The importance of literature in intellectual development has generated discussions among various educational stakeholders and policy-makers (Sumara, 2002). What clearly emerges is that exposing children to the many different works of literature enhances their intellectual world-views and linguistic skills (Flint, Lowe, Kitson, & Shaw, 2013). To this end, various educational psychologists suggest that literature is an eye opener. Other than its role in phonological and vocabulary development, the study of literature enables young learners to nurture new ideas and moral stand-points (Chera & Wood, 2003). In fact, literature enhances childrens capabilities to appreciate languages and their contexts of literacy.
Literature and Linguistic Skills
To begin with, studying a work of literature heightens the developmental process of a childs linguistic skills (Chera & Wood, 2003). While in-depth study of books has attracted only a few people even in the most developed countries, the realization that it enhances a childs vocabulary has led to policies aimed at making children into to be active readers (Sumara, 2002). Due to the new words frequently employed by authors, most childrens linguistic competencies get better whenever they read literary works (Flint et al., 2013). Furthermore, any historical work of literature exposes young children to the philosophical suggestions that were popular in a particular society at a specific time (Campbell, Tompkins, & Green, 2012).
Literature Enhances Constructive Criticism Capabilities
In addition, exposing children to interesting works of literature enhances their unconscious love of related issues. Whenever children and teenagers get exposed to an intriguing literary work, they develop interests to look for more reading materials or studying a related issue (Flint et al., 2013). Moreover, computer-based reading programs enhance a childs phonological knowledge and reading skills (Henke, 2001). While the relationship between computer-mediated technologies and reading has not been investigated sufficiently, a computer-addicted child is more likely to hop from one e-book website to the other (Chera & Wood, 2003).
Although this multi-screening may be a prevalent crisis, it seems to be a suitable way of reading diverse texts and accessing various works of arts at the same time (Henke, 2001). In any case, many new works of literature are encouraging young readers to delve into more published facts for purposes of language-acquisition and enhancing intellectual abilities (Campbell, Tompkins, & Green, 2012).
Literature and the Social Environment
In addition, a work of literature on any social issue may influence how children respond to the demands of their learning environments. According to Annandale (2005), childrens cognitive abilities develop rapidly whenever they discuss the purposes of a text. For instance, a story that exposes the effects of laziness in schools may influence a childs unconscious resolve to be punctual and critical. Furthermore, children who find solace in deviant tendencies may reverse their habits when a piece of literature dissuades their intellect from such trends. More important is that some works of literature encourage a shared and interactive reading trend among children (Sumara, 2002).
Younger learners and children who are driven by views expressed in a story become more comfortable to deduce language elements such as punctuation marks and words (Campbell, Tompkins, & Green, 2012). In the end, their resolve to appreciate intellectual and linguistic contents is heightened.
Conclusion
Taken together, the growing importance of literature in learning and childrens linguistic development is unlikely to be averted. The scope of learning which is heightened by the need for intellectual reasoning and improved language skills has made literary works necessary for childrens educational processes. Conceivably, literary works and computer-mediated reading programs help children to develop insights into their contexts just as their language-acquisition abilities are improved.
References
Annandale, K. (2005). Reading map of development: Addressing current literacy challenges. Melbourne: Rigby Heinemann. Web.
Chera, P., & Wood, C. (2003). Animated multimedia talking books can promote phonological awareness in children beginning to read. Learning and Instruction, 13 (1), 33-52. Web.
Campbell, R., Tompkins, G., & Green, D. (2012). Literacy for the 21st century: A balanced approach. London: Prentice Hall. Web.
Flint, A., Lowe, K., Kitson, L., & Shaw, K. (2013). Literacy in Australia: Pedagogies for engagement. London: Wiley and Sons. Web.
Henke, H. (2001). Electronic books and publishing. New York: Springer. Web.
Sumara, D. (2002). Why reading literature in school still matters: Imagination, interpretation and insight. Los Angeles: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Web.
For the tables and the analysis, I chose the two years that were closer together, 2005 and 2009. I made this choice because a lot of rather significant changes happened in this short period. First of all, after 2005 the internet actively started to win its popularity all around the world and I wanted to demonstrate how this tendency developed in Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Besides, everyone still remembers the major financial crisis that affected countries all around the world in 2007 and 2008. This way, my other intention was to examine the impact it created on the countries under analysis.
Middle Eastern region is known for its rapid economic and social development that skyrocketed after the 1990s. The majority of the countries of this area managed to develop profitable trading relationships with Asia, Europe and the United States. Besides, many of the Middle Eastern states are focused on the development of tourism and the attraction of great numbers of visitors. Due to this, these countries have been involved into a lengthy and thorough improvement and renovation process making themselves attractive, creating unique sights and building beautiful and luxurious resorts to open themselves to the inflow of new capitals.
Analysing the data I noticed several factors and changes that impressed me. One of them was the rapid growth of the population of Qatar which jumped from 821 thousand to over one and a half million people. It doubled within just 4 years. Most likely, this demographic change occurred due to the economical improvement of the country which attracted hundreds of thousands of migrants from such countries as India and Pakistan who tried to benefit from the growing economy in the state.
One more noticeable change happened in Algeria. The countrys GDP growth per capita fell from 3.5 in 2005 to 0.6 in 2009. Besides, Algeria is the only one out of the five examined countries that showed a negative change in primary enrollment. While Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Morocco and Qatar improved their primary enrollment rates, Algerias numbers decreased by 3.7 %. Unfortunately, the data considering adult literacy in this country in 2009 was unavailable, though I would be interested to see how the primary enrollment rate affected that number. The drop in the growth of DGR per capita in the UAE was another noticeable factor. In my opinion, this can be explained by the impact of the financial crisis which affected the UAE a lot.
Finally, the most impressive growth can be noticed in the numbers of internet users in each of the countries. Even Algeria, which has the lowest number, demonstrates nearly 50% progress. The data for the UAE shows that in this area this state is superior to other countries in the list because its 2005 data equals that of the other countries registered in 2009.
The following two tables demonstrate some data connected with Arabic countries. Table 1 obtains information about the state of affairs peculiar for selected countries in 1980 while Table 2 presents more modern data which was obtained in 2010. Having compared these two tables, it is possible to make certain conclusions. First of all, it should be said that all countries have a significant population increase. Sometimes, it is more than 50 per cent. That is why it is possible to suggest that such rates of the growth of population can lead to overpopulation of these countries. However, very often this fact does not mean significant growth of the economy of a state. Moreover, very often countries show negative exponents of the GDP rate. That is why this phenomenon can be taken as the main evidence of the problem of poverty peculiar for the majority of these states. Nevertheless, access to the Internet can also prove this statement.
Being the richest state in the list, the UAE has the widest accesses to this technology. It is obvious, that the Internet is not a cheap service and people, who live under horrible conditions, cannot afford it. Besides, showings of the literacy rate can also be rather interesting. With the help of these tables, we can see that there are no showings in Table 1. It is possible to suggest that this issue was not interesting and peculiar for researchers in those times. Additionally, the absence of the interest can be taken as evidence of the fact that the majority of people were uneducated. However, there is a positive shift in the situation nowadays. Table 2 shows that the number of people who have at least some knowledge increases. This fact can serve as a sign of the improvement of the educational sphere in these countries. There is one more surprising fact. Being one of the richest states in the world, the UAE has poor showings of the GDP growth per capita. This fact can introduce some discussion about the main reasons for this process.
The Pre-Reading Plan involves formulating a central concept of the text, dividing the class into groups, and having students group ideas related to the topic into logical categories, reflecting upon their relationships, and eliminating redundant words from the list before reading. PreP can be used before reading various texts to uncover students prior knowledge and relate them to the text.
Brainstorming
Involves the examination of the title of the text and, possibly, the subtitles inside it; students then write out all the information that comes to their mind as concise bullet points. This can be used to uncover students prior knowledge and restructure it, as well as to agree upon central notions or ideas.
Pre-questions
Students are asked questions about the contents of the text. These may include definitions of the key concepts, examples of related situations, key traits of the phenomena involved, or students own experience with the topic. Also, students may be asked leading questions to better predict the contents of the text (Yang, Newby, & Bill, 2005). In a social studies classroom, these may be used especially when discussing topics that are related to phenomena existing today.
Discussing the purposes of reading
The teacher may ask students about for what purpose they think the text is provided to them to engage them in critical thinking, or the teacher may offer several purposes to be discussed. It is also possible to discuss the desired outcomes of the reading. This strategy can be used before reading virtually any text.
Discussing the author
It is possible to consider the author of the text and discuss the students knowledge about her/him. It may help to put the text in a broader context and help relate the students knowledge about the author to the ideas given in the text. This strategy can be used when reading works of any prominent authors that students are already familiar with.
Reading to Learn
Contextualizing
Students may be asked to place the text in its historical context. The learners should reflect upon the contemporary values they are adherents of, and the values and perceptions of the time during which the text was written. The strategy can be used while reading any works that were written a significant amount of time ago.
Reflecting upon challenges to students convictions
Students may be encouraged to compare the perceptions expressed in the text to their ones, and analyze the arguments for and against the new perceptions both the ones provided in the text and the ones students can think of. This can be used with any text expressing non-mainstream perceptions.
Summarizing the text
While reading, students may be encouraged to take notes of the text by writing out key ideas and supporting arguments from the text in a concise form. For example, it is possible to write out the main idea of each paragraph. This can be done along with outlining the text, which will allow learners to better navigate their notes (Sporer, Brunstein, & Kieschke, 2009). It can be used with virtually any text in a social studies class.
DRTA
Direct Reading Thinking Activity involves discussing what students know about the topic before reading, predicting what the text could contain from the title, subheadings, and illustrations, discussing what has been read, and modifying predictions about further contents after reading a subsection. DRTA can be used only with a text none of the students have read before.
Asking the author
Students are encouraged to formulate questions related to the contents of the text or the author of the text. The learners may then attempt to discuss these questions and guess the authors probable viewpoint. These guesses can be verified or refuted with the further parts of the text. Best used with a text the context of the creation of which is familiar to the learners.
Reflecting
Reading slips
After finishing reading the text, students are given questions related to their understanding of it (asking about how the text can be used in the real world, a surprising fact they learned, something they would like to know more about, etc.), and write brief responses. This can be used with virtually any text.
QAR
Question-Answer Relationship Strategy involves asking students questions about the text and encouraging them to explain how the answer is presented in the text (directly in the text as a fact, implied, derived from the text and the students background knowledge, or not given). QAR can be used with almost any text and teaches students to differentiate between facts given in the text and answers the learners found on their own.
Scales
Students are given several questions and are asked to indicate how much they agree or disagree with a statement based on the text by using a continuous line or a Likert scale. Learners then defend their positions; they can also engage in dialogues (Gunnlaugson & Moore, 2009). This strategy can be used with most of the texts.
Very important points
Students, who were asked to mark key points while reading, discuss these key points after finishing the text. They defend their perceptions of why these points are paramount. This can be used with almost any text and teaches students to differentiate between key points and details.
Answering pre-questions
If students generated pre-questions (see above), they may be asked to answer these questions based on the text. The strategy can be used with any text to which pre-questions were asked.
Vocabulary Building
Purposefully dedicate time to vocabulary learning
Vocabulary instruction should be a distinct, clear part of a lesson, for new lexis is a necessary part of students learning, and it is what allows them to become independent readers (Beers, 2001). Approximately 10-15 minutes of each lesson are recommended to be dedicated to learning vocabulary (Robb, 2014), in particular, is a social studies classroom.
Vocabulary previews
New words should be taught to learners before reading. The words should be listed, and their definitions should be provided. The relationships between words can be shown, as well as their connections to some already known words. This strategy should be used with any text containing new vocabulary.
Discussing new words and drawing maps.
Students discuss the new words before reading and also draw maps, charts, Venn diagrams, etc. This allows for better relating the new words to one another (Allen, 2006).
Writing paragraphs or short essays with key terms
This should be done after the reading is complete. Students should be encouraged to use as many new words in their paragraphs or essays as reasonably possible. This can be used in most social studies classrooms.
Reviewing the terms
Students review the terms they learned during a class in the following classes. This may be done by employing various techniques, such as the ones described above, as well as by giving texts where the learned terms would be used. It should be done in any class where students are to remember new terms, for they will forget most of the new terms without revision.
References
Allen, J. (2006). Too little or too much? What do we know about making vocabulary instruction meaningful? Voices from the Middle, 13(4), 16-19.
Beers, K. (2001). When readers struggle. Voices from the Middle, 8(4), 4-5.
Gunnlaugson, O., & Moore, J. (2009). Dialogue education in the postsecondary classroom: Reflecting on dialogue processes from two higher education settings in North America. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 33(2), 171-181. Web.
Robb, L. (2014). Vocabulary is comprehension: Getting to the root of text complexity. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Sporer, N., Brunstein, J. C., & Kieschke, U. (2009). Improving students reading comprehension skills: Effects of strategy instruction and reciprocal teaching. Learning and Instruction, 19, 272-286. Web.
Yang, Y.-T. C., Newby, T. J., & Bill, R. L. (2005). Using Socratic questioning to promote critical thinking skills through asynchronous discussion forums in distance learning environments. The American Journal of Distance Education, 19(3), 163-181. Web.
The main aim of the text is, according to the author, to review the records of literacy among the lower orders during the Qin and early Han dynasties. Although it is not clear to what extent the members of the lower orders could be considered literate and what graphs and signs they could recognize, Yates argues that literacy was demanded from the state so that the lower orders could be able to understand specific documents and ideologies (341).
Moreover, literacy was also used by the resistance groups who approached it as a source of power (Yates 341). The text is written for students and scientists who are already familiar with the history of Early China, and, preferably, at least partially understand Chinese, since the author provides quotations from the original text (translations are added too). The text also focuses on previous studies of Early China, e.g. disputes with the work of Mark Edward Lewis.
As the author states, there is not enough evidence of what was understood by literacy during the period of the Early Chinese Empire, so Yates tries to provide new information about it (340). The research was completed in 2011 and refers to the articles written in the 1990s and 2000s. Thus, much new information is provided.
The Kinds of Reasoning
The text is divided into several parts, where the author examines different pieces of evidence from the book Mozi, scribes (legal documents), reports and letters from soldiers, and state documents directed to women of lower orders. Yates theory is based on the evidence that suggests members of the lower order could read and write, although to a limited extent. The chapter begins with a suggestion that is examined in the sections mentioned above (Yates 341).
Yates proceeds, introducing the first evidence from the book Mozi. The next extensive chapter is devoted to the scribes, legal documents that bureaucracy operated with. Yates also presents the brief history of the scribes and their role in the life of the citizens and the state (345). In this section, Yates examines and analyses several documents that had various functions, but all confirmed that lower orders needed writing and reading skills to communicate with the authorities. In the section named Soldiers, Yates presents evidence in the form of military reports and letters that soldiers wrote during their duty. Yates concludes that soldiers also possessed writing and reading skills, although they were limited, enough to fill out a report (362).
Women from the lower orders were also literate to some extent since they were able to understand or edit some of the documents that belonged to them or their husbands (Yates 366). Thus, Yates can conclude from the evidence he presented. The logic of these conclusions is clear, but not all sources are valid enough to support Yates conclusions. At the end of the chapter, Yates provides a conclusion briefly summarizing the results of his analysis.
Evidence in the Text
Yates approaches different pieces of evidence to support his theory. In the first section, he examines the chapters from the book Mozi, which could be considered literary evidence, although it does document the life of the lower orders and provides detailed descriptions of their life. However, this book was badly damaged, and not all chapters of it were found, so the accuracy of this source remains partly doubtful. The next texts, i.e. scribes, military reports, and letters from soldiers, as well as statutes addressed primarily to women and their households are historical evidence.
The main advantage of the evidence that Yates uses in his text is that he provides the original, Chinese texts or abstracts from the texts too. Thus, readers can get acquainted with the primary sources without any mediator. However, for those who are not able to read the original texts, Yates provides accurate and correct translations.
The sources Yates uses are primary, although he also refers to studies of other scholars to support his views.
Evaluation
Although the arguments Yates uses are strong, the author himself states that the evidence he provides might be circumstantial; it is also not clear how literate the ordinary people were. Supposedly, they possessed basic skills in writing and reading; some of them could read and complete more complicated texts than the others (Yates 345). The method of analysis seems to be unproblematic, although the author often refers to his works to support some of the evidence.
More diversity in sources would improve the texts credibility. Judging by the title of the chapter, a reader will imply that scribes and military evidence, as well as the evidence from female members of the lower orders, will be extensively presented; nevertheless, the author focuses mostly on the scribes, leaving several pages of analysis to letters from soldiers and womens literacy. It is comprehensible since scribes provide the biggest amount of historical data. However, the expectations of a reader may not be satisfied because of the partly misleading title of the chapter.
Works Cited
Yates, Robin DS. Soldiers, Scribes, and Women: Literacy among the Lower Orders in Early China. Writing and Literacy in Early China: Studies from the Columbia Early China Seminar. Ed. Li Feng and David Prager Branner. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press, 2011. 339-369. Print.
The changes experienced in the world today explain why people should be keen to develop superior competencies and skills such as literacy. Literacy is a concept that has gained new meanings in the recent past to ensure that more people realize their potential. Personally, I define the term literacy as the ability to advance the manner in which I do certain things. The improvement should be completed within a specified period.
The concept has also attracted the attention of many scholars in different fields. The development of ones literacy can ensure that specific personal goals and career objectives are realized efficiently. Within the past five years, I have acquired new skills that make it easier for me to move through different communities and societies with ease and fluency. This discussion gives a detailed analysis of this personal literacy development.
Scope and Purpose: Intended Audience
The outlined literacy is significant since it makes it easier for me to network with many people, learn from them, and widen my competencies. I always use the insights gained from different individuals to redesign or improve my personal philosophy. Additionally, this literacy can be implemented in different fields to support my career and professional goals. This achievement will make me successful in the future.
The purpose of this narrative is to describe how I have managed to develop this kind of literacy. The discussion will go further to explain how my classmates and friends can focus on the best approaches to develop this kind of literacy. This means that the targeted people can embrace similar approaches, read widely, and cooperate with other individuals. By so doing, the targeted audience will acquire new skills that can be applied in different settings (Trejo et al. 279).
The practice will ensure that more people learn how to interrelate with friends and colleagues from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, the readers will understand how to communicate efficiently, use different technologies, embrace the power of social media, and implement appropriate decision-making processes.
Influential Events
Literacy should be pursued by people who want to achieve their goals (Sereni-Massinger and Wood 261). Personally, I have acquired and developed meaningful skills that empower me to associate and communicate with individuals from diverse ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. This kind of literacy is a powerful strength that has the potential to support my current and future goals. The most outstanding observation is that various events and experiences have made it easier for me to develop this kind of literacy.
To begin, my parents used to encourage me to respect others and treat them fairly. This concept always guides me to support my colleagues without looking at their religious or cultural backgrounds. My siblings have friends from different races. I have always emulated the way my siblings relate with them. This practice has made it possible for me to appreciate, respect, and befriend more people from different backgrounds. Consequently, I have learned how to communicate, ask questions, and address conflicts whenever dealing with people from various cultures.
My schooling environments have also empowered me to develop this kind of literacy. For instance, I have attended different learning institutions whereby the concept of diversity is always taken seriously. This argument explains why I have managed to develop this type of literacy over the years. Currently, my class is composed of learners from diverse cultural backgrounds. I always interact with them effectively in order to learn new ideas. My schooling compliments my literacy practices and achievements. It is also notable that my classmates have not limited my development of the literacy.
I have also been reading different books and novels that have equipped me with adequate communication skills. For instance, I have learned the importance of respect, attentive listening, choice of words, and tolerance. Different television programs and movies have taught me how to associate with others, solve emerging problems amicably, and support one another. I have also been visiting different websites that educate people on how to relate with others and promote peace. For instance, I have learned numerous concepts from such websites such as cultural competence, diversity, and inclusion. This argument shows conclusively that different media outlets have empowered me to develop this kind of literacy.
Since I have interacted with people from different communities, I have managed to develop adequate skills and models for dealing with problems. For instance, my association with Muslims has taught me how to love one another, promote peace, and respect peoples religious believes. On the other hand, my association with people from Latin America has made it easier for me to appreciate their beliefs, the use of traditional medicine, and meaning of grieving or mourning.
This analysis reveals that I can relate positively with more individuals depending on their cultural values, beliefs, and attributes. It is, therefore, appropriate for persons to communicate with their colleagues effectively and engage in constant questioning (Hale and Stanney 39). This strategy will ensure that people develop this kind of literacy and realize their aims in life.
The other important issue is how my literacy practices are exhibited in different communities or environments. It should be observed that I associate with individuals in accordance with their backgrounds. For instance, I would not be willing to discuss religious topics with persons from an Islamic background. At the same time, I would be ready to focus on different religious ideas whenever associating with Christians.
The important thing is to create a desirable environment for exchanging concepts and pursuing various goals (Mulder 81). It is also notable that my literacies have developed efficiently in both academic and online environments. Those who want to achieve this objective should respect one another and learn to listen attentively. The move can make it easier for them to learn more about their colleagues. Since my literacies function similarly across different contexts, I have been able to achieve my goals, support more people, and develop superior skills.
Powerful Insights and Arguments
Human beings can learn a lot from others in an attempt to improve their philosophies and eventually become successful (Mikhaylov 7). The above discussion shows clearly that any person can develop a similar literacy practice and function efficiently in different communities. That being the case, several lessons and insights can be learned from my experience by individuals who want to develop this kind of literacy. The first lesson is that individuals should be ready to respect others and listen attentively. They should also be willing to identify strangers, ask questions, and update their philosophies of life. The concept of constant questioning can result in lifelong learning. The move can ensure that more people learn how to relate with others, address their needs, and establish peaceful societies.
From my personal literacy development, it is evident that language functions as a complex manner. Human beings should be able to develop powerful competencies such as listening, problem-solving, and decision-making (Padhi 22). This achievement can make it easier for them to use the right words depending on the person they are interacting with. It is also evident that this kind of literacy is something that can be improved by socializing with more people.
My experiences also speak to the manner in which education functions in this country. The discussion reveals that people learn a lot from their neighbors, workmates, and friends. The narrative also indicates that education is a social function that takes place continuously. When people understand this fact, it will be easier for them to identify new concepts and skills that can improve or support their personal relationships (Sereni-Massinger and Wood 262).
Finally, this narrative is important since it explores the importance of different literacy practices. When a person develops a specific literacy, he or she will be able to achieve various goals or objectives. People should, therefore, focus on this idea in an attempt to widen their literacies in different fields or areas.
Conclusion
This literacy has empowered me to collaborate with many people from diverse backgrounds and learn from them. I have used the above concepts to improve my philosophy of life. People should coexist with other effectively, respect them, and focus on the best ideas that can support their goals. This discussion explains why it is appropriate for human beings to engage in continuous learning in an attempt to develop superior literacies that can support their aims in life.
Works Cited
Hale, Kelley S., and Kay M. Stanney. Handbook of Virtual Environments: Design, Implementation, and Applications. CRC Press, 2015.
Mikhaylov, Natalie S. International Business Students Cross-Cultural Competence Development: The Influence of the Educational Environment. SAGE Open, vol. 4, no. 1, 2014, 1-15.
Mulder, Martin. Competence-Based Vocational and Professional Education: Bridging the Worlds of Work and Education. Springer Shop, 2017.
Padhi, Prasanta K. The Rising Importance of Cross Cultural Communication in Global Business Scenario. Quest Journals, vol. 4, no. 1, 2016, 20-26.
Sereni-Massinger, Christine, and Nancy Wood. Improving Law Enforcement Cross Cultural Competencies through Continued Education. Journal of Education and Learning, vol. 5, no. 2, 2016, pp. 258-264.
Trejo, Bianca C., et al. Cross-Cultural Competence: The Role of Emotion Regulation Ability and Optimism. Military Psychology, vol. 27, no. 5, 2015, pp. 276-286.
The process of literacy development in children typically occurs in five phases, the first one being the development of awareness and exploration. As its title suggests, in the specified stage, children tend to explore the language, starting with the perception of the spoken word from their parents and people around them to building their vocabulary by reading books (Lai 110). The question that children tend to ask during the stage of awareness and exploration are the main signifiers of the literacy development process being launched. As a rule, young children tend to ask about the names of objects to build their vocabulary and gain the basic knowledge required for the foundation of literacy development (Lai 110).
The second phase, known as experimental reading and writing, can be observed when children reach the preschool age. At the given point of their development, they take particular interest in nursery rhymes and similar sources of learning to gain new vocabulary, as well as observe and understand how language is used. While children may prefer pictures in books to the actual process of reading, the latter should be encouraged by parents (Cooper et al. 184). In addition, children can show enthusiasm for learning by attempting to write letters for the first time or trying to spell their names (Cooper et al. 184). Any writing or reading endeavors should be highly encouraged by adults to prompt early learning.
As soon as children learn about letters and their use and become comfortable with the idea of using letters to formulate their ideas, they transition to the third phase of literacy development, which is known as early reading and writing stage. During the third stage, children enter the realm of the academic environment by enrolling in preschool. They learn key aspects of phonics and word building, becoming capable of writing phonetically (Lai 111). Remarkably, children are very likely to make numerous mistakes in spelling since they will rely on the sound of the word rather than its epistemology (Lai 112). However, parents and teachers should be delicate about correcting these mistakes not to avert a child from learning.
As a child grows to start their second or third grade, they enter the fourth stage of language development, which is known as the traditional reading and writing phase. During the identified period of their literacy development, young learners can comprehend written discourse and interpret it without the help of adults (Cooper et al. 186). Moreover, they can add their perspective to the narrative, thus contributing to its development (Cooper et al. 187). The ability to locate the theme and thesis statement of a story are characteristic of the specified phase of literacy development. Moreover, children develop the ability to relate to the stories that they read and draw parallels between these stories and their own life.
Finally, the fifth stage of literacy development starts once children gain the skills of fluent reading and no longer require the support of educators or parents to understand the meaning of the narrative that they read. Gaining independence in reading and the ability to communicate complex ideas through writing are two essential characteristics of the described stage (Lai 113). It is noteworthy that the enthusiasm toward reading and learning, in general, may not be observed throughout the rest of a childs development. However, the basic literacy skills that a child gains during the fifth stage will not disappear; instead, it will provide the platform for future learning.
Works Cited
Cooper, David, et al. Literacy: Helping Students Construct Meaning. 10th ed., Cengage Learning, 2016.
Lai, Chun. Autonomous Language Learning with Technology: Beyond the Classroom. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017.
The importance of literature in intellectual development has generated discussions among various educational stakeholders and policy-makers (Sumara, 2002). What clearly emerges is that exposing children to the many different works of literature enhances their intellectual world-views and linguistic skills (Flint, Lowe, Kitson, & Shaw, 2013). To this end, various educational psychologists suggest that literature is an eye opener. Other than its role in phonological and vocabulary development, the study of literature enables young learners to nurture new ideas and moral stand-points (Chera & Wood, 2003). In fact, literature enhances childrens capabilities to appreciate languages and their contexts of literacy.
Literature and Linguistic Skills
To begin with, studying a work of literature heightens the developmental process of a childs linguistic skills (Chera & Wood, 2003). While in-depth study of books has attracted only a few people even in the most developed countries, the realization that it enhances a childs vocabulary has led to policies aimed at making children into to be active readers (Sumara, 2002). Due to the new words frequently employed by authors, most childrens linguistic competencies get better whenever they read literary works (Flint et al., 2013). Furthermore, any historical work of literature exposes young children to the philosophical suggestions that were popular in a particular society at a specific time (Campbell, Tompkins, & Green, 2012).
Literature Enhances Constructive Criticism Capabilities
In addition, exposing children to interesting works of literature enhances their unconscious love of related issues. Whenever children and teenagers get exposed to an intriguing literary work, they develop interests to look for more reading materials or studying a related issue (Flint et al., 2013). Moreover, computer-based reading programs enhance a childs phonological knowledge and reading skills (Henke, 2001). While the relationship between computer-mediated technologies and reading has not been investigated sufficiently, a computer-addicted child is more likely to hop from one e-book website to the other (Chera & Wood, 2003).
Although this multi-screening may be a prevalent crisis, it seems to be a suitable way of reading diverse texts and accessing various works of arts at the same time (Henke, 2001). In any case, many new works of literature are encouraging young readers to delve into more published facts for purposes of language-acquisition and enhancing intellectual abilities (Campbell, Tompkins, & Green, 2012).
Literature and the Social Environment
In addition, a work of literature on any social issue may influence how children respond to the demands of their learning environments. According to Annandale (2005), childrens cognitive abilities develop rapidly whenever they discuss the purposes of a text. For instance, a story that exposes the effects of laziness in schools may influence a childs unconscious resolve to be punctual and critical. Furthermore, children who find solace in deviant tendencies may reverse their habits when a piece of literature dissuades their intellect from such trends. More important is that some works of literature encourage a shared and interactive reading trend among children (Sumara, 2002).
Younger learners and children who are driven by views expressed in a story become more comfortable to deduce language elements such as punctuation marks and words (Campbell, Tompkins, & Green, 2012). In the end, their resolve to appreciate intellectual and linguistic contents is heightened.
Conclusion
Taken together, the growing importance of literature in learning and childrens linguistic development is unlikely to be averted. The scope of learning which is heightened by the need for intellectual reasoning and improved language skills has made literary works necessary for childrens educational processes. Conceivably, literary works and computer-mediated reading programs help children to develop insights into their contexts just as their language-acquisition abilities are improved.
References
Annandale, K. (2005). Reading map of development: Addressing current literacy challenges. Melbourne: Rigby Heinemann. Web.
Chera, P., & Wood, C. (2003). Animated multimedia talking books can promote phonological awareness in children beginning to read. Learning and Instruction, 13 (1), 33-52. Web.
Campbell, R., Tompkins, G., & Green, D. (2012). Literacy for the 21st century: A balanced approach. London: Prentice Hall. Web.
Flint, A., Lowe, K., Kitson, L., & Shaw, K. (2013). Literacy in Australia: Pedagogies for engagement. London: Wiley and Sons. Web.
Henke, H. (2001). Electronic books and publishing. New York: Springer. Web.
Sumara, D. (2002). Why reading literature in school still matters: Imagination, interpretation and insight. Los Angeles: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Web.
In Bronfenbrenners Ecological Model (1979), a childs most basic environment is the microsystem, which includes his family. The culture of the society his family belongs to greatly influences how he imbibes the culture and how he expresses his developing personality. On this first level, all of the childs relationships are bidirectional, meaning adults affect his behavior and vice versa (Berk, 2006).
Young children find the theme of family very interesting, especially because their first life experiences are with their family members. Listening to family stories truly captivates children, and as they listen, they get to relate the plot to their own lives.
Aims & Objectives
The activities planned have objectives that conform to the state guidelines set by the NSW Department of Community Services.
Provision of an environment supportive of communication and where language is richly used by both children and adults.
Appropriate use of language and communication with children.
Being responsive to childrens efforts to communicate both verbally and non-verbally and Active encouragement of children to use language and awaken them to the power of both verbal and non-verbal language.
(NSW Department of Community Services. Office of Childcare, n.d.).
Specifically, the activities also aim to:
Promote literacy skills and higher-order thinking
Encourage socialization and cooperation among the children
Develop comprehension skills
Encourage creativity
Foster appreciation for family
Anticipated Outcomes
Children will gain good comprehension skills from the storytelling activity.
Children will be aware of story elements such as characters, setting, plot, etc.
Children will know how to sequence events of the story.
Children learn how to express themselves in drawing, writing, and verbal stories.
Children engage in higher-order learning in coming up with alternative story endings.
Children learn how to communicate their ideas to peers.
Children develop good interpersonal skills during group activities.
Children get to appreciate family values and the moral lesson of the story.
Children gain ICT skills within the theme.
Time Frame: The activities may be done as an evaluation of the students skills gained after a story reading session. An example of a family story is Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
Each activity may be done for the rest of the work period depending on the developmental level of the children.
The older the children, the longer the time allotted for the activity since they have more developed attention spans. This may be done again for another session or two. The important thing is that children do not get bored doing it and so it should be interspersed with other supplementary activities.
For Children aged 2-3
Prepare three pictures from the story one for the beginning, another for the middle, and another for the end. Let the children arrange the pictures from beginning to end either from top to bottom or left to right. Let them explain what happened to each scene. As they progress, in the next sessions, more pictures may be added for them to arrange the correct sequence.
For Children aged 4-5
Instead of preparing the pictures, let the children draw the pictures. They can be assigned a particular scene from the story and have them dictate what is happening to the scene while the teacher writes down their verbalizations on the lines under the picture box where they are supposed to draw. Later on, let the children talk about their pictures in front of the class, then after everyone has shared, arrange themselves with the pictures according to the sequence of the story.
For Children aged 6-7
Have a number of strips of paper ready. On each strip, write down a phrase or sentence depicting a specific event in the story. Present the event strip to the class in random order. Let them reconstruct the story using the event strips. If they are just beginning to read, to prompt them in their reading, there can be a representative picture beside the words.
Writing: Changing Story Endings
Discuss the story after it is read to make sure the children understand it fully. With this base knowledge, try to raise their thinking to greater heights by asking them to group themselves into threes to come up with a different story ending. For example, instead of Goldilocks running away when she is awakened by the three bears, she gets adopted by the bears and is asked to live happily ever after with them. Or instead of scaring Goldilocks away, the three bears get to break into Goldilocks house instead and try out her soup, her chair, and her bed. The children are encouraged to be creative in their thinking then later defend their points with critical reasoning. After the small group discussions, each group shares its endings with the class. The class votes for the best alternative story ending.
Search the internet for interactive online stories with the theme of family. There are many available. Explore it first to make sure it is suitable to the developmental needs and level of the children. This activity may be for individual or paired children. Orient the children to the instructions of the online store. Be there to guide them in the first few minutes and when they manifest understanding and capability to work on their own, allow them to explore by themselves. These stories are interactive and would entail their active participation. Just be on hand to assist them if needed.
The activities detailed above are designed to develop literacy skills. Just what is literacy, and how does it develop in an individual? Venezky, et al (1990) provides an elaborate explanation, emphasizing writing as well as reading:
Literacy is minimal ability to read and write in a designated language, as well as a mindset or way of thinking about the use of reading and writing in everyday life. It differs from simple reading and writing in its assumption of an understanding of the appropriate uses of these abilities within a print-based society. Literacy, therefore, requires active, autonomous engagement with print and stresses the role of the individual in generating as well as receiving and assigning independent interpretations to messages. (p. 142)
Schools have been built to nurture and develop it and use a variety of methods to inculcate it in students, just so they may draw upon their literacy skills in becoming productive, learned individuals.
Emergent literacy is the term used to refer to the earliest period of a childs literacy development, specifically the time between birth and when the child can read and write (Sulzby and Teale, 1991). According to emergent literacy theories, the child is the central figure in the construction of learning. His life experiences directly affect his literacy. One theoretical perspective in the area of emergent literacy is that children are innately predisposed to becoming literate especially if they live in a literary-rich environment lots of books, pictures, films, software, educational posters, etc. The activities planned all expose the children to such an environment, including technology, which is very much a part of the childrens lives right now.
Piaget (1959) also has something to contribute to the theoretical perspective of literacy. According to him, literacy is actively constructed with a childs interaction with the environment. Such interaction brings about learning, as concepts are constructed or changed, usually, differing from adult concepts. Still another perspective has been inspired by Vygotsky (1962), as he theorizes that a child learns literacy through conversation and involvement in literacy acts with an adult. This interaction between adult and child is called scaffolding. This occurs when a knowledgeable adult gently guides a child through successive literacy activities while relinquishing autonomy little by little to the child until such time he can do it on his own. This is manifested in the three activities when teachers first guide the children until such time they are ready to work on their own and develop skills by themselves.
Analysis of Learning Experiences
The story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears was used as an example because of its popularity and simplicity. It is a basic story that may be cultivated for a rich harvest of ideas and concepts. However, the choice of the story may be adjusted to the developmental level of the children. It may have been a good choice for the younger set, but if higher-order thinking is to be aimed at, then a corresponding reading level and story complication is called for. The sequencing of events activities was well designed with the developmental levels in mind, and it is expected that the children will respond well to it if an effective motivational teacher implements it. The Story ending activity would be limited to more verbal children aged 5 and up, as their language skills are more developed than the younger set hence they can express their ideas better to each other and to the class. The younger children aged 2-4 may be given an alternative activity like a game related to the story or a role-playing activity with props they can sort and classify into different attributes. The interactive ICT activity should be researched well by the teacher first before introducing it to the children. She herself must try it first to ensure that it will be appropriate for her students and that much value and learning will be derived from it. An alternative to this activity may be a film-showing activity that may be compared to the story told. Such analysis would elicit higher-order thinking in the children on top of being entertained.
Focus Child Language Analysis
Ali (age 4) was talking to his teacher one day, asking her what she would like to be when she grows up. She answers, I wanted to be a teacher. I already am!
But I am also a writer. Alis follow-up question was, You dont want to be a more left?
Ali is a precocious little boy who speaks confidently to anyone. This sample of his conversation shows his wit as a manifestation of his logical thinking skills. This may stem from his quality interactions early on from the home. Beaty (2009) contends that children develop a sizable vocabulary even as young as 20 months if adults around them talk to one another and to them and showed affection and interacted playfully as opposed to their counterparts who received little or no adult interaction and verbal communication.
Alis loving parents have showered him with the love and attention he needs, making him confident enough to experiment with words and meaning. Hearing the word writer meant for him right-er , so he associated it with the directional word left-er . To an adult, it would seem like a punchline to a joke, which makes childrens innocent speech amusing to them. But to Ali, he meant to use the word as he saw fit in his own understanding of the word.
Clay (1998) posits that all children must take an active part in negotiating meanings. The sample depicted above is a clear indication of Alis experimentation in finding meaning to words with a supportive teacher who allowed him to. Conversations with adults are essential in the language learning of children. Piaget and Vygotsky, key people in the study of language and thought, believe that development will not take place unless children engage in rich, meaningful conversations with others by which language is internalized to more complex thinking (Neuman & Roskos, 1993).
Both theorists uphold that through language, children begin to decipher particular words from objects or actions and then words begin to stand for ideas. Next, thought begins to take on a symbolic function, such as Alis use of the word righter in the example above. He was successful in using the natural medium of language for representational thinking at a very young age (Neuman & Roskos, 1993).
How should young children like Ali be encouraged to develop their literacy skills? Educators use different approaches to help children become literate:
Whole language approach
emphasizes a holistic, meaning-based, and context-based approach in linking printed text with spoken language.
Little attention is paid to specific or isolated skills and limited emphasis is placed on the role of focused practice.
Language and literacy are viewed as integrated systems, and specific components of language such as the sounds of each letter are not learned in isolation (Norris & Hoffman, 1993).
Phonetic approach
emphasizes phonological awareness training
value the provision of specific and focused opportunities to practice segmenting words into phonemes, blending phonemes into words, and learning to rhyme.
Natural literacy
expands the concept of emergent literacy by emphasizing the role of interactions with adults or more competent peers in a childs learning experiences.
Although the whole language approach and the phonetic approach seem to be opposing camps, there is good reason to suggest an integration of both for more effective literacy development. Watkins & Bunce (1996) gives the rationale:
On the one hand, because the process of literacy acquisition occurs through natural, meaningful experiences with print and reading, these experiences should play a role in efforts to facilitate such skills. On the other hand, because phonological awareness contributes to early reading achievement, some focus on particular phonological awareness abilities appears warranted. Thus, a rationale exists for integrating whole language and phonological awareness perspectives in attempts to promote literacy proficiency in young children. (n.p.)
The activities set forth above comply with the requirements necessary to meet the developmental needs of young children in terms of their literacy development. It is projected that the learning experiences will meet the objectives set forth above. Not only will they be literate, but these will also help them become good communicators in the future especially if they are exposed to more of such activities at a very young age.
References
Beaty, J.J. (2009), 50 Early childhood literacy strategies, Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ, pp. 54-55.
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The Ecology of Human Development. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Clay, M.(1998) By Different Paths to Common Outcomes, Stenhouse Publishers, Maine, pp. 5-32
Neuman, S. B., & Roskos, K. A. (1993) Language and literacy learning in the early years: An integrated approach, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Fort Worth, TX, pp. 27-31, 34-61.
Norris, J., & Hoffman, P. (1993). Whole Language Intervention for School-age Children. San Diego: Singular Press.
NSW Department of Community Services. Office of Childcare, n.d, NSW Curriculum Framework for Childrens Services.
Piaget, J. (1959) The Language and Thought of the Child. London: Routledge & Kegen Paul.
Sulzby, E. & Teale, W.H. (1991) Emergent Literacy. In R. Barr, M.L. Kamil, P., Mosenthal & P.D. Pearson (Eds.), Handbook of Reading Research Volume II. New York: Longman.
Venezky, R., Wagner, D. & Ciliberti, B. (Eds.) (1990) Toward Defining Literacy, Newark, DE; International Reading Association.
Vygotsky, L.S. (1962) Thought and Language (E. Hanfmann and G. Vaker, Eds & Trans.) Cambridge, M.A.: MIT Press
Watkins, R. V., & Bunce, B. H. (1996). Promoting language and literacyskills in preschool classrooms. Invited presentation, Kansas Division for Early Childhood, Manhattan.
For the tables and the analysis, I chose the two years that were closer together, 2005 and 2009. I made this choice because a lot of rather significant changes happened in this short period. First of all, after 2005 the internet actively started to win its popularity all around the world and I wanted to demonstrate how this tendency developed in Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Besides, everyone still remembers the major financial crisis that affected countries all around the world in 2007 and 2008. This way, my other intention was to examine the impact it created on the countries under analysis.
Middle Eastern region is known for its rapid economic and social development that skyrocketed after the 1990s. The majority of the countries of this area managed to develop profitable trading relationships with Asia, Europe and the United States. Besides, many of the Middle Eastern states are focused on the development of tourism and the attraction of great numbers of visitors. Due to this, these countries have been involved into a lengthy and thorough improvement and renovation process making themselves attractive, creating unique sights and building beautiful and luxurious resorts to open themselves to the inflow of new capitals.
Analysing the data I noticed several factors and changes that impressed me. One of them was the rapid growth of the population of Qatar which jumped from 821 thousand to over one and a half million people. It doubled within just 4 years. Most likely, this demographic change occurred due to the economical improvement of the country which attracted hundreds of thousands of migrants from such countries as India and Pakistan who tried to benefit from the growing economy in the state.
One more noticeable change happened in Algeria. The countrys GDP growth per capita fell from 3.5 in 2005 to 0.6 in 2009. Besides, Algeria is the only one out of the five examined countries that showed a negative change in primary enrollment. While Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Morocco and Qatar improved their primary enrollment rates, Algerias numbers decreased by 3.7 %. Unfortunately, the data considering adult literacy in this country in 2009 was unavailable, though I would be interested to see how the primary enrollment rate affected that number. The drop in the growth of DGR per capita in the UAE was another noticeable factor. In my opinion, this can be explained by the impact of the financial crisis which affected the UAE a lot.
Finally, the most impressive growth can be noticed in the numbers of internet users in each of the countries. Even Algeria, which has the lowest number, demonstrates nearly 50% progress. The data for the UAE shows that in this area this state is superior to other countries in the list because its 2005 data equals that of the other countries registered in 2009.