(PDF) Advances in Early Communication and Language

LANGUAGE LITERACY
AND COMMUNICATIONS
IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
PART 1: UNIT PLAN.....................................................................................................................1
Unit of work based on children's picture book text.....................................................................1
Use of multimodal texts..............................................................................................................2
Considering literacy assessment-what types and when..............................................................2
Australian Curriculum Documents.............................................................................................3
Principles in the Early Years learning Framework document....................................................4
PART 2: RATIONALE ..................................................................................................................4
PART 3: DIGITAL RESOURCE....................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
The different element of language and literacy links and have a strong purpose in
children's learning. Language, literature and literacy play a crucial part in teaching to and at early
age of children. The every day practical activities and communication encourages children to
develop learning, literacy and literature. Communication skills are linked with development of
writing and reading and also children's ability for communicating is directly related with their
literacy development. Present report is based on children's picture book as the focus of text. The
present report aims at demonstrating knowledge of Australian Curriculum and the principles
associated with the effective teaching for the early years. Application and interpretation of
different theories of development of children's learning and literacy is done in the report.
Appropriate assessment items, content, resources and teaching strategies are used in the report
further and in relation to Australian Curriculum documents.
PART 1: UNIT PLAN
Unit of work based on children's picture book text
It is important to embed various activities within specific curriculum as it ensures
effective learning to early age children. Language literacy and communication is important for
early childhood learning development. This is considered as essential key for children to
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communicating, learning and building relationship with others and also enables them to make
sense of different things and activities around them (Webb, Williams, 2018).
The unit plan is made for 2-3 weeks in order to develop various skills, knowledge and
literacy of early childhood.
Developing specific
skill and knowledge
of early age children
Activities undertaken for
developing specific skills
Outcomes of the activities
Week 1 developing
communication skills
Children were encouraged to
repeat words and poems.
The children were able to
read the alphabets and
words properly.
Week 2 Developing
coordination
Different games and activities
were undertaken so that they
interact with other people
In the games, children
were effectively
communicating with each
other and helping their
partner to win the game
round.
Week 3 Logical skills Children were provided with
pictures of people, flowers,
animals and colours
This helped children to
identify and notice the
difference in various
pictures.
The role of teacher, parents, family and people around children in learning and language
acquisition is most important. Literacy is an important part of everyday learning in childhood.
When literacy is interlinked with day-to-day activities, children's learns the best and gain
communication knowledge. Developing and establishing knowledge base which aims at
accounting for professional and practical knowledge is important. Articulation and knowledge
regarding how early childhood acquire and gain language knowledge is key to good teaching
practice. Following is given some themes through which children's learning is prepared.
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Phonological awareness, reading, writing, viewing, speaking and listening opportunities
for learning are different themes that helps children to gain knowledge about communication,
literature and literacy. Phonological awareness refers to group of skills which includes
identification and manipulation of units of oral language. This is essential for learning in order to
read alphabetical writing system. The other theme that can provide children a source of learning
and gain knowledge is through phonics. It is a method used to make children read the sounds that
group of different letters create when spoken. The children's can develop their ability of hearing
and identifying.
Reading is another theme that can be used for developing communication and literacy
knowledge in early childhood (Murris and Haynes, 2018). The reading methods helps children to
understand the sound of letters and use them for reading and spelling or speaking the words.
Writing is also considered as important aspect in teaching to early childhood as writing skills are
necessary in future age. Writing skills can be developed by encouraging children to write about
the letters they know. After, completion of the reading of the picture book parents is advice to
have discussion about the same with children. Tutor as well as parents can talk about sounds of
words. As this strategy will help children in learning more words starting with specific alphabet.
Repetition of the funny lines can be the easiest way to make children learn. There are many other
strategies which can be utilised by both teacher and parents for making the children learn these
are : appreciating the imaginative utilisation of language through story telling. The objective of
curriculum unit is to promote the utilisation of picture books. In addition to this other rationale
for using the picture books is to develop the interest of reading among the children at early age.
By using the picture book teacher can encourage children to verbalize their ideas, opinions,
reactions and interpretation of characters or situation in each Text book.
Use of multimodal texts
Multimodal texts refers to a picture book through which language and communication n
skills can be developed in early childhood. Visual and textual elements are arranged on every
pages that helps in learning and developing knowledge (Uccelli, 2018). Australian curriculum
defines multimodal as the strategic use of communication modes for making meaning. For e.g.
gesture, image, spoken language, music or written language. The multimodal texts can be used in
developing learning, literature and communication in early childhood by including oral story
telling or dance performances and even with presentations. The meaning is conveyed by
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combining different modes such as audio, gestures or oral languages (CHEN–HAFTECK And
et.al., 2018). In addition to this , tutor can convey meaning of sentence through different
combination of modes such as spoken language, audio, gestures etc. Each mode requires
resources for creating meaning. Multimodal text can be useful as well as beneficial for both
teachers and children, as both of them can easily learn.
Add the letter starting with B Draw a picture to match the word.
Ball
Bee
Bat
Butterfly
It is required by teacher to repeat the same activity with other alphabets which children
have been learning in the classroom. Teacher can conduct brainstorming activity, tutor can ask
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children to draw matching picture. Organising the quiz can be considered to be as one of the best
strategy for making the children learn. Sample of quiz.
_lephant _gg _agle
Missing letter is _
Considering literacy assessment-what types and when
Literacy refers to having the capability for reading and writing. Assessment literacy is
done in order to improve learning and communication skills in children. Assessment of literacy
encompasses skills that educators need for identifying, selecting and creating assessments which
are optimally designed for different purposes (Informed, Targeted Teaching Relies on Quality
Assessment Practices, 2019). Teachers needs to select the appropriate assessment method and at
appropriate time. For e.g. current situation may require using diagnostic assessment for assessing
reading and writing skills of learner. The observation assessment can be adopted to check
whether learner is engaged during instructions and speaking presentation or not. The different
assessment may be used for better understanding about the other skills and knowledge.
Literacy assessments are of different types such as resource, reflective, formative,
summative, screening, progress and diagnostic tests, which are explained as follows and it also
describes when it can be used:
Diagnostic assessment: This aims at providing information regarding skills and knowledge that
learner exhibit presently (Pulay and Williamson, 2018).
Screening Assessment: This assessment type aims at examining the skills and knowledge in
details.
Progress Assessment: This method of assessment seeks at monitoring the goals which are
determined in initial screening and diagnostic tests.
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Formative Assessment: This type of assessment helps in monitoring children's progress towards
the identified goals. And it also informs the way of teaching that needs to adapt and evolve.
Summative assessment: This helps in determining that to what extent the children has
developed their communication, learning and knowledge (Jett, 2018).
Reflective Assessment: This type of assessment method helps both learner and teacher to reflect
regarding how learning is progressing.
Resource Assessment: This assessment type helps in determining whether all material and
resources are available that are required for carrying out effective learning.
Australian Curriculum Documents
The Australian Curriculum Documents sets consistent and national standards for
improving the learning outcomes for all the young citizens of Australia (Luke, 2018). It aims at
setting out, through content descriptions and standards of achievement that what students needs
to be taught and gain or achieve, as when they progress through school. The Australian
Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) is built on interrelated strands such
as literature, literacy and language. The learning and teaching programs needs to make effective
balance between all these three strands and also needs to be effectively integrated. Literature,
literacy and language strands focus on developing learner's skills, understanding and knowledge
of reading, listening, speaking, viewing, writing and creating. The learning is build with the help
of processes, concepts and skills which are developed in the earlier years and teachers strengthen
theses as required (Jett, 2018).
Principles in the Early Years learning Framework document
The Early Years Learning Frameworks aims at describing practices, principles and
outcomes which supports and enhances young children's learning from birth to the age of five
and also in their transition to school (Carta, 2018). Language and literacy has inter relationship
which changes over a time. Early literacy is usually predicted through language based skills and
knowledge for e.g. Oral language or print knowledge and also through phonological awareness.
The language skills play great role in children's future as in higher level of writing skills and in
reading comprehensions. The different skills develop in hierarchical manner such as listening,
viewing which serve as foundation skills for talking or singing and then further it leads to
reading and writing.
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PART 2: RATIONALE
The rationale for developing a plan is to assist children in developing the understanding
about different situations. Other rationale is to provide children with an opportunity to explore.
Practice and learn. One of the major reason of preparing the plan is to meet the needs of all
young children in the six areas of learning - one of which is communication, language and
literacy.
There are various activities which I have planned for helping children in development of
the literacy skills these are reading, talking, story telling, drawing etc. Every day I will spend five
minutes in helping children to learn. I will play rhyming game with children. I will also ask
them to read the story or either I will read stories for them. As these activities will help children
in developing the reading skills. In context of baby as well as young children I planned few
activities which includes sound games, nursery rhymes, repetition. As these activities will assist
children in learning quickly (Luke,2018). It will also assist children in development of an
effective listening abilities. I will use rhyme whenever I can utilise. I will use phrases such as
snug as a bug in a rug. I will have focus rhythm as well as repetition activities. As I will try baa
baa black sheep. I will make sounds which animals used to make. I will play games with
children like I spy utilising colours.
I will also conduct reading as well as book based activities which will help children in
developing the vocabulary. This activity will assist children in increasing their understanding
level and also help them in raising their potential to connect sound as well as words. I will
encourage children to turn the pages of books and try to speak words which they see. In addition
to this, I will use my fingers in order to guide the children eyes from left to right and will point
out few phrases or words (Romano & Woods,2018). I will use lift the flap books. I have planned
the drawing activity as this will help children in developing the motor skills which is required for
writing with pen as well as pencils in later childhood. During the drawing class, I will provide
children s with an opportunity to utilise alphabets engraved on blocks, puzzle pieces etc. I will
ask children to make sounds or combination of sounds. In context of drawing as well as literacy
skill activities, I will choose few alphabets or letters and I will move around children in the
classroom as well as I will make new sounds using few alphabets such as Tab, Bat , abt etc. I
will ask children to match specific word with picture (Murris and Haynes, 2018).
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Bat
Elephant
Egg
Eagle
In addition to this I will provide props such as reach as well as match learning kit,
alphabet as well as number blocks etc. to supplement the examples for instance, hand
movements, sounds, objects which can be helpful in supporting children in developing the
literacy skills. I will read poem slowly and will act on phrases (Johnston, O’Keeffe &
Stokes,2018). I will have the power point presentation for lessons and I will discuss every
section in brief. I will include some pictures in the presentation in order to provide good learning
experience to children.
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PART 3: DIGITAL RESOURCE
There are different digital resources which can be used by teacher for helping children to
develop vocabulary include Wordle. It is basically a web based application which enables an
individual to develop a word cloud based on the frequency of words. This is the application
which can help teacher in stimulating the thinking of children. It will enable children to develop
the understanding about the relationship between words (Neaum, 2018). Fort developing the
word cloud, an individual is required to paste text in the applet and they a person need to
manipulate the visual display by choosing the specific theme of colour, font and layout. By
utilising the colour the teacher can highlights the keywords in order to prepare children for
reading. There are few vocabulary games are their on internet such as pitcture-word matches,
word scrambles and crossword puzzles. E-book reading devices can be used for helping the
children in development of Literacy skills (Snow, Eslami, & Park, 2018). Teacher can utilise
digital poster as well as power point presentation for demonstrating a splash for book cover
images. Trailer of movies can be shown to children. For example, a screen displaying a book that
the class is reading, such as Kate DiCamillo's The Tale of Despereaux. In addition to this, there
are few audio books are also available on the internet which can help children in development of
Vocabulary as well as an effective listening skills. Few channel on Television can be very much
helpful in helping students in developing the literacy skills these are time for kids, national
geographic kids, national geographic kids blog. Computers, book, word walls, dictionaries as
well as encyclopedia is the resources required by teacher for helping children in development of
literacy skills. Information and communication technologies can be used by teacher for creating
digital multimodal texts. By using the communication technology teacher can give live
performances. The online resources which can be utilised by teacher for creating multimodal text
using the technology are Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI): Film it -The film-
makers tool kit and other similar sites. By conducting the Live e-book reading activity teacher
can assist children in improving their reading skills. The resources which are required for
facilitating E-book activity includes internet, computer etc.
CONCLUSION
It has been concluded from the assignment that there are different types of assessments
which are very much helpful as well as beneficial in context of assessing the knowledge and
skills of an individual. The other thing which has been concluded from the assignment is that
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The Australian Curriculum Documents sets consistent and national standards for improving the
learning outcomes for all the young citizens of Australia. It has been concluded from the report
use of multimodal text is beneficial in order to help children in development of literacy skills.
It has been recommended to teacher to use digital resources, as this will help tutor in
providing the good learning experience to children.
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REFERENCES
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Springer, Cham.
CHEN–HAFTECK, L., Mang, E., Welch, F.G. and McPherson, G.E., 2018. Music and language
in early childhood development and learning. Music Learning and Teaching in Infancy,
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Jett, C., 2018. The Effects of Children’s Literature on Preservice Early Childhood Mathematics
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Luke, A. (2018). The body literate: Discourse and inscription in early literacy training.
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Romano, M. & Woods, J., (2018). Collaborative Coaching With Early Head Start Teachers
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Snow, M., Eslami, Z. R., & Park, J. H. (2018). English language learners' writing behaviours
during literacy-enriched block play. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 18(2), 189-213.
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Snow, M., Eslami, Z. R., & Park, J. H. (2018). English language learners' writing behaviours
during literacy-enriched block play. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 18(2), 189-213.
Uccelli, P. and et.al., (2018). Children's Early Decontextualized Talk Predicts Academic
Language Proficiency in Midadolescence. Child development.
Webb, G. L. and Williams, C. J., (2018). Factors affecting language and literacy development in
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Online
Informed, Targeted Teaching Relies on Quality Assessment Practices.2019. [Online]. Available
through: <https://www.theliteracybug.com/planning-and-assessment>
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