation.


How do we provide such an environment? The key aspects of this environment include physical space, materials, and context. When deciding these aspects, it is important to keep in mind the atmosphere you desire to create for the children. In order to encourage communication and interaction, the children need to be free to explore their interests and make personal connections. This can be supported by setting up an appropriate space, providing varied literature, allowing the children to choose the literature in which they will interact with, and contexts that children can relate to. An environment such as this will promote not only interaction with the literature, but also interaction with others. As a result, children are free to explore literature, share their knowledge, and communicate with others to construct meanings that are inspired by the literature.

Link to the article mentioned:
“Why do you like this page so much?” Exploring the Potential of Talk during Preschool Reading Activities" written by Efleda Preclaro Tolentino

More ideas for supporting your child(ren)'s early literacy development:
Supporting young children's early literacy development
Department of Human Services — Koorie Early Childhood Education Program

Connecting Literacy at Home to Literacy in the Classroom

Cultural background plays a significant role in the construction of one's identity and, therefore, the way that they learn and communicate. The environment in which one is submerged in at an early age will largely influence their methods and ability in regards to literacy. Since no two people come from the exact same experiences, literacy is different for everyone. It is imperative as an educator that I understand how to get to know each student as a unique individual and discover ways in which I can best support them in their growth and development. Understanding the literacy that a student experiences at home will allow me to help them make connections between school and home so that learning can occur both in and out of the classroom.