Introduction
When the topic of literacy occurs, literacy is commonly associated with the learning of reading and writing. But within Early Childhood, literacy can be seen in more than just reading and writing. Early Literacy consists of children gaining knowledge about reading and writing before they achieve these milestones. Literacy can be developed in more ways than one, which could be singing, playing, talking to peers/adults, as well as reading and writing (Cedar Mill Community Library, 2019). Literacy can be assessable to children at all times and one of the biggest factors that help develop children’s literacy is their families. An observation, child named M has been observed to see the impact of family literacies on M. The observed child is two years and seven months old and is the older sister of her baby brother. She has been attending Child Care five days a week and is very interested in books. Every day she will always bring at least one book from home to read at the Child Care. Her mother and her father are Indonesian but they are very fluent in English. All of the observations have been taken, as she was at the childcare in a play-based educational setting. Within this essay, there will be two observations of the focus child performing literacy activities with their analyses on how they are important to the child’s literacy development and an evaluation of the observation's connection to the families’ literacy practices and their importance.
Documentation
Observation 1
M was inside the Toddler's room at her Child Care and standing next to the table where there were some egg cartons, paper, and colored pencils. M grabbed the egg carton and a green colored pencil and started poking the pencil on the bottom side of the egg carton. As she was doing this, she told the observer “Look! Making eyes” “Green color” and when she poked holes two times in one place, she told the observer “Two eyes” (Figure 1). After that, she realized that there were holes in between the place that the eggs were put in so she put the pencil through one of the holes, lifted it to show the observer, and said “Wow! I put it through!” “Push push” (Figure 2). After playing with it a little, she noticed the paper on the table and started to draw circularly. As she was drawing, she turned to the observer and said “Look drawing” and as she continued circularly with the green pencil that she was holding onto earlier, she said “I drew apple!” (Figure 3) and then went on draw a ‘rainbow ice cream’ as she had told the observer. After drawing, she saw the egg carton, grabbed it put it on the table with the bottom side facing upwards placed the green pencil and a pink crayon into the middle of it, and stated to the observer that it was her rainbow train (Figure 4).
Analysis
M shows a wide range of good literacy developments within this observation. M shows the observer that she is a very active learner and her social skills are so developed that she showcases them to the observer in a good manner. She shows good development in learning outcomes one and three. Specifically learning outcome 1.1 by showing her confidence and feeling safe and secure to express her thoughts (ACECQA, 2018) and feelings comfortably with the observer. This also links to learning outcome 3.1 as well as she shows good developments in her social wellbeing (ACECQA, 2018). To develop well in literacy, children need to be able to have resources and be able to interact with the adults/peers around them (McLachlan, Nicholson, Fielding-Barnsley, Mercer & Ohi, 2012), which can be seen with M as she is continuously interacting with the observer throughout the whole experience. She is also constantly using oral communication which can also be accepted as literacy development. This activity was part of free play time so she chose to do these activities herself which showed what she is naturally drawn to this could be seen from a Developmental view to show that playing is what comes naturally to a child and the observer did not interfere with how she went on with her activity (Fleer, M., 2013). The observer watched, interacted, and encouraged the focus child’s play. With the child’s interest in this activity, we can recall from the parent interview that she does enjoy drawing and this activity can be accepted as a literacy practice because she is expressing all that she hears, sees, and feels onto the paper and it helps people like the observer to see the extraordinary aspects within the ordinary things of our lives (Giamminuti, S., 2013).
Observation 2
M had brought two books with her from home and she brought them outside with her along with another that is from the Child Care. The books were ‘Koala Lou’, ‘That’s Not My Monkey!’ and ‘Please and Thank You’. She first sat down on the mat and showed the observer her books and said “I bring from home” “These are my books”. She first opened up the ‘Koala Lou’ book and just looked through each page (Figure 4). Then she stated to the observer that she likes ‘Please and Thank You’ more. As this was happening, another child came and got her book, so she traded it with ‘Koala Lou’, which is from the Child Care, and got her own book back. She then opened up the ‘That’s Not My Monkey’ book and showed the observer the monkeys, the mouse, and the dragonfly by pointing them out one by one (Figure 5). She then looks at the observer and says “Not my monkey!” as the book has different fabrics within it for sensory experiences, she touches the soft material and says “Feels soft” “Look at this!”. When she goes onto the ‘Please and Thank You’ book, she quickly flips through the pages and then the same child from before wants to take a look but she says “Hey! No!’ and takes it back (Figure 6). She then gets up with the books in her arm and looks like she is going to go play with her friends, the observer asks if she wanted her to put her books in her bag and she replies with a yes and then says “In my bag” as she gives them to the observer before going off to play.
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Analysis
With this second observation, M is continuing to show good literacy skills in another way with her passion for books. She is a child that brings her books to the Child Care every day and she chooses the books herself. Her mother in the interview said that she picks which books she wants, and she does the same for her bedtime story as well. She shows a lot of the learning outcomes with this observation as well with her feeling safe, secure, and supported by showing how comfortable she is with the observer by trusting her to put her books away when she didn’t want any of her peers to touch them, which connects to the learning outcome number 1.1 (ACECQA, 2018). It also shows that she is experiencing the feeling that she belongs which is the Early Years Learning Framework, which states that the sense of belonging is very important for children to know where, and to whom they belong (Australian Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, 2009). She also showed her good social and communication skills by interacting with the observer and constantly talking to her. These two skills connect with the learning outcome 3.1, which is all about the child’s social and emotional wellbeing, and learning outcome 5.1, which is for children who communicate efficiently with those around them (ACECQA, 2018). Learning to read can complicated but if a child is showing great interest in books, that could be a good predictor for their future. If they are at least looking at the pages and going through each page that could give them the recognition of printed materials (Smith & Pellegrini, 2013). Due to M having such an intense interest in books both at home and in Child Care, this can also be another indication that they will succeed in literacy practices (McLachlan et al., 2012). What can also be seen is that M has been a good example of a child that has brought their virtual backpack filled with prior knowledge from the way that she shows exactly where the animals are and says exactly as they are (McLachlan et.al, 2012).
Further Analysis
For a child’s literacy practices to develop well, the children need to be surrounded by the appropriate resources that the children can reach at all times but also need guidance from their peers and adults to reach high levels of literacy development. Vygotsky (1978) stated in his theory about Access and Mediation that children need the tools and resources but they also need guidance as well to thoroughly understand how to use the tools and resources that were given to them (McLachlan et. Al., 2012). This implies that children will not develop a rich literacy practice unless the children have the resources and support from their social life together (McLachlan et. Al., 2012). There is a common saying that says that parents are their children’s first teachers and the saying can be accepted as right because children model whatever they see from their caregivers. This means that families take part in a critical role in a child’s development, especially their language and literacy development (Otto, B., 2010). This implies that a child’s literacy and language development are closely connected to their family's literacy practice which is a strong indicator that the child could succeed well in literacy if these two components go hand in hand with one another (McLachlan et. Al., 2012).
Reading for example, if a child tries to read by themselves, they could learn but there is a higher chance that if the caregivers are engaged with their child and the reading the child going to learn much better with the interaction (McLachlan et al, 2012). From the interview, the observer was able to gain insight that the parents always read to her during bedtime and that she chooses the books that she wants to read. This shows that the parents are giving her freedom to choose which encourages the reading also from the interview the parents expressed that when doing any kind of activity, the families go according to ‘how she feels’ and follows her way which means that they adjust themselves according to her rather than forcing her into something that she might not like doing (McLachlan et. Al., 2012). Storybook reading also engages the child to label the pictures within the book which connects them to the actual objects that are all around them. The labeling was seen in Observation 2, where M showed the monkey, the mouse, and the dragonfly without the observer asking about them. So it could be said that perhaps Mum has asked her about the creatures in the book and M has instantly labeled them and now expresses them easily (Heath, S.B., 1982). Reading books to children also benefits the children by improving their language and reading (McLachlan et. al., 2012). Studies have shown the positive impact that storybook reading has given children by building a foundation for their school-based literacy where stories will be read continuously (Saracho & Spodek, 2010). Studies have reported that when the child has an early start to literacy with their parents reading to them, the child would be at a higher level with their emergent reading levels. By the time the child has started formal school, their literacy levels would already be high (Otto, B., 2010).
Literacy could be seen as withdrawing as well. As a child is drawing, the child’s creativity can be seen but also with this activity, the child is learning through play. As stated above, when the child knows how to label objects within the book, children do the same with their drawings. Even though educators might not always be able to understand what a child has drawn the educator can encourage them and write down their names to familiarize the words with the child. This would make the environment welcoming for the children (Millikan, J. & Giamminuti, S., 2014). Withdrawing, the children could be showing you their representation of the object that has been drawn (Vecchi, Cavallini, Fillipini & Trancossi, 2011). This is another way that a child could try to speak with other than verbal communication (Millikan, J. & Gimminuti, S., 2014).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the development of a child’s literacy development starts from early childhood and in ways that may not seem like they are not learning at all but just playing all day. However, they are not, whether they are conscious of it, for example, their educator has chosen a specific activity with intentions or while they are playing with their friends, drawing, talking to their peers/ adults even if they are singing or dancing as well. Literacy is not bound to only writing and reading though they do make up most of the developmental learning. Throughout this investigation, it can be understood that M and her family have a good family literacy practice going on at home. She is encouraged to make her own choices and is proud to show her books and read them. The family has a set storybook reading session that is always done which could indicate that in the future, this could help M with her literacy development and also be ready for the formal school itself because the same would be done there as well. Though mum and dad have said during the interview that she does watch videos online, most are watched through the TV and as that plays, M still interacts with her family or multitasks by watching TV and doing an activity at the same time. It is also seen that she constantly has support and guidance around her whether she is at home or in childcare, so she is continuously developing her literacy skills and adding new knowledge to her virtual backpack every day. Even as M draws or plays with something, she instantly connects it to something that could be quite similar, for instance, during Observation 1, she poked two holes and instantly labeled them as eyes. With all of these aspects, it can be seen how important family literacies are and their impact by seeing M’s instant labeling with objects within books and drawings, her communication with others like her parents, educators, and peers, her passion for reading and books themselves by choosing and bringing them to Child Care every day and the shared book reading with her parents has created within M herself.
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