Wk 10 Reading Blog

What? 

·       For this week the reading that I chose to look at that was related to literacy development in early childhood was Using Stories Effectively with Infants and Toddlers (Birckmayer, Kennedy & Stonehouse, 2009). I chose to read this reading as in the past couple of weeks in my class, we have been looking at how infants and toddlers learn through literacy and numeracy related experiences. I haven’t really focussed much on infants and toddlers learning developments as on my placements I have just been working in a kindergarten with children who are 4 years old. So therefore I wanted to do some more research into the literacy development of toddlers and infants so I can gain a greater understanding of how they learn and how I can teach them.

·       For this week the reading that I chose to read that was related to numeracy in early childhood was Toddlers’ Opportunities to Learn Mathematics (Björklund, 2008). I wanted to look at this reading as in my class we were looking at how toddlers can learn through numeracy related play and the types of experiences that can be used to teach toddlers. I found this reading quite interesting and it has helped me to have a better understanding of how toddlers can learn mathematics.

So What?

The main arguments I found to be important from Using Stories Effectively with Infants and Toddlers (Birckmayer, Kennedy & Stonehouse, 2009) are:

·       Toddlers and infants need to be given freedom and choice of whether they want to participate in story reading or not (Birckmayer et al, 2009, p. 42). You can invite the children to read but they shouldn’t be forced to join in if they are not interested.

·       It is good to be able to share stories throughout the day with children at random times when the time is right so that then children will be much focussed and will be able to learn to the best that they can (Birckmayer et al, 2009, p. 42).

·       Educators need to understand and know children’s interests so they will know which types of stories to choose (Birckmayer et al, 2009, p. 43).

·       When having story times, it is better to keep the groups of infants and toddlers small so that this can also help the young children to develop close relationships (Birckmayer et al, 2009, p. 43). In small groups children also find it easier to be an active participant throughout the story (Birckmayer et al, 2009, p. 43).

·       When reading it is good for educators to be enthusiastic and interested in the story so that children will also be interested in the story and this will lead to a successful experience for toddlers and infants (Birckmayer et al, 2009, p. 43). Using a variety of expressions when reading the story also helps to engage the children as they are able to focus on what they are hearing (Birckmayer et al, 2009, p. 43).

·       When toddlers or infants show a great interest in a story it is good to be able to repeat the story at times to them as this can also help to build on their vocabularies and literacy skills (Birckmayer et al, 2009, p. 44).

·       When reading to infants it is good to be in a comfortable spot and sometimes it is good to let the infant choose their own book or you can give each child a book to explore and look at on their own (Birckmayer et al, 2009, p. 45).

·       Toddlers can be more active participants in experiences with reading books as they like to talk about the pictures, repeat word that have been said from the story and they like to also act out what is being said (Birckmayer et al, 2009, p. 46). This can be a good literacy related experience as they are able to build on their vocabularies.

·       Toddlers who are older also like to hear and read books that include nursery rhymes, poetry or songs that they will enjoy hearing over and over again so they can learn words (Birckmayer et al, 2009, p. 46).

·       Often children who are 2 – 3 years old like to memorise their favourite stories so that then when the teacher reads the stories to them, they are able to say the words while the teachers read (Birckmayer et al, 2009, p. 46).

·       Toddlers and infants with visual and hearing impairments can also gain literacy skills through books that are sensory so that the child can feel and smell the books before the teacher reads (Birckmayer et al, 2009, p. 47). Pictures and props such as puppets can also be used to act out the stories (Birckmayer et al, 2009, p. 47).

The main arguments I found to be important from Toddlers’ Opportunities to Learn Mathematics (Björklund, 2008) are:

·       The types of environments that children are brought up in are significant to how children learn and the opportunities and experiences that they have to learn (Björklund, 2008, p.81).

·       Educators play a vital role in creating experiences and opportunities for toddlers to be able to develop mathematical skills (Björklund, 2008, p.81). This then means that it is important for us as educators to be able to provide as many experiences as possible for toddlers to learn.

·       Toddlers can gain understandings of symbols and mathematical concepts with the help of educators as they can help toddlers to make meanings with number symbols (Björklund, 2008, p.83).

·       One year old children can become problem solvers if they are given the right opportunities and experiences to be able to learn how to solve problems in activities that educators and parents provide for children (Björklund, 2008, p.84).

·       The experiences that toddlers and infants have to help them with their numeracy development, will help and prepare them for learning and understanding of more challenging mathematical concepts as they grow older (Björklund, 2008, p.84). This also helps us as educators to be able to know that the more young children learn while they are in our early childhood centres, the more they will understand as they continue to grow older.

·       Young children are able to gain understandings of clocks, how to use measuring cups and other tools related to numeracy which they are able to use in their everyday lives (Björklund, 2008, p.85).

·       Educators can help toddlers to be able to use their fingers to express numbers to help them represent amounts (Björklund, 2008, p.89).

·       Using language to make meanings when using mathematics with toddlers is important so that toddlers are able to understand and learn (Björklund, 2008, p.89).

·       Toddlers need to be given opportunities to be given numeracy experiences where they are able to explore on their own so that they can begin to develop their own understandings of mathematical concepts (Björklund, 2008, p.90).

 

Now What

The implications I have been able to make from Using Stories Effectively with Infants and Toddlers (Birckmayer, Kennedy & Stonehouse, 2009) are:

·       As an educator I will need to be able to know and understand the interests of the toddlers and infants in the early childhood setting so that then I will be able to provide stories for the children that will interest them and will help them with their literacy development.

·       I will need to provide story books for children who have visual or hearing impairments so they too can learn in the best ways to be able to develop their literacy skills.

·       I will need to remember that not all of the children will want to read stories so I will remember not to force anyone to participate in story reading experiences.

·       As an educator I will also let the children explore books on their own so they can gain an understanding and make meanings with what they are looking at in their own ways.

·       I will observe the toddlers and infants when reading stories so that I know what types of stories they are interested in. Then I will know which stories to read again.

·       I will help the children with their literacy development by helping them to understand words in the stories so that they can build onto their vocabularies.

·       I will need to understand that each child learns differently so when reading stories I will need to be able to try to cater to each of the child’s learning needs.

·       When reading stories I will make the story as interesting as possible through the use of different voices and expressions to help keep the children interested.

The implications I have been able to make from Toddlers’ Opportunities to Learn Mathematics (Björklund, 2008) are:

·       When teaching young children and toddlers about mathematical concepts I will need to be able to provide them with experiences that will let them to be able to explore and learn and provide experiences that will be enriching.

·       As an educator I will need to be aware that not all toddlers will be exposed to the same types of experiences at home so I will need to be able to provide many different experiences in the early childhood centre so the children will be able to learn things that they may not get to learn at home.

·       I can provide toddlers with objects that they might see in their everyday lives, such as measuring cups and spoons, clocks, numbers blocks etc so that they will be able to learn how to use these objects and this will help them with their numeracy development.

·       I can also use music and songs to be able to introduce mathematical concepts such as numbers so that toddlers will start to gain an understanding of numbers.

·       As an educator I can also encourage the toddler’s parents to be able to provide simple mathematical activities at home so they can also support their toddler’s learning development.

 

References

Birckmayer, J., Kennedy, A., & Stonehouse, A. (2009). Using stories effectively with infants and toddlers. YC Young Children, 64(1), 42-47. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/197633717?accountid=10910

Björklund, C. (2008). TODDLERS' OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN MATHEMATICS. International Journal of Early Childhood, 40(1), 81-95. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/194791627?accountid=10910