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Report on Teaching for Beginning Readers

Table of Contents

1. Definitions. 3
2. Reading Development in Children. 4
3. Influences on Children’s Pathways of reading Development 6
4. Assessment Strategies for Children’s Reading Development 8
5. Role of the Educator in Supporting Children’s Reading Development 11
6. References. 14

Report on Teaching for Beginning Readers

Definitions

Learning

Since its discovery in the 8th century, reading has been the most fundamental entity that sustains all the social aspects of human life. Reading refers to the conceptualization of letters and signs by using either sight or touch. Learning to read has been deemed as a complex cognitive skill that should be comprehended at an early age (Winch, Johnston & March 2020). Often than not, children require encouragement motivation and support to effectively master the art of learning.

The main concepts of learning include communication identity and literacy. An affluent speaker is one with linguistic competence and is aware of the sociolinguistic correlation between language and the context in which it is utilized (Aubrey & Riley 2018). With identity, learning plays the role of associating people to distinct cultures. Lastly, the process of learning helps a person to gain knowledge in different fields of study.

Skills

Other skills obtained from learning include creativity, critical thinking, leadership, collaboration, information management, and adaptability (Harrington 2008).

Attitude

An individual’s attitude of learning determining his or her ability as well as willingness to learn. The attitude developed during learning could either be positive or negative(Harrington 2008).

Values

The core values of learning include: making learning enjoyable as well as a challenging experience, ensure the child succeeds, develop personal skills, and build upon what a child knows (Exley et al., 2019).

Reading Development in Children

Studies have indicated that early learning experiences are associated with later school achievements, fewer grade retentions, emotions and social well-being, and a reduction of juvenile delinquency incidences.

Right from birth, the main form of learning among children is oral language and observations. Slowly, the dependent child developed into a young individual who can interact effectively. The primary development task at this stage is skill development (Mackenzie & Scull 2018). The most applicable learning theory for children at this age is Freud’s psychosexual development theory. This theory asserts that child development ensues at different stages which associate with different pleasure areas of their bodies. At this stage, a child can listen to what others in his or her surrounding are contemplating about then try to comprehend the meaning. Young children utilize oral language abilities to learn how to read and write. Exposure to advanced vocabulary at home directly associates with the child’s vocabulary acquisition

As the child reaches 2 years, he or she is now ready to learn the alphabetic codes used in language. This is first developed by parents or guardians but later advanced by teachers in schools. Erikson’s psychosocial development theory is highly utilized at this stage. The theory explains the changes and growth of an individual through life focusing on conflicts and social interactions that arise during different development stages (Lynch et al., 2017). With this theory, children can learn that social interactions, as well as experiences, play a vital role in decision making.

At the age of three, a child gains phonemic/phonological awareness, which is the ability to like sounds to words that make practical sense (Harrington 2008). This stage is usually defined as the pre-operational stage whereby the child first learns how to use the language in specific contexts.

By the time the child reaches 4 years old, he or she is ready to attend school and start learning complex alphabetic codes. In school, these children and taught how to spell complex words and relate them with sentences to understand how they are used in different contexts. As the child reaches 5 years, he or she can join the first grade. At this stage, the children have naturally developed their language skills and knowledge (Mackenzie & Scull 2018). They can now understand elements of literature and enhance their comprehension while reading different texts. By the time children reach the second grade, they can now apply work analysis skills, understand characteristics of simple genres and use correct as well as appropriate conventions of language.

At 7 years children approach the concrete operational stage whereby they start gaining a better understanding of their mental stage. As children in this stage continue to read complex words and phrases they begin to think logically about concrete events. However, they may have difficulties understanding hypothetical concepts (Mackenzie & Scull 2018). Regardless, children would start learning and understanding abstract ideologies when they reach 8 years old. At this stage, children acquire skills such as deductive reasoning, systematic planning, and logical thought.

Influences on Children’s Pathways of reading Development

Diversity of Children 

Recent studies have proved that a child’s response to school exposure solely depends on norms he or she adapted to while home. These norms emanate from the language and cultural values that each family uses (Lynch et al., 2017). For children whose culture or home language differs substantively from the norm in early childhood classrooms, the purported transition may expose them to a variety of conflicting expectations to behavior as well as other potential bases of home-school incompatibility. 

Families

The foundation for literacy in children is established in the family setting. The family context represents interactions between the child with his or her parents, guardians, siblings, or any other adult present in the family or the same home (Merga & Gardiner, 2018). Ecological scholars have established that children who come from families with good socio-economic status tend to adapt and perform exemplary well at school. This is because such families provide ample climate as well as a structure that fosters the healthy development of the child.

Community

Similar to the family setting, the community also plays a role in determining a child’s pathway of reading development. Every community has a distinct culture that directly influences the cognitive development of every individual (Merga & Gardiner, 2018). Communities with established reading programs for children tend to promote successful literacy development among children and vice versa.

Issues related to Bilingualism

The major factor that determines a child’s adeptness in learning a different language is the family background. Children coming from families or communities which use two different languages can effectively develop this skill as they advance to different learning levels. Another factor to consider is the literacy levels of the children (Exley et al., 2019). Children with low literacy levels would likely have a hard time learning a different language as compared to those with high literacy levels. The culture where a child grows also influences their ability to become bilingual. Children coming from aboriginal communities are more conversant with the home language as compared to other languages (Harrington 2008). This suggests that despite Australian English being a common language their experience of learning the language in school would be rather challenging.

Strategies for supporting literacy development among children

The first option for developing literacy among children is fostering their sense of identity as well as self-worth by valuing and expressing respect for the cultural background. The second approach is creating a learning environment that correlated to the culture and languages of the children (Merga & Gardiner, 2018). This will require caregivers and guardians to establish ways for the children to be exposed to different language settings. The third strategy is providing rich, context-emended prospects for children to learn different languages. Some of the tools needed to support this factor include using flexible learning approaches, adaptable experiences, and new strategies that align with the child’s knowledge and skills.

Assessment Strategies for Children’s Reading Development

Assessment for children learning process is an ongoing cycle linked to planning, evaluating, and documenting what they know, can do, and understand right from birth to their early years in school (Mackenzie & Scull 2018).

Formative Assessment strategies

Miscue analysis. The annotation of this method is that before school, caregivers can observe the skills of a child. In the early school years, the approach helps educators to identify the child’s learning difficulties. The approach is effective in determining the attitude of the child (Harrington 2008). Another method is through observations which in his or her years before joining school helps the caregivers to determine his or her skills and in the early school years helps educators to identify the child’s reading difficulties. The approach is used to determine the child’s attitude and disposition. Also, Retelling can be used as a strategy to evaluate the child’s academic achievements. The approach determines the child’s attitude and value.

Summative Assessment

Before joining the school, this approach helps caregivers to identify a child’s learning strengths and weaknesses(Harrington 2008). In a school setting the method helps educators to evaluate the child’s academic achievements. The approach determines the child’s attitude and value.

Diagnostic Assessment

Before joining the school, this approach helps caregivers to identify a child’s skills. In a school setting the method helps educators to evaluate the child’s areas of improvement (Harrington 2008). The approach determines the child’s attitude and disposition.

 Assessment strategies are imperative since they enable caregivers and early childhood educators to effectively plan for the children’s future learning process, resonate on the pedagogy that will be suitable with different contexts and evaluate the efficacy of learning environments, experiences, and opportunities(Harrington 2008). Respectively, scholars have proposed different approaches for assessing a child’s reading development during his or her birth to early year school.

Questioning

One of the strategies is questioning the child to determine his or her starting point (Council of Australian Governments 2009). Also, it helps one to appropriately adapt to learning and teaching activities that would certainly meet the child’s needs.

Observations

The second strategy is carrying out day-to-day observations (Council of Australian Governments 2009). Watching children as well as listening to their daily discussions provides one with the ability to evaluate their learning as it occurs.

Discussions

The third method is holding impromptu but brief discussions with the children (Council of Australian Governments 2009). This approach helps one to make follow up on any disclosures on their behaviors or responses during each developmental stage.

Analyzing

Evaluating the learning process of children from speaking to writing helps one to identify the common mistakes or misconceptions that children make and to develop a guide that they can use to improve as well as progress (Council of Australian Governments 2009).

Inspecting children’s understanding

To effectively check whether a child has gained knowledge from any learning process, educators conduct planes ad well as spontaneous recall tests (Council of Australian Governments 2009). The generated results will certify whether or not a child’s literacy level is developing.

Reviewing

Establishing an effective peer assessment report allows educators to identify the learning areas that require more attention. (Council of Australian Governments 2009) In most cases, educators tend to coordinate with parents to establish a complete report regarding a child’s learning process.

Observation Techniques

Different observation methods ought to be used to produce different information. One of the observation techniques s time sampling, this process involves writing a short narrative observation regarding the child. The process helps in giving a broad overview of the child’s setting. The second technique is tracking observations of a child to determine his or her choices in different settings (Mukherji & Albon 2018). The child’s choices will determine his or her skills to overcome certain challenges. Another technique is establishing a checklist. The checklist will identify the child’s knowledge or aptitudes. The essence of this observation is to determine whether or not a child can meet certain expectations. Researchers have also proposed targeting as a method of observing the learning process of a child. This method requires one to identify a certain child and carry necessary observations. During the process, children are allowed to demonstrate their skills within different environments.

Role of the Educator in Supporting Children’s Reading Development

The basic roles of education in propping children’s reading development include learning, advocating, partnering, and supporting. As a pre-service teacher, my personal philosophy is based on the works of Piaget and Erickson.

Learn

This entails reading understanding different parts of literacy, how a child learns and reads, and why they may struggle. In most cases, children would always experience difficulties when either reading or writing (Whorrall & Cabell 2016). Some may struggle to understand a specific language or why they may be reading. Conceptualizing how a child learns to read can aid an educator to recognize his or her reading as well as writing problems.

Advocate

Advocacy is achieved by promoting evidence-based literacy methods in schools as well as early childhood development. Educators are obliged to learn different approaches to campaign for a child’s education. For instance, educators could interact regularly with the child by talking about one’s common experiences, share resources as well as learning together (Aubrey & Riley 2018). Coordinating with others can aid school reviews and enhance support systems for all children. Critics advocate for the utilization of evidence-based reading instructions and programs, more options for struggling leaders as well as data to establish decisions related to a child’s instructions.

Partner

The partnership entails the process of working together within a defined system of supports. Educators, guardians, and the community have to form a partnership to help children develop learning and reading skills. For instance, these three parties have to interact with the children to establish their academic progress and literacy skills (Whorrall & Cabell 2016). Schools ought to provide caregivers with tools and activities that children could use when they are at home. Both educators and parents have to talk with each other regarding the proposed intervention or instruction a child will receive either at home or at school. This type of involvement will aid parents and educators to determine a child’s reading difficulties hence help them to be more successful at home and in school.

Support

Offering support related to the provision of literacy opportunities as well as reinforcing aptitudes taught a home or school right from the time the child can understand specific languages. Early educators are required to establish a learning regime that children have to follow when they are in school (Harrington 2008). Respectively, parents are required to provide a good environment whereby children can express what they have learned in school. At home, the daily activities provide different scenarios that challenge children to exhibit skills that will tackle the problem. In most cases, children with learning difficulties tend to benefit from this practice. Both parents and educators have to read together with the children to help them, understand alphabets, words, and sounds.

Resources and Pedagogies