Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Literaycy and Multiple Symbols for young children.

              Multiple symbols can be replaced to children’s literacy and languages. When children use sign systems such as art, music, drama, and mathematic are the great ways to express children’s thoughts and languages. As discussed in the article, “Drawings are likely to contain more information than their written texts (Graves, 1983).” (p. 301) For example, many children prefer to draw his/her father has red glasses and mother has curly brown hair with apron than they talk or write about their family. For another example, I saw a lot of children describe a train as chuchu train and it is much easier to remember for young children. When they play with a train, the children make a sound like “chu-chu.” This is another way to learn a language.
           When I read this part of the article, I thought I do not have to push them to learn language from writing or speaking. I can lead them to learn language with multiple symbols. I also thought family can help children to learn the language with family activity such as drawing something together or sing or make sounds about any subjects. This way will help children to have more information and develop their ideas.
             The important things for families are participating and paying attention to children's sign systems so the family members can catch up what their child really need and say now.

3 comments:

  1. I agree that it is important for children to learn to express themselves through art, music, drama, etc. I think this sort of happens naturally, especially with sounds like "choo choo" that children pick up on. As we have talked about in previous classes, it is also important for teachers to provide multiple means of representation in their lessons and in the projects students work on. (For example, giving the option of drawing a picture in addition to writing. At this point in their literacy development, children can probably express themselves more fully through drawing a picture.)

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  2. I think in every aspect of a child’s life it is important for family and teachers to observe the child. Through this observation teachers and family can find out so much about how children learn. They can see the symbols this child is using to create their literacy.

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  3. Drawing as a literacy... I never considered this, really. It makes so much sense that "a picture speaks a thousand words." What a great method for communication from child to teacher, or child to parents. Instead of forcing children to communicate through spoken word, a picture can communicate words the child doesn't know yet. I love this idea.

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