Norah Colvin

Live Love Laugh Learn … Create the possibilities

Category: Literacy education

  • Empowerment – the importance of having a voice

    In a previous series of posts I wrote about science inaccuracies in a picture book and questioned with whom lay the responsibility for providing young children with correct information.

    While this post builds upon those posts, it also takes a divergent path: the need for children to have a voice; to be empowered to ask questions, to state their needs and report wrongdoings.

    On a highly respected educational website Scholastic, with the by-line “Read Every Day. Lead a Better Life.”, in an article about Eric Carle author of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, children are told that

    “Eric already knows that a caterpillar emerges from a chrysalis, not a cocoon! So don’t bother writing to tell him.”

    This seemingly innocuous statement may be easily overlooked but packs a powerful message.

    What does it tell children?

    The author has been told many times, already knows and isn’t going to do anything about it.

    The author is tired of being told he is wrong and doesn’t want to hear it any more.

    The author is “right” and not to be questioned. (The book, with its misinformation, is highly acclaimed by millions around the world. However if, in answering a question on a test, children were to write that a butterfly comes out of a cocoon, they would be marked wrong. Explain that to them.)

    For me the most insidious part of this message is

    He already knows, “so don’t bother writing to tell him”!!!!!!!!

    You can’t change it.

    You know it’s wrong, but you can’t change it, so don’t bother trying.

    Although many societies are now moving to eradicate it, child abuse is still far too common worldwide. Not only must the attitudes of societies change, but children must be empowered, they must be encouraged to speak up and they must be listened to: their voices must be heard.

    In a recent child abuse case that occurred at a Queensland primary school, the student protection officer reportedly said that she couldn’t understand why the children who had been sexually abused did not come forward.

    couldn't believe 1

    The accused had continued in his role as child protection contact for a year after the first complaint was made. The student protection officer found it hard to believe that her colleague was a paedophile;

    couldn't believe 2

    and still she says she doesn’t understand why the children didn’t come forward!

    Click here to read the complete article.

    It seems to me the children did come forward if the first (indicates there were more) complaint was made more than a year before anything was done about it.

    The children tried to say, but were not believed. The predator was believed and protected while the plight of the innocent victims was ignored. The report states that parents who complained about the abuse of their children were ostracised by the school community and made out to be the “bad guys”.

    Is it any wonder that, if not listened to and not believed, and if more is done to protect the offenders than the abused, the children become increasingly reluctant to tell?

    After the first children had come forward and not been listened to or believed, may not they have said to others, “There’s no point in saying. They already know. They won’t do anything about it?”

    Or what about the parents who were ostracised and made out to be the bad ones?

    Doesn’t it make the message very clear – you are powerless. Your voice won’t be heard. Your opinion doesn’t matter.

    Carry this message over into countless other situations and you have a population who is afraid to speak up, fearing the disdain of reproach, the embarrassment of being unvalued and the helplessness of one’s message being unheard.

    How many times have you felt you must remain silent for fear of ridicule, rejection, or worse?

    How many opportunities for creating a positive change have been missed because the task seemed insurmountable or the personal repercussions too unpleasant?

    When have you stepped up and made that change happen because you were not afraid to speak up or speak out when faced with an issue you felt strongly about?

    What changes can we make to empower children (and adults) everywhere?

    By the way, in that article on the Scholastic website, it is reported that Eric Carle believes that “the most important part of developing a book . . .is working with editors to revise it.”

    Would it make any difference to the magic of The Very Hungry Caterpillar if, after all these years, Eric Carle rewrote a corrected version with a butterfly emerging triumphantly from a chrysalis?

    What would that act tell all the countless children who have written to tell Eric about his mistake, and the many others who wanted to but were told there was no point?

    The Very Hungry Caterpillar

    Please share your thoughts.

    Related posts:

    Searching for meaning in a picture book — Part A

    Searching for purpose in a picture book – Part B

    Searching for truth in a picture book – Part C

    Finding power in a picture book – the main event

  • Finding power in a picture book – the main event

    Finding power in a picture book – the main event

    Teaching critical literacy through picture books

    This is the fourth is a series of posts about the role of picture books, especially The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.

    The purpose of this post is to discuss the importance of critical literacy and the necessity to teach children to

    • think critically
    • not accept everything that is presented in text (oral, visual or print)
    • evaluate the source of the information and the intent of the author
    • match incoming information with prior knowledge,  and
    • question, question, question.

    In these previous posts

    Searching for meaning in a picture book – Part A

    Searching for purpose in a picture book – Part B

    Searching for truth in a picture book – Part C

    I suggested ways of including The Very Hungry Caterpillar in an early childhood classroom and discussed the responsibility that authors have in differentiating between fact and fiction in story books.

    In Searching for truth in a picture book – Part C I pointed out the inaccuracies in The Very Hungry Caterpillar and the pervasiveness of the misconceptions, if not totally attributable to the book, then at least in part. This is verified by Jacqui who, in 2011, wrote on the Monarch Butterfly New Zealand Trust website

    “When speaking to teachers I often find raised eyebrows when I explain that butterflies’ larvae do not make cocoons. The teachers refer to Eric Carle’s book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, where he refers to a ‘cocoon’.”

    Note that Jacqui refers specifically to this book, rather than to sources in general.

    As shown by Jacqui, though, it can be difficult, even for teachers without specialist entomological knowledge, to sort out fact from the fiction.

    These are two pieces of misinformation contained in the story:

    Misinformation 1:

    Caterpillars eat a lot of different food

    Fact

    Most caterpillars are fussy about their diet, some eating only one specific plant, others eating a variety of plant foods.

    Misinformation 2:

    Butterflies come out of a cocoon.

    Fact

    Butterflies emerge from a chrysalis.

    Moths come out of a cocoon.

    Watch these two videos:

    This one by Strang Entertainment shows the caterpillar becoming a chrysalis.

    This one shows a silkworm caterpillar spinning a cocoon (about 2 mins in).

    They are two very different processes.

    However a quick glance at these Google search results shows just how pervasive the misconceptions are:

    Cocoon to butterfly

    butterfly cocoons

    Even seemingly authoritative educational websites misinform. Look at the way these two websites promote themselves, and consider the misinformation they are peddling.

    The website Math & Reading Help

    Maths and Reading Help

    states that The Very Hungry Caterpillar is “factually accurate . . . teaches your child to understand this biological process … a butterfly. . .(is) a caterpillar that has emerged from its cocoon”

    Primary upd8 which promotes itself as “UKs most exciting science resource”

    primary upd8

    also suggests using The Very Hungry Caterpillar for teaching about the life cycle of a butterfly.

    primary upd8 knowledge

    If self-professed “authorities” can’t get it right, how are we laypeople meant to make sense of it. Suggestions like these reinforce the need for the skills of critical analysis to be developed.

    Unlike those above, I contend that this book has no place in the science curriculum. Its greatest value is as a tool for teaching critical literacy.

    When children have learned about the life stages of a butterfly and then listen to The Very Hungry Caterpillar, they are very quick to pounce on the inaccuracies and immediately want to write to the author and tell him of his mistake.

    When told that he already knows and that he isn’t going to change it, as confirmed in an interview reported on the Scholastic website, they are incredulous.

    “Why would he do that?” they ask.

    Why indeed.

    When told that he doesn’t care that it isn’t right, they are indignant.

    But herein lies its value:

    I am able to affirm their learning: they know more than Eric Carle; and, more importantly, I am able to reinforce with them that just because something is in print, doesn’t make it true.

    In addition, it is important for them to realise that misinformation does not occur only in picture books, nor only in this picture book. It is just as common in news media, as shown by this article from Brisbane’s Courier-Mail on December 7 2013

    Butterfly emergingtext for photographs

    Nor is misinformation restricted to caterpillars and butterflies.

    This article, again from the Courier-Mail, on January 26 2014 also contains inaccuracies:

    Deadly thirst for glidersFurry flyers text

    Squirrel gliders don’t fly, and they don’t have wings.

    Suggestions for teachers and parents:

    • point out inaccuracies and inconsistencies
    • encourage children to think about what they are reading and hearing and to evaluate it against what they know
    • support children to verify the source of the information and to check it against other more authoritative/reliable sources
    • help them to recognise that every author has a purpose and to identify that purpose
    • invite children to ask questions about what they are reading and to interrogate the content
    • encourage them to question, question, question.

    As demonstrated by the Google results shown above, there is a good deal of misinformation available, often cleverly disguised as fact. Being able to navigate one’s way through it is a very important skill.

    Eric Carle says “If we can accept giants tied down by dwarfs, genies in bottles, and knights who attack windmills, why can’t a caterpillar (sic) come out of a cocoon?”

    What do you think?

    Do picture book authors have a responsibility for informing their audience? Is a butterfly coming out of a cocoon in the same realm as giants tied down by dwarfs? Would we accept a child hatching out of an egg? What parts of a story should be based in reality and which parts can be imagined?

    “Why can’t a butterfly come out of a cocoon?” asks Eric.

    Well, Eric, they just don’t.

    Please share your thoughts.

  • Reading aloud – sharing stories

    Reading aloud – sharing stories

    I have always loved reading aloud to an audience, be it my own children, a class of children or, more recently, my grandchildren. I love the opportunity to escape into other characters and other worlds. I love to see the expressions on the children’s faces – anticipation, amusement, trepidation, relief, joy.  I love the sounds and rhythms of the language. I love the intricacies of story, poem and information.

    Reading stories aloud to children provides a great opportunity to establish a connection between author, reader and listener, a platform for sharing ideas, thoughts and dreams, an avenue for discussing ethical questions and implications of choices. These discussions may arise spontaneously and be child-initiated, or they may be pre-determined and teacher-lead as in philosophical discussions and bibliotherapy.

    Some parents find reading to their children a chore, something tedious that must be squeezed in around the day’s busyness. I am lucky. I never did.

    Some teachers find it difficult to make time for books in a content-driven classroom; but for me it was always priority.

    boy with books
    http://www.openclipart.org

    Some parents are delighted when their children start reading for it means the daily read-aloud ritual can cease. I never was. Well, I was delighted that they could read, but we kept on reading together.

    I read aloud with my children until they were almost teenagers. The books changed, but the joy of reading and sharing never did. During the teenage, and older, years we continued to discuss and share ideas about books we read and recommendations for reading. We still do: some for ourselves and some for the children, my grandchildren.

    Many of you reading this post take your ability to read and write for granted, as do I. But around the world many children do not have the opportunity to learn literacy skills. According to LitWorld more than 793 million people worldwide remain illiterate. About two-thirds of those are women.

    Like the people at Lit World, I believe that “the right to read and write belongs to all people”.

    I was delighted when I read about World Read Aloud Day on Gail Terp’s blog. I have been following Gail’s blog for a little while now. She titles her blog: “The Best Blog for Kids Who Hate to Read”. She says that one of her top goals is to connect children with books they love and her posts provide recommendations of great books to read to and with children, as well as to be read by children.

    In her post Read Alouds: Supporting Literacy One Book at a Time, Gail suggests 7 reasons for reading (picture books and other books) aloud:

        1. They are fun.
        2. They are motivating.
        3. They are easier to follow.
        4. They often introduce new vocabulary and expressions.
        5. They introduce a variety of writing styles, authors, and illustrators.
        6. They provide an excuse to stay close.
        7. They provide windows to complex subjects and ideas.

    Why not join in reading aloud on World Read Aloud Day this Wednesday, March 5.

    LitWorld, sponsors of the day, urge you to

    “imagine a world where everyone can read . . .”

    “World Read Aloud Day is about taking action to show the world that the right to read and write belongs to all people. World Read Aloud Day motivates children, teens, and adults worldwide to celebrate the power of words, especially those words that are shared from one person to another, and creates a community of readers advocating for every child’s right to a safe education and access to books and technology.

    By raising our voices together on this day we show the world’s children that we support their future: that they have the right to read, to write, and to share their words to change the world.”

    owl_books
    http://www.openclipart.org

    How will you celebrate and share World Read Aloud Day?

  • Happy birthday Dr Seuss!

    Happy birthday Dr Seuss!

    Theodor Seuss Geisel: March 2, 1904 – September 24, 1991

    Picture1

    Today, March 2nd is the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr Seuss, author of over 40 children’s books.

    While several of the Dr Seuss books were published before I was born, and many others published during my childhood, I have no recollection of meeting them prior to my years as teacher and parent. Fortunately those two roles provided me ample opportunity to catch up on the delights that I had previously missed.

    Green Eggs and Ham

    I even apologised to Dr. Seuss in a previous post for leaning heavily on his book Green Eggs and Ham when writing about my relationship with exercise.  Click on Ode to Exercise to read my poem.

    You could celebrate his birthday by checking out the fun stuff and information on his author site seussville.com

    or pop over to Gail Terp’s Best Blog for Kids Who Hate to Read for lots of other suggestions:

    Celebrate Dr. Seuss’s Birthday with Books

    Dr. Seuss The Perfect Source for Literacy!

    Fun Dr Seuss games for the whole family

    How have the books of Dr. Seuss influenced your life?

    I invite you to share your thoughts.

  • Searching for truth in a picture book – Part C

    Cocoon or chrysalis – what’s in a name?

    In my previous post Searching for purpose in a picture book – Part B  I conducted this poll:

    If you didn’t participate in the poll, but would like to, have a go now.

    What did you answer?

    If you are familiar with this book

    The Very Hungry Caterpillar

    you may have chosen both statements as correct along with one third of respondents in the poll.

    In his book Eric Carle writes that

    “He (the caterpillar) built a small house, called a cocoon, around himself. He stayed inside for more than two weeks. Then he nibbled a hole in the cocoon, pushed his way out and . . . he was a beautiful butterfly!”

    If you either read or wrote one of the hundreds of thousands of articles about “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”, or about butterflies and caterpillars in general, published on the internet, you probably also identified those two statements as correct.

    butterfly cocoons Cocoon to butterfly

    But if you did, just like Eric Carle, you’d be wrong!

    A caterpillar that undergoes metamorphosis to become a butterfly does not spin a cocoon and does not nibble its way out. The fully grown caterpillar moults into a chrysalis and, when ready, it splits the chrysalis to emerge as a butterfly.

    Monarch butterfly

    For a series of beautiful photos showing the last moult of a caterpillar as it becomes a chrysalis, and another series showing a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, click here.

    Or watch this video by Strang Entertainment showing the caterpillar becoming a chrysalis

    or this one by Neil Bromhall showing a butterfly emerging

    A moth’s caterpillar does spin a cocoon and does nibble its way out (think of a silkworm cocoon and moth).

    silkworms24a

    This video shows silkworm caterpillars nibbling hungrily away at the mulberry leaves. Then when a caterpillar is fully grown (about 2 mins in) it spins it cocoon.

    Compare the process with that of a monarch caterpillar forming a chrysalis. It is a very different thing.

    It is impossible to rely on the information provided by many of the websites to guide one’s use of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” when working with children.

    For example, on the website Math & Reading Help, these suggestions are made:

    “Many Teaching Moments

    Though it’s a very brief picture book with sparse and simple language, The Very Hungry Caterpillar conveys an impressive array of wisdom and lessons for children. Most prominent among these is the life cycle of a caterpillar. The caterpillar in the story begins his life as an egg, then progresses through the larva stage. The time in his cocoon is his chrysalis stage, followed by his adult appearance as a butterfly.

    This is a factually accurate portrayal of how lepidopterans (sic), an order of insects including butterflies and moths, grow and change. It teaches your child to understand this biological process. When you encounter a caterpillar, you can refer to The Very Hungry Caterpillar and ask your child about what it’s doing, since it’s likely to be looking for food. Likewise, you can reference the book when you see a butterfly, noting how it’s a caterpillar that has emerged from its cocoon after its transformation.”

    You have already picked out the inaccuracies in that statement, haven’t you?

    Another website, Primary upd8 also suggests using the book for teaching children about the butterfly’s life cycle, and look how it promotes itself!

    Uks most exciting science resource

    This misinformation is so common and insidious that Jacqui, writing on the Monarch Butterfly New Zealand Trust website, said

    “When speaking to teachers I often find raised eyebrows when I explain that butterflies’ larvae do not make cocoons. The teachers refer to Eric Carle’s book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, where he refers to a ‘cocoon’.

    Why does this misinformation persist, and why did Eric Carle use misleading statements in his book?

    Does it matter if children (and adults) think that butterflies hatch out of cocoons?

    Eric Carle didn’t seem to think it did.

    Unfortunately I was unable to locate for confirmation an article I’d read years ago. This article, if I recall correctly, reported a response of Carle’s to children enquiring why he had used “cocoon” rather than “chrysalis”. His response was one of disdain. What did it matter?

    If you search Eric Carle’s current website for cocoon, this is the response you will receive:

    Why a cocoon

    While Carle concedes that most butterflies come from a chrysalis, he triumphantly states that one rare genus pupates in a cocoon! I confirmed this with the Encyclopaedia Britannica .

    Does that one rare instance let Carle off the hook?

    I think not.

    In her article on the Monarch Butterfly New Zealand Trust website in response to Carle’s statement, Jacqui says

    “Actually, the Parnassians pupate inside cocoon-like webs usually constructed among leaves or in rubbish piles.” (my underlining)

    So not quite true and not quite off the hook Eric Carle.

    In addition, although I couldn’t find the article I was searching for, I found this from Scholastic which shows that Eric was aware of the error and declined to change it.

    “By the way, Eric already knows that a caterpillar emerges from a chrysalis, not a cocoon! So don’t bother writing to tell him. Eric explains how the famous “mistake” crept into the book:

    “My editor contacted a scientist, who said that it was permissible to use the word cocoon. Poetry over science. It simply would not have worked to say, ‘Come out of your chrysalis!’ If we can accept giants tied down by dwarfs, genies in bottles, and knights who attack windmills, why can’t a caterpillar come out of a cocoon?”

    There are many points for discussion in that statement:

    • His editor contacted a scientist – What sort of scientist? I would say one with questionable credentials or entomological knowledge.
    • Permissible to use the word “cocoon” – Why? For what purpose?
    • Poetry over science!!!!!!! Chrysalis is a beautiful word, specific to the butterfly. What could be more poetic than that? Poetic and scientific! What a great combination!
    • Why wouldn’t it have worked to say “Come out of your chrysalis”?
    • A caterpillar doesn’t come out of a cocoon. A caterpillar spins a cocoon; then a moth comes out of it; not a butterfly! (Except for the rare Parnassian butterfly.)

    Is this issue, as Carle suggests, the same as giants and dwarfs, genies in bottles and knights who attack windmills?

    What do you think?

    Do picture book authors have a responsibility in imparting factual information to children?

    Is it okay to choose “poetry over science”?

    In his talk Reading and obligation (reviewed in an earlier post) Neil Gaiman said that

    “We writers – and especially writers for children, but all writers – have an obligation to our readers: it’s the obligation to write true things, especially important when we are creating tales of people who do not exist in places that never were – to understand that truth is not in what happens but what it tells us about who we are. Fiction is the lie that tells the truth”

    Not quite the same thing I know, but an obligation nonetheless?

    Though not there now, when I first looked at the Reading Rockets interview with Eric Carle this quote was prominently displayed beside it:

     “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

    — Dr. Seuss

    A bit ironic, don’t you think?

    How much of the responsibility should remain with the reader to verify the correctness/accuracy of what is read? How does one go about that?

    I have always been a believer in the “question everything” approach. “Don’t believe everything you read,” I say. But sometimes knowing what to accept and what to question can be a difficult thing.

    I’d love to know what you think. Please leave a comment in the comment box.

    Here are links to some of the articles I referred to in this post:

    Monarch Butterfly Website

    Reading Rockets

    Eric Carle

    Encyclopaedia Britannica

    Scholastic

    Ask.com

    Google.com

    Neil Gaiman lecture in full: Reading and obligation

    This post is the third in a series

    Searching for meaning in a picture book – Part A

    Searching for purpose in a picture book – Part B

     

  • Must read: Neil Gaiman – “Reading and obligation”

    When I first stepped, rather tentatively, into the world of blogging and tweeting I had no idea of the pleasures I would find. I found a whole community of others who share my passion for education, learning, literacy and writing. I found a comfortable niche, discussion group, and a place for sharing ideas like I hadn’t for a long time. I’ve “come home” on the internet.

    In these few short months I have come across some bloggers with very powerful messages that I wish everyone could read and act upon in the ways described. What a wonderful world we would have!

    Over the coming months I will let you know about some  articles I consider  ‘must reads’.

    Please let me know of others you think I should also be reading!

    Thanks for sharing and supporting me on my learning journey thus far.

    The story has just begun!

    This first in the series is a lecture given by Neil Gaiman entitled “Reading and obligation”

    Neil Gaiman lecture in full: Reading and obligation

    Neil captivates me with his opening statement:

    “It’s important for people to tell you what side they are on and why, and whether they might be biased.”

    If you have read any other articles on my blog, you will know that I am biased; biased towards a child-centered, hands-on, creative and innovative approach to education. I believe that children are capable of far more than a structured didactic approach to schooling gives them credit for; and that big changes in the way education is delivered are necessary if we are to make best use of our most valuable resource – human potential.

    As a reader, writer and literacy educator I am biased towards approaches which foster a love of reading and writing. The pleasures to be gained from a literate existence are immeasurable. But more than that, being literate is not only personally empowering, it is a basic human right.

    Obviously the articles on my must read list will be those that share my biases.

    Please follow the link to watch the video or read the complete transcript of Neil’s lecture.

    I offer a few teasers below to incite your interest.

    “everything changes when we read”

    Wow! How powerful is that statement!

    “The simplest way to make sure that we raise literate children is to teach them to read, and to show them that reading is a pleasurable activity. And that means, at its simplest, finding books that they enjoy giving them access to those books and letting them read them.”

    “Fiction has two uses. Firstly, it’s a gateway drug to reading. . .

    And the second thing fiction does is to build empathy.”

    “Fiction can show you a different world. It can take you somewhere you’ve never been. Once you’ve visited other worlds, like those who ate fairy fruit, you can never be entirely content with the world that you grew up in. Discontent is a good thing: people can modify and improve their worlds, leave them better, leave them different.”

    Don’t you love that last statement? I do. If we are always “happy” with the way things are, why would we ever try to improve or change them? A little discontent can be a good thing!

    “We need to read and write, we need global citizens who can read comfortably, comprehend what they are reading, understand nuance, and make themselves understood.”

    Neil goes on to talk about our obligations as readers, writers and citizens of the world.

    He lists the following (read or listen for his explanation)

    • Read for pleasure
    • Support libraries
    • Read aloud to our children
    • To use the language
    • We writers – and especially writers for children, but all writers – have an obligation to our readers: it’s the obligation to write true things, especially important when we are creating tales of people who do not exist in places that never were – to understand that truth is not in what happens but what it tells us about who we are. Fiction is the lie that tells the truth (underlining is mine)
    • not to bore our readers
    • not to preach, not to lecture, not to force 
    • never, ever, under any circumstances, to write anything for children to read that we would not want to read ourselves.
    • to understand and to acknowledge that as writers for children we are doing important work,
    • to daydream We have an obligation to imagine. . . . individuals change their world over and over, individuals make the future, and they do it by imagining that things can be different.
    • to make things beautiful.
    • to tell our politicians what we want

    Neil reminds us that

    “Albert Einstein was asked once how we could make our children intelligent. His reply was both simple and wise.

    “If you want your children to be intelligent,” he said, “read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.“

    I couldn’t agree more.

    What about you? What do you think of Neil’s list of obligations? Are there any you would omit, or any you would add?

  • Searching for purpose in a picture book – Part B

    Searching for purpose in a picture book – Part B

    What is the purpose of picture books? Is their purpose simply to entertain with an interesting story and rhythmical language that is fun to read and recite? Is it simply, as I said in my previous post Searching for meaning in a picture book – Part A, “. . . a special time of togetherness, of bonding; of sharing stories and ideas . . . “ Could the purposes of picture books extend beyond entertainment alone? I think most people would acknowledge that reading picture books to young children has a profound effect upon children’s learning and development. In addition to entertainment, picture books can be used for a multitude of purposes, including:

    • to encourage a love of reading and books
    • to develop vocabulary and knowledge of language (through immersion and engagement rather than direct instruction)
    • to provide a link between the language of home and the language used in the wider community and in education
    • to support children embarking on their own journeys into reading
    • to inspire imaginations
    • to provide opportunities for discussing feelings, emotions, ideas, responses
    • to develop feelings of empathy, identification, recognition, hope
    • to instill an appreciation of art by presentation of a wide variety of styles, mediums and techniques

    I’m sure you can think of many more than I have listed here. But what of knowledge, information and facts?

    yves_guillou_question
    http://www.openclipart.org

    How, and when, do children learn to distinguish fiction from fact, or fact from fiction? At the moment that question is too big for me to even think about answering, but it is a question that I ponder frequently and may return to in future posts.

    ryanlerch_thinkingboy_outline
    http://www.openclipart.org

    Children seem to realise early on that animals don’t really behave like humans and wear clothing.

    mouse dressed up
    http://www.openclipart.org

    They don’t expect their toys to come to life and start talking.

    teddy_bear_and_doll
    http://www.openclipart.org

    They quickly understand, when it is explained to them, that unicorns and dragons are mythical creatures and, to our knowledge, don’t exist.

    toy unicorn
    http://www.openclipart.org
    dragon_on_a_leash
    http://www.openclipart.org

    But what happens when the lines between fact and fiction blur and content, though presented in fiction, has the appearance of being based in fact? For example: The lion is often referred to as “King of the jungle” and appears in that setting in many stories. However, lions don’t live in jungles. According to Buzzle, they live in a variety of habitats and jungle isn’t one of them. You knew that didn’t you? But what about the children? When will children learn that lions are not really kings of the jungle? Do you think it matters if children grow up thinking that lions live in jungles?

    Lion_Cartoon
    http://www.openclipart.org

    What about when animals that don’t co-exist appear in stories together? For example: Penguins often share a storyline alongside polar bears. Does this encourage children to think that penguins and polar bears co-exist? When do adults explain to children that penguins and polar bears live at opposite ends of the planet? At what age do you think children will happen upon that information? Does it matter?

    tauch_pinguin_ocal
    http://www.openclipart.org
    lemmling_Cartoon_polarbear
    http://www.openclipart.org

    What about the way animals are visually portrayed in stories? Must the illustrations be anatomically correct? For example: We all know that spiders have eight legs. Right? If I was to ask you to draw a picture of a spider, how would you do it? Have a go. It will only take a second or two. I can wait.

    whistle
    http://www.openclipart.org

    Now compare your drawing with these:

    spiderswirl2
    http://www.clipart.org
    Little_Miss_Muffet_Spider
    http://www.openclipart.org
    spider
    http://www.openclipart.org

    How did you go?

    While children easily realise that this picture is fictional:

    pet_spider_girl
    http://www.openclipart.org

    They have less success is understanding what is wrong with the previous images. Spiders have eight legs. Those drawings show eight legged furry creatures. The story says they are spiders. That must be what spiders look like. Right? Unfortunately, real spiders look more like this one:

    johnny_automatic_spider
    http://www.openclipart.org

    All eight legs are attached to the cephalothorax, not the abdomen (or even one body part) as shown in most picture books. While I am sure you drew a spider correctly (didn’t you?), most children and many adults draw them more as they are depicted in children’s stories. Is this a problem?

    LOVE_2
    http://www.openclipart.org

    I am not for one moment suggesting that we get rid of fictional picture books and stories. I love them! And as I have said, and will continue to say, many times: they are essential to a child’s learning and development. There is no such thing as too many or too often with picture books. Instead, I would like you to consider the misconceptions that may be developed when the content of picture (and other) books may be misleading, and how we adults should handle that when sharing books with children. One of the books that gets me thinking most about this topic is “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle.

    The Very Hungry Caterpillar

    As I said in a previous post, it has been published in over 50 languages and more than 33 million copies have been sold worldwide. I am almost certain that you will be familiar with it, and upon that assumption, I have one final task for you in this post. Please share your response to the question in this poll:

    To be continued . . .

    I would love to receive any other comments you would like to share regarding the content in this post.

    I do apologize that I have been unable to get the text and pictures in the layout I desire. I obviously have more investigations to carry out and learning to do.  🙂

    Maybe next time I’ll have it mastered, says she, hopefully!

  • One for the children . . . A “Who’s hiding?” picture book

    On Christmas Eve, my post is one for the children, especially my two gorgeous little grandchildren, Artie and Anna.

    I hope they, and children everywhere, will enjoy this little guessing game.

    Next year my skills may have developed enough to make it interactive, or even an app!!! Now, let’s not get too excited!

    I am very grateful to Bernadette Drent who created the illustrations for me with very little notice.

    Here it is for you:

    Happy Christmas everyone!

  • 20 suggestions for maintaining reading momentum during the school holidays

    20 suggestions for maintaining reading momentum during the school holidays

    happy_sun_gm
    http://www.openclipart.org

    The school year in Australia is over and the long summer holidays have begun.

    Parents often wonder how they will keep their children entertained during the long days with few structured or timetabled activities.

    When returning to school after many weeks without the formal practice of skills taught during the previous year, teachers often lament that children’s reading fluency and level has fallen.

    What is one way of addressing both these issues?

    The answer might just be in a book!

    Well in reading anyway.

    19180-Text-Book-Graphic
    http://www.openclipart.org

    Here are 20 suggestions for keeping your children entertained while maintaining their reading skills.

    I’m sure you can think of many more!

    Please keep in mind, as you read the list, that the amount of support given, or independence allowed, in each activity will need to be adjusted to the individual child’s age and reading ability. Even young children who are not yet reading independently can be included in most activities.

    1.  Read to and with your child every day – continue the practice established throughout the year with special sharing times during the day or at bed-time — or both!
    2. Demonstrate that you value reading by making time for your own reading, or setting aside a special quiet time when everyone in the family reads.
    3. Visit the library and borrow to read, read, read!
    4. Read poetry books, song books, picture books, joke and riddle books, crossword books, information books, chapter books (these can be read to younger children, or with older children – taking turns to read a page or a chapter each) — what are your favourites?
    5. Trade books no longer read for others at a second-hand book store.
    6.  When dining out, have your children read the menu and choose their own meal.
    7. Include your child in holiday cooking and have them read the recipe – ingredients and method. Perhaps they could read the recipe book to select the meal for the day.
    8. Suggest your child read the TV guide to find when favourite programs are showing and establish a timetable for viewing, rather than haphazard watching with random flicking through channels.
    9. Provide your child with bookstore catalogues and encourage them to read book descriptions to guide their next selection. 
    10. Bestow upon your child the title of ‘Family weather watcher’ and have them consult weather forecasts in the newspaper or online to select the most suitable days for planned outings and activities. 
    11. Include your child in making decisions about holiday activities. Give them the guide, or read the guide together and jointly choose the activities. 
    12. Make the library, museums and art galleries high on the list of must-dos. Many of these offer a wonderful assortment of free holiday entertainment for children, and reading is an essential part of getting the most from each visit! 
    13. Engage your child in some craft activities which require them to follow written instructions. The ability to understand and follow procedures is empowering and requires the ability to read written, as well as visual, instructions. 
    14. Encourage your child to ask questions about every day events and phenomena. Help them to research in books at home, in the library or on the internet. 
    15. Provide eBooks as well as books in print. Good ones bring a new dimension to the reading experience. 
    16. When going out for the day, or journeying further away on a holiday, support your child in locating destinations on a map and in selecting an appropriate route. Engage your child in giving directions while en route. 
    17. Include your child when reading bus or train timetables. 
    18. When doing the family grocery shop, give your child their own list of items to look for. 
    19. Listen to recorded books on long car journeys, or have books for listening to or reading along with in bed. 
    20. Make the most of every reading opportunity that occurs throughout the day!

    What are your favourite ways of incorporating reading into everyday activities?

    When I was a child, I loved receiving books as gifts. I still do! Books are among my most treasured possessions.

    www.openclipart.org
    http://www.openclipart.org

    I remember the delight when, on awaking in the dark of an early Christmas morning, I would reach down to end of my bed and discover a book there. I couldn’t see it, but I could feel the smooth glossy cover and the familiar roughness of the pages. I would lift the book up and breathe in the rich, delicious smell which promised so much pleasure I almost wanted to devour it. I knew that something delightful was in-store for me, and as the dawn’s soft glow began light the room, I watched the colours, pictures and words slowly take form and reveal themselves to me. What joy!

    I am forever grateful to my parents for encouraging my love of reading.

    The love of reading is one of the greatest gifts a parent can give a child.

    So, here is #21, it probably should have been #1!

    21. Give books as gifts!

    Read! Read! Read!

    You are welcome to download and distribute the 21 suggestions FREE from my TEACHERSpayTEACHERS store.

    You can read another post on this topic by Nanny SHECANDO by clicking here.

  • Searching for meaning in a picture book — Part A

    Searching for meaning in a picture book — Part A

    Do you recognise this book?

    The Very Hungry Caterpillar

    Chances are you do.

    According to the website of the author Eric Carle, since its publication in 1969 it has been published in over 50 languages and more than 33 million copies have been sold worldwide. It ranks highly in the Wikipedia List of best-selling books.

    Most primary schools, preschools and kindergartens would have numerous copies in their libraries with a copy in most classrooms as well as in teachers’ private collections. Most homes with young children would have a copy in their storybook collection.

    reading

    In addition to the books, many of those schools, classrooms and homes would have some of the associated merchandise; including toys, games, puzzles, posters and colouring books, which are now available.

    When I typed ‘the very hungry caterpillar’ into the Google search bar about 5,640,000 results were listed in 0.33 seconds!

     Google search the very hungry caterpillar

    There are activities, lesson plans, printables, videos, and advertisements for merchandise. There is a plethora of suggestions for using the book as a teaching resource, including counting, days of the week and sequencing.

    I think you would be hard pressed to find someone that hasn’t at least heard of the book. That is quite an impact, wouldn’t you say?

    For a book to have done so well, it must have a lot going for it. And it does.

    There are many things I like about this book, including:

    • The bright, colourful, collages with immediate appeal
    • The natural flow and rhythm of the language making it easy to read, dramatize and recall
    • The sequence of numbers and days encouraging children to predict and join in with the reading and retelling
    • The match between the illustrations and the text supporting beginning readers as they set out upon their journey into print
    • The simple narrative structure with an identifiable beginning, a complication in the middle with which most children can empathise (being ill from overeating) and a “happy” resolution with the caterpillar turning into a beautiful butterfly.

    Reading to children

     Nor and Bec reading

    Sharing of picture books with children from a very young age has a very powerful effect upon their learning.

    There are many benefits to both parent and child of a daily shared reading session.

    clock

    It can be seen as a special time of togetherness, of bonding; of sharing stories and ideas. It can be a quiet and calming time; a time to soothe rough edges and hurt feelings; a time for boisterous fun and laughter; or a time for curiosity, inquiry, imagination and wonder.


    Whatever the time, it is always a special time for a book    ; and all the while, children are learning language.

    8-12-2013 7-38-33 PM
    © Bernadette Drent. Used with permission.

    They are hearing the sounds and rhythm of their language. They are being exposed to new vocabulary, sentence structures, concepts and ideas. They are learning important understandings that will support them on their journey into literacy e.g. they are learning that the language of a book differs from oral language and that the words in a book always stay the same.

    They begin to realise that it is the little black squiggly marks that carry the message, and they may even start to recognise some words.

    Robert 2

    Many of these, and other, features make “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” suitable for incorporation in an early childhood curriculum, for example:

    The Very Hungry Caterpillar

    • Literature appreciation – love of language, knowledge of story, interest in books
    • Reading – the clear, simple and predictable text make it an easy first reader
    • Maths – counting and sequencing the numbers, sequencing the days of the week
    • Visual arts – learning about collage and composition of a picture
    • Philosophical inquiry —sharing interpretations and discussing feelings about the story, asking questions raised including the ‘big questions’ of life

    ryanlerch_thinkingboy_outline

    Eric Carle, in an interview with Reading rockets, describes it as a book of hope. He says:

    “You little, ugly, little, insignificant bug: you, too, can grow up to be a beautiful, big butterfly and fly into the world, and unfold your talents.”

    He goes on to explain that,

    “I didn’t think of this when I did the book, but I think that is the appeal of the book.”

    But I’m not going to let him have the last word!

    While “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” has always been one of my very favourite picture books, I do have some misgivings about the impact that this book has had.

    In future posts I will share what I consider to be some limitations of the text, and what I consider to be the most powerful use of all.

    What do you think?

    What appeals to you about this book?

    What questions does it raise for you?

    Please share your ideas. I look forward to hearing what you think.