Literacy+Environment

 The literacy learning environment and multidimensional teaching are interrelated. A learning environment that is rich in literacy is a crucial part of helping students make sense of the environmental print and literature they see around them everyday. These same types of environmental print help students recognize letters and sounds in their own names and use that information to master new words that share those same sounds and letters. Literacy rich learning environments allow children to master the literacy environment that is currently around them and helps them to better recognize and become comfortable with the ones they will find themselves in during their future educational years. A literacy environment should include various forms of literature and print. Narrative writing is something that a classroom that has literacy rich environment should include. Because it is common for all students, regardless of their academic level, to have a hard time with the difficult task of writing at times, children must be constantly surrounded by various forms of literatures. Two ways to help students find ideas to write about are using a picture book and having them tell a story about their own lives. In their book, //Literacy and Young Children//, Diane Barone and Lesley Morrow offer a four step process that aids in teaching narrative writing and includes the following phases: -Phase 1: Connect - An important start is getting students to make a connection between themselves and a text they have read or heard. This connection can help when they begin their own writing. Through discussion and predictions a strong background can be built. -Phase 2: Organize - A story graph was given as a graphic organizer to help students see the rise of the action in the story. It gives a visual representation of the story as being more than just beginning, middle and end. Once the students helped complete their story graph they were told to complete their own story graphs. -Phase 3: Reflect - Going back and discussing the problem in the picture book students have the chance to talk about that resolution and their own possible problem/solution. -Phase 4: Extend - Using a funny picture as a way to inspire small groups to write a tall tale students worked together to write a story and then share that story with another group. A picture book is just a jumping off point. Teachers can include tools such as graphic organizers, a character matrix, a story graph or an assessment checklist to help students with their writing. The use of these tools in collaboration with students' writings can encourage, inspire and help students in their own narrative writing journey - all while enjoying the task. However, these are not the only tools that work to encourage students in their reading and writing endeavors. In addition to these tools, teachers must always take a multidimensional approach when teaching young children to read and write. One of the most important issues to keep in mind when teaching students is that everyone is different. Students like different foods, prefer various music, and come from different backgrounds. Why should anyone expect that students learn the same way? For this very reason, Barone and Morrow offer an approach to learning that encourages using a plethora of learning methods to help children learn in the most efficient method possible – one that is the perfect fit for the student. While it is still important for students to make an effort at the various activities and methods included in multidimensional learning, they may gain mastery of a skill with one activity even when they previously struggled with a different activity that focuses on the same subject. This allows students to discover what they are good at and use those activities throughout their academic careers to enhance their learning. According to Barone and Morrow an effective beginning approach to literacy development includes “a multidimensional approach to beginning literacy that addresses 12 issues and classroom characteristics: motivation, management, time, resources, variety, instruction, support, interaction, knowledge, practice, evaluation, and home-school communication” (46). Each of these characteristics adds a facet to the classroom environment that fosters literacy development. Motivation is included in a multidimensional approach to literacy development through giving students a sense of “competence, belonging, and choice” (47). Management is included in the multidimensional approach because it allows for students to know that they are expected to be working on certain literacy tasks, at a certain time, and at any given point in the day. The next characteristic is time, which indicates that a large amount of time each day is spent on literacy-based tasks – sometimes as much as five or six hours a day! The fourth characteristic includes resources. No matter the date of the resources, or genre, any type of literacy related activity is helpful. The following characteristic is variety. The example that Barone and Morrow include is that some students can learn to read through sight words; however, others use context clues to aid in their reading abilities. Instruction is the sixth characteristic of a multidimensional approach to literacy development. “Direct, explicit, and systematic instruction in how to complete the assigned classroom activities is the hallmark of a successful teacher of beginning reading” (51). The next aspect is support. Modeling and scaffolding offer students the support they need to become the best readers possible. The eighth characteristic is interaction. This pushes for small-group interaction that includes discussion, guided writing, and sharing ideas about their own writing and other students’ writing. The next characteristic is knowledge. Students often write based on their previous experiences or knowledge and because of this teachers should read to children from various forms of text to enhance their literary skills. Practice is the tenth characteristic. This pushes for students to read and read and read and read. All students should read at least 20 minutes per day – this will help them become comfortable with text, especially if they are able to read to others. The eleventh characteristic of a multidimensional approach to literacy includes evaluation. This can range from formal to informal evaluations, but is a necessary component to ensure that the student is progressing properly. The final characteristic is the home-school communication aspect of multidimensional literacy education. “Teachers and parents collaborate to development systems that enhance achievement” and are right for each and every child (57). It seems as though this approach encompasses a number of characteristics that will push to aid children in becoming the best readers and writers they can possibly become in the early stages of their academic lives. A number of the facets used in the multidimensional approach to literacy are alluded to in the readings following Barone and Morrow’s chapters. Robin Campbell’s book, //Phonics Naturally//, also includes methods for literacy development in students that promotes a literacy rich environment. // Phonics Naturally // includes information about writing development in younger children. Writing, like any literacy activity, is a natural process that young children want to participate in. They see the adults around them reading, writing, and listening and want to do that too. Children’s early attempts in writing may only be simple scribbles but will develop into more legible writing. Children’s enthusiasm for writing lends itself to authentic phonics lessons in the classroom. Campbell notes that when children learn to write their names, they are actually learning to master those letters that occur in their names (Campbell, 2004). It is also important to include centers in a prekindergarten and kindergarten classroom that include writing in some form, such as a post office, so students can practice writing as well as learn the real life purposes for writing (Campbell, 2004). When these authentic opportunities to practice writing are included in classrooms, young children will learn how to write. Campbell goes further to discuss literacy development in young children by focusing on how environmental print is used to aid the development of children’s reading skills. There has been evidence that children can respond to environmental print before they are even two years old, with the first sign children can recognize typically being the McDonald’s logo. Originally, they do not just notice the letters, but the colors, pictures, and logos as well. Another type of environmental print that is readily available to children are street signs or writing on t-shirts. There are several ways teachers can incorporate environmental print into their classroom, including in imaginary play, making an alphabet book, having a t-shirt party, or making class “street signs.” Nonetheless, teachers and families have a number of opportunities around them and available to them to promote literacy development in young children. A classroom that provides a literacy-learning and comfortable environment is one where students learn best. The days of teaching from only one set curriculum have ended and we now are more aware about all the possibilities around us. There are many methods that should be offered and embraced. Teachers can find examples of print everywhere around them and should not be afraid to try different methods of presenting the material to their students. Parents can be taught to grab those teachable moments when they are in the car and surrounded with environmental print. Preschool teachers can be encouraged to include connections to the letters in students names to help them master those sounds and use them in other words. Educators today should not be tied down to one method but instead should adopt a multidimensional approach. Students come in all shapes and sizes and their learning happens through many approaches.

We have included a PowerPoint in this portion of the Wiki for you to use as a resource. The PowerPoint includes information on the Literacy Environment, but more specifically Writing Instruction, in the early childhood education classroom. There is a link to a useful article in the PowerPoint that can be read to become more educated on writing instruction.



In addition to our PowerPoint, please view our other useful resources below.

**Articles & Books** -Kirkland, L., Aldridge, J., and Kuby, P. (2006). //Integrating environmental print across the curriculum, preK-3: Making literacy instruction meaningful//. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press.

-Lewis, J. (2009). //Essential questions in adolescent literacy: teachers and researchers describe what works in classrooms//. New York: The Guilford Press.

-Meier, D. (2004). //The young child's memory for words: developing first and second language and literacy.// New York: Teachers College Press.

-Prior, J., and Gerard. M. (2004). //Environmental print in the classroom: meaningful connections for learning to read//. International Reading Association, Inc.

-Creating Literate Environments: Print-rich environments and classroom libraries. (http://www.prel.org/toolkit/pdf/plan/Creating%20Literate%20Environments.pdf)
 * Websites**

-Mrs. Jones Environmental Print: Environmental print ideas and links. (http://www.mrsjonesroom.com/teachers/environmentalprint.html)

-Interactive Technology Literacy Curriculum: Offers workshop ideas, tips, and other information to promote emergent literacy. (http://www.wiu.edu/itlc/index.html)

-Make Your Home a Reading-Friendly Environment: http://video.about.com/childrensbooks/Reading-Friendly-Environment.htm
 * Videos**

-Reading at Home (How to use Environmental Print): http://vimeo.com/3119751

-Exposing Children to Various Reading Materials: http://www.ehow.co.uk/video_4440823_exposing-children-various-reading-materials.html

-ReadWriteThink: http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/from-stop-signs-golden-27.html
 * Lesson Plans**

-ReadWriteThink: http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/bingo-using-environmental-print-954.html

We will leave you with a checklist for promoting a successful literacy environment in your classroom. We hope this helps in your endeavors! Good luck!