Preschool
What We Saw: Children were
sitting at a table writing and drawing pictures in their
own personal journals. As they finished, the teachers
talked to each child, listening carefully and making eye
contact, while the child explained what was happening
in their picture. The teachers wrote down the explanations
each child provided underneath each picture. One child
described his picture, "That is me. I am a people. I have
legs and I like my hands."
What It Means: Providing a journal
activity for older children is an excellent way
to increase pre-reading skills and enhance literacy. The
teachers encouraged imagination in the children by letting
them draw or write whatever they desired and then through
thoughtful questions helped the children tell a story
about their picture. The teachers modeled to the children
pre-writing concepts such as writing from left to
right. In addition, letter recognition
will develop as the children watch the teachers write
by their picture. By showing great enthusiasm towards
the journal activity themselves, the teachers were communicating
a clear message about the importance of literacy skills.
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