Literacy Station 1

Ebook: "Charlie, the Colourful Contraction Caterpillar"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Reporting

The first learning station involved creating a digital storybook around a specific area of literacy for a small group of children. Upon discussion with my mentor teacher, it was decided that the students in the reading extension group would participate in the literacy station. Given their extensive familiarity with basic punctuation and active involvement in the VCOP writing program, I decided to base my e-book on punctuation extension, specifically, the use of an apostrophe in contractions. The learning intention of the e-book was to have students examine the uses of an apostrophe in punctuation, specifically when forming a contraction, as well as recognise that when two words are joined together using an apostrophe a contraction is formed.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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This knowledge was consolidated and applied through the succeeding learning activity. At the conclusion of the e-Book, the students and I recalled the words (‘contraction fruit’) that appeared in the story to form contractions and listed them on the whiteboard. The students, working in pairs, then constructed their own contraction caterpillar from the words listed on the whiteboard. As an extension, students were able to create their own contraction for the fifth body part of the caterpillar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Responding

Given that contractions only appear in the Western Australian Curriculum in Year 3 under ACELA1480 (SCSA, 2014), I was concerned that the content would be too challenging for the students. My concerns were laid to rest as soon as the students commenced the e-book as they were all actively engaged and made positive and insightful contributions throughout the activity. Furthermore, students demonstrated proficient understanding of the intended learning intention through the accompanying contraction caterpillar activity.

Relating
The world in which we live has changed drastically as a result of technological innovation. This shift has brought about multiliteracies, including visual, audio, digital and multimodal texts, which all influence the way in which children interact with literacy to make sense of the world (Green, 2007). Educators need to ensure that children are exposed to and develop an understanding of multiliteracies so that they are fully equipped for the new literacies of today and tomorrow (Fellowes & Oakley, 2014; Wray & Medwell, 2008). The school at which I completed my professional practice endorsed these views, stating in their Technology in Education Policy (2011) that the role of technology should be to enhance student learning and equip students with a level of technological competence to live in a global community. There is a misconception that punctuation is a mechanical skill that can be taught through systematic and routinised workbook exercises. This traditional approach rarely engages students or results in effective transfer of knowledge (Mitchell, 2008). Students need to be taught punctuation in a meaningful and contextual way that aligns with their everyday life practices, in this case digital communication. Evidence suggests that the integration of technology into the classroom can have a positive impact on student’s level of concentration, self-control, self-esteem, independence and behaviour. Furthermore, multimodal e-books have been shown to improve the motivation of students, particularly those with reading and behavioural difficulties (Ciampa, 2012; Mitchell, 2008). To ensure the creation and implementation of digital literacies enhances student learning, educators should consolidate their knowledge of the TPASCK model. This framework differs from the framework proposed by Mishra & Koehler (2006) in the sense that it acknowledges the importance of establishing the prior knowledge students (Fellowes & Oakley, 2014).

Reasoning
Through the implementation of this literacy station I was able to appreciate the strong connection students have to digital storybooks and how they can greatly enhance their motivation to learn and participate. This challenged me as I place significant value on the knowledge that can be derived from books. The world is ever changing, therefore teachers must adopt imaginative and fresh approaches through technology to fully prepare students for the future. However, as highlighted by Wray & Medwell (2008), duplicating traditional approaches through technological applications does not have the same effect. The challenge for educators is to consider to what extent digital technologies should be incorporated within classroom so as to not reduce the importance of the rich and cultural knowledge that is derived from books (Walsh, 2010).
 

Reconstructing
If presented with another opportunity to implement my e-book I would alter the succeeding activity so that technology is utilised, thereby allowing students to engage with electronic and multimedia text for a range of purposes.This will in turn add meaning to the learning of students as it bridges the gap between classroom technologies and their everyday practices outside the classroom.

 

 

References

School Curriculum and Standards Authority. (2014). English v8.1 - Year 3 Syllabus. Retrieved from: http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/p-10-curriculum/curriculum-browser/english-v8

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Ciampa, K. (2012). Electronic Storybooks: A Constructivist Approach to Improving Reading Motivation in Grade 1 Students. Canadian Journal of Education, 35(4), 92-136. Retrieved from ProQuest. 

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Green, D. (2007). Teaching the Grammar of Texts: Literacy Education in Primary Schools. Screen Education, 46, 72-74. Retrieved from EBSCOhost Education Source. 

 

Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for educator knowledge. Educators College Record, 108(6), 1017-54. Retrieved from EBSCOhost Education Source. 

 

Mitchell, J. (2008). Teaching grammar: new insights for old ideas. Idiom, 44(3), 9-16. Retrieved from Informit Humanities and Social Science Collection.

 

Fellowes, J., & Oakley, G. (2014). Language, Literacy and Early Childhood Education. Victoria: Oxford University Press. 

 

Walsh, M. (2010). Multimodal literacy: What does it mean for classroom practice? Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 33(3), 211-239. Retrieved from EBSCOhost Education Source.

 

Wray, D., & Medwell, J. (2008). Primary English. London: SAGE Publications. 

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