Literacy and Writing Technology

We all know and understand that the “early years of any child are recognized as key years for the development of communicative competence” (Helm & Katz, 2001, p.7).  In other words, the early years represent a time where kids tend to be most impressionable – what they learn during their first years will prove to be a significant foundation for their ongoing learning and development. So what comes to mind when the word ‘technology’ is mentioned? Definitions of technology relate meaning in the traditional sense – technology being “technical” for example, computers and gadgets. But there is another form of technology and this is evident in ‘processes’. Methodologies show how things are done and this forms another branch of ‘technology’. For example, in our centre the children upon arriving first thing in the morning are drawn to the white board to write their names.  They know that if they have some news to tell everyone at mat time, this is the protocol to follow. This is an important method that ensures children do not miss out on their turn at mat time. Without these methodologies, the teacher would have to ask them who would have news to tell, and then of course they will have to raise their hands up and for the teacher to take a pick.  

But here we see a child exercising his own  confidence in self-learning and controlling of his own environment by being proactive with the use of communication technologies like the 

 
white board with the marking pen (Ministry of Education, 1996).  With the use of the two technological tools, the child communicates to the teacher that he wish to participate in mat time. The teacher also through this medium receives the message from the child and all the other children who write their names on the board. What tremendous help we obtain with these technological tools. This process enhances communication between teacher and child, as well as among the children. 

As well as the 4 year old boy who wrote his name in green was a 2 year old girl who attempted writing her name in red.  The effort for younger children to turn spoken languages into writing is “not an easy, quickly learned, or ‘natural’ activity” (Hamer & Adams, 2003, p.109). With this in mind, it was important to allow the young girl to scribble instead of intervening as this formed an important process in the girl’s learning development. That every child has to go through this phase is inevitable, and then the next level is the forming of letters (Hamer & Adams, 2003).

I often observe parents who drop off their children in the morning. Most parents take time to watch their child carefully and slowly inscribe their name on the board. I also observe them being encouraged. These are very inspirational moments for the parents and for the teachers also as we witness a child’s progression. The 4 year old child who wrote his name on the board obviously had been practicing his name since commencing kindergarten as a 2 year old. With the use of the pen and paper to scribble on it progressed to this point that after a year or so with teacher/parent help, he was able to write his name all by himself. The use of these simple writing technologies trained in him a familiarity with the writing instruments and coordination of their use. The point I am making here is this, the technologies in this case allowed the children to practice writing letters in their own time and at their own volition and at their own discretion. The child is his/her own creator (Brownlee, 2004) with the help of technology. 

Then there are technological tools like the duster that the children enjoy using to wipe clean the whiteboard. Not only does this instill in them responsibility, it shows how they are learning every day the use of different items as they play around with literacy and writing technologies.

 

Finally, children also use technological tools like the traditional pen and paper to write their names. Introducing “paper and pen activities are relevant (Helm & Katz, 2001, p.7) for they acquire the fine motor skills to write letters and words or just to scribble with. Supporting  young children’s emerging literacy recognizes activities that involve identifying print, recognizing letters, and writing. Whitmore and Goodman (1995) as cited in (Helm & Katz, 2001, p.7) emphasizes the importance of having a “literacy-rich environment in kindergarten as well as preschool classes”.  Literacy begins by immersing children in literacy-rich environments and fostering a love of language and reading. These emergent skills will give the child a solid foundation throughout their informative years as they begin to learn the reading process during the first year of school.

 

REFERENCES

Brownlee, P. (2004). Magic places: Young children’s creative artwork. Auckland, New Zealand: Brebner Print.

Hamer, J. & Adams, P. (2003). The New Zealand early childhood literacy handbook: Practical literacy ideas for early childhood centres. Northshore, New Zealand: China Translation & Printing Services.

Helm, J. & Katz, L. (2001). Young investigators: The project approach in the early years. Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te whᾱriki: He whᾱriki matauranga mo nga mokopuna o Ᾱotearoa: Early childhood curriculum.  Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.