This paper shall be a review and response to each of four articles discussing different issues concerning literacy. A quotation from each article shall be highlighted and discussed. An article summary, for each, will be presented. A critique will then be given. And, finally, ideas for implementing the author′s ideas into a kindergarten classroom will be described.
Table of Contents
1. Abstract
2. Reading aloud to children: the past, the present and the future
2.1 Highlight:
2.2 Article Summary:
2.3 Critique:
2.4 Implementation Ideas:
3. Raising standards in reading and writing: Insights from England’s National Literacy Strategy
3.1 Highlight:
3.2 Article Summary:
3.3 Critique:
3.4 Implementation:
4. Assessing early literacy in young children
4.1 Highlight:
4.2 Article Summary:
4.3 Critique:
4.4 Implementation:
5. Phonological awareness: One key to the reading proficiency of deaf children
5.1 Highlight:
5.2 Article Summary:
5.3 Critique:
5.4 Implementation:
Aims and Topics
This work reviews and responds to four articles on literacy, examining their arguments and considering how their ideas could be implemented in a kindergarten classroom. Its guiding concern is how approaches to instruction and assessment can support early literacy.
- Reading aloud and the history of emergent literacy instruction
- England’s National Literacy Strategy and the Literacy Hour
- Alternative approaches to assessing young children’s literacy
- Phonological awareness and reading instruction for deaf children
- Classroom applications of the reviewed authors’ ideas
Excerpt from the Book
Critique:
Guofang’s article Reading aloud to children: The past, the present and the future discusses three parts of the topic concerning the value of reading aloud to children as a means for increasing literacy. Historical perspectives of the use of reading aloud to children are given and the value society placed on this literacy tool, as well as how it was lost for nearly five decades prior to the late 1970’s. The article continues with the evaluation of late 20th century research confirming the value of this tool, and then finally concludes with the summary that research to date has shown how reading aloud to children can be beneficial, however, more research in a naturalistic setting is needed.
Although Guofang’s article covers much of the information necessary to begin to appreciate the importance of reading aloud to children, there are a couple of questions left unanswered. If these issues had been covered a bit more thoroughly, the reader would have garnered an even greater knowledge of the subject matter presented.
First, Guofang briefly mentioned that from the 1920’s through the 1960’s reading aloud to children was not used to promote emergent literacy. It was noted that story reading was thought to be irrelevant during this time period, and Durkin (as cited in Guofang, 2000) stated that during this time “the traditional objections about reading before a children enters school (included): preschool reading will be injurious to a child’s vision; parents are not trained to teach reading; preschool reading leads to problems of boredom or confusion when school instruction begins.” Although this statement allows the reader to get a very general overview of what the objections were, no supporting documentation as to why they were felt is included. Oftentimes, by fully understanding that which is contradictory to one’s own opinion one can better formulate and express their opinion. Detailing these objections and expressing why they were inaccurate would have only enhanced Guofang’s article.
Chapter Summaries
Abstract: The abstract outlines the review’s four-article structure, including a highlighted quotation, summary, critique and kindergarten implementation ideas for each article.
Reading aloud to children: the past, the present and the future: This chapter reviews the history of reading aloud, evaluates the article’s treatment of changes in educational practice and considers classroom read-aloud routines.
Raising standards in reading and writing: Insights from England’s National Literacy Strategy: This chapter examines the strategy and its Literacy Hour, raises questions about assessment and considers adaptations for kindergarten.
Assessing early literacy in young children: This chapter considers limitations of standardized tests and discusses observational and conversational alternatives for assessing emergent literacy.
Phonological awareness: One key to the reading proficiency of deaf children: This chapter reviews phonological awareness and its assessment in deaf children, then considers visual and tactile approaches to classroom instruction.
Keywords
early literacy, emergent literacy, reading aloud, kindergarten, National Literacy Strategy, Literacy Hour, literacy assessment, standardized testing, kidwatching, phonological awareness, deaf children, reading instruction, classroom implementation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this work about?
It reviews and responds to four articles addressing literacy instruction and assessment, with particular attention to possible kindergarten applications.
What are the main topics?
The work covers reading aloud, England’s National Literacy Strategy, early literacy assessment and phonological awareness among deaf children.
What is the primary aim?
The aim is to summarize and critique the selected articles and consider how their ideas could be used in a kindergarten classroom.
What method does the author use?
The author conducts an article review and response: each section highlights a passage, summarizes and critiques the article, and discusses implementation ideas.
What does the main body cover?
It examines each of the four articles in turn, moving from a highlighted issue to a summary, critique and proposed classroom applications.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include emergent literacy, reading aloud, literacy assessment, phonological awareness, deaf children and kindergarten instruction.
How does the work address England’s National Literacy Strategy?
It describes the strategy’s teaching framework and Literacy Hour, discusses concerns about test-based evaluation and considers how elements might be adapted for kindergarten.
What alternatives to standardized literacy testing are discussed?
The discussion includes kidwatching, teacher-child interviews and conferences, looking at books together and storytelling as opportunities to observe children’s literacy development.
How does the work approach literacy instruction for deaf children?
It reviews an article on phonological awareness and discusses potential classroom approaches using visual or tactile patterns and lip movements.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Kimberly Wylie (Autor:in), 2003, Article Reviews and Responses, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/60907
