Literacy Learning through Play: Use your Super Powers of Observation to Match Baby with Just Right Books

Hello Dear Reader,

Some might say that passing on the legacy of literacy is not rocket science.  Perhaps  not rocket science, but you need a keen eye and  "super powers"  of observation skills to  do the literacy dance with the very young.

As the caring adult in your short person's world, it is your chosen path and purpose in life to match books and literacy experiences with the inner workings of baby's mind. It is ALL ABOUT THE MATCH UP!  

As I mentioned in my last blog,  I have been working on a document called "Weaving the Literacy Blanket".  I pontificated that the first and most important strand to work with is the relationship thread.  When you and baby are good buddies, you share things and have deep meaningful conversations.  You pay attention to the little things...like the fact that Ethie (at 9months) is pointing at the upper paddock and making a breathy hissy sounds.  I know exactly what he is saying. “Horse...Horse... Horse.”  We have  lots of talking time about horses. I don't know exactly why  he is so  motivated and focused on  all things “horsey” at this particular stage in his life.   This photo of Ethan engaged in one of my horsey books, reminded me that it isn't always the glossy best-selling board books that my very short friend wants to read. 

This picture of Jayden reading an animal alphabet book reminds me of the sheer joy of repetition and routine. We live on a farm with three rather large (massive) dogs so it was not a surprise to Nanna that Jayden wants to turn to the mutt page while pointing and spitting out with confidence "Du o GGGGUU. He chose this book over all others for over a month and giggled every time he saw the Mm is for mutt page.

I know that educators and caring adults can go to a website and  "BESTBOOKSfor babies 2012.com. will pop up.  Sure, the website has the latest titles listed, but where is the fun in that?  Everyone knows babies like animals and animal sounds. They are keen on books that have lots of colour and sharp contrasts. And of course, babies like books about trucks and machines.  But if you didn't really know Jayden, you would not have noticed that he goes for those  glossy flyers that come in the mail advertising tractors and bobcats.

But I do really know Jayden (at 7 months) and I know that he can tell a Kobota tractor from a John Deer combine. Now you can see why we have  very intelligent conversations about farm vehicles.  The catalogue is helpful as it keeps our talking time animated and fun.  When it is all “said and done”, we decide  it is time to rip out  the picture of the  biggest Kabota tractor, and stick it on to the fridge. Every time we pass the fridge we get to talk about tractors ... especially about their most important part..Whhhheee uus (wheeels). 

And did I mention that Baby Brody (4 months) likes looking at himself and other babies.  Chuckles and giggles come every time he sees a baby in a board book and of course the best page is the last page.  It has a mirror so he gets to look at himself.  (Surprise...it's Baby Brody!)

All of the caring adults in the very young child's world get a  bit gooey  when we get the signal "Again...Again...Again.  Such lovely conversations!  The perfect triangle :Book, Baby and me...


It is close to bed time for my shorter friends.  I have decided on the perfect book for tonight.  Can a grandmother's life get any finer?

 As always in friendship,
Donna

Posted by Donna Klockars at 7:47 PM 

Baby Brody is Reading

 Dear Reader,  Baby Brody is reading!  

Check out the focus...notice the pointing...see the joy!  And the picture doesn't show Grandma's face- but ditto to all that.
Being the literacy advocate (aka crazed book lady who is obsessed with connecting all my short friends with just right books), I  have been working on my "Weaving the Literacy Blanket Project all summer.   This project gives me an excuse to pontificate on the three important "threads" that "caring adults" use to pass on the legacy of literacy.

Just a short recap..
 Thread Number One is the nurturing and sustaining relationship that caring adults have with the child.  This relationship is fundamental to laying the foundations of literacy - even for Brody at three months of age, because someone has to care deeply about engaging the adored child with joyful books/literacy experiences.  And those experiences must always be wrapped in a blanket of love, snuggles and playfulness.

 Thread Number Two is the adults commitment to nurturing and sustaining the child's understanding of how the whole literacy thing works.  This is no small or inconsequential activity because our sweet Brody's beautiful big brain  is not developmentally hard-wired  to connect  and own the idea that bunches of  squiggly lines are just the same as talking but on paper.
Thread Number Three is the caring adult's vigilance and dedication to nurturing and sustaining the child's interest and curiosity by providing fun and playful interactions with lots of books-on lots of different topics.

(I can e-mail you the project dklockars@shaw.ca.  I can't get the boxes to fit into this blog or I would post it right on this entry.  You could take a look and tell me what you think.)

But back to Thread Number One (My personal favourite)

I decided to zero in on the "very young" 0-2 years for my first pretty chart that I am constructing for families and educators. I managed to squish lots of information into many nice boxes so that the whole thing comes across as a kind of "continuum" that helps  adult and baby  stay focused on play-based (all short people learn through play) activities and achievements. However, the layout left me with no space to shout out to the world possible book choices and a platform to pontificate on how and why these books/literacy experiences are so fabulous.

So dear reader, can I show and tell as well as thank the authour for their perfectly fabulous Books for Babies?

Here is the first Big Ticket Item I want to first  talk about.  Book choices for baby should celebrate the fact that book time is a fun time... a pleasurable experience and one that strengthens the precious  bond between you and  baby. The books I am going to highlight today are ones that acknowledge the importance of the caring adult in passing on the literacy legacy.  The importance of literacy and this relationship with a caring adult cannot be understated!

So thank you to Richard Van Camp for your baby books.  They echo every caring person's belief that babies bring joy into this world.  Little You, Welcome Baby Song, Nighty Night: A Bedtime Song are glorious.  Baby's favourite person  should make sure they read these books and the Literacy Blanket will wrap around both of you.

Thank you Karen Katz for your Counting Kisses board book.  The idea of a "kiss and read" book makes perfect sense to any adoring big person.  Kissing tiny toes, pretty belly buttons, sweet little ears and of course tired closing eyes is just what happens during joyful baby book time.

Thank you to Barbara Reid for your Welcome Baby board book. Your book is filled with all the promise and anticipation of shared experiences to come.  "Welcome, baby, welcome! All the world is new, And we can't wait to celebrate And share it all with you. Beautiful words reflected in your artwork.

There are many more titles that I would like to share with you but I think I will sign off for now in the hopes that I have successfully pontificated on  the importance of the caring relationship. The titles I listed today embrace and celebrate that overwhelming joy that our beautiful babies bring to the world.  This love and caring piece  plays no minor role in literacy...It is the very structure...the loom, if you will, that makes the literacy blanket possible and real. 

Thank you dear reader for letting me fill in the spaces of my Literacy Continuum for the Very Young 0-2  (a work in progress.)  I hope to share more details and titles tomorrow.

As always,
In friendship,

Donna aka: the book lady

Donna

Posted by Donna Klockars at 10:45 AM