Literacy Through Authentic Experiences

In our neighbourhood, we have continued to observe children delving deeper into their inquiries and understanding of creativity. Through the lens of construction, storytelling, and art, the children are exploring form and function and beauty. As each of the learning spaces provokes further inquiry, we, as educators, are noticing the development of language and literacy skills that are authentically provoked by these learning opportunities.

As we further investigate the role of books and theatre in sharing stories, students continue to develop their awareness and understanding of narrative features. Students began with an interest in fairytales, and we have continued this focus with literature studies (including Piggy and Gerald stories by Mo Willams, and Charlie and Lola stories by Lauren Child). These studies have enabled students to identify character traits, recognise interesting characters and introduced the idea of ‘voice’, which was best highlighted with the students’ love and exploration of speech bubbles. 

• 

“…maybe the story belongs to everyone?”-Dexter

“I love the way one person tells the story to another person, and that person takes the story and tells another person, and then that person takes the story and tells another person and it goes along like that!” – Jazz

“This story is a bit gruesome!” – Leo K

Over the past few weeks, students have continued to explore settings and props. The investigation of settings has students working individually and collaboratively to create both realistic landscapes with identifiable features, as well as imaginary settings with appropriate features that conceptualise a holistic landscape for their viewers. Through our investigations into ‘end pages’, it is evident that students are tuning into the possible effects that author and illustrator choices have on the reader. Students have been bringing in examples of books with interesting end pages to compare and share.

• 

• 

“That is a boring end page! It’s only red!” – Eren

“We need a good character for a story otherwise there wouldn’t be a story…” Gemma

• 

The construction space has provided further forms of expression for students to explore settings and storytelling. Students have enjoyed creating imaginative characters with Mobilo and Lego Technic then swiftly and figuratively transforming gradually introduced materials into elements of a setting and a platform for stories. For students, these contexts authentically provoke storytelling and narrative features, as well as a desire to document their learning with drawing and writing.

• 

• 

• 

• 

The studio is the perfect ‘setting’ to uncover and explore ideas around form and beauty and their connections to creativity. We continue to set up a variety of materials and inspirations for their ability to expose and provoke beauty. Still-life has unearthed some of the positive feelings when creating for our own pleasure. 

• 

• 

• 

• 

The continuation of our inquiries into the brain and creativity has provided authentic opportunities for reading, researching, listening and writing. 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

The connecting of the 100 birds mini-project to mobile making has also offered authentic opportunities to record thinking through writing and drawing. We are now beginning to provoke the children to add the much-loved speech bubbles to their drawings of birds. Look out for these unique responses.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

With all the learning across the neighbourhood, the excitement is evident. Students are asking for paper to record their ideas in sketches and writing; are asking to present their learning to the whole group; and are continuing to ask teachers to post their learning onto Seesaw. Students are increasingly aware of their growth points and developing learning goals. 

A goal is something you want to get better at. You try and try and keep trying and maybe you should try on the weekend.   -Leo N

A goal is something you try and try to do and if you fail it’s ok because if you try again you might be able to do it.   

– Max K

I think a goal is where you have to try and try and try and then you say I quit but the person who is helping you says ‘No! Try one more time.’ And you try one more time and it’s great.   – Elena

I think a goal is something you have to get better at and it might take a while.  – Anais

As the desire to share learning with others develops, we see students considering presentation skills of speaking with a clear voice and facing their audience. The children are also being encouraged to think about the content of their presentation, highlighting the who, what, when, why, where or how. These presentation skills are provoking the need for explicit vocabulary to support their communication. 

We can share our learning with…

Kat, Nellie, Simon, Hannah…teachers – shared quote

Mums, dads, brothers, sisters...families -shared quote

New preps – John

New people or friends – Chiara

Friends – Billy

Learning buddies – Jesse

The moments of authentic reading, writing and speaking continue to grow in our neighbourhood.