Date_______________________
Anecdotal Observation
Date_______________________
Childs name/s
Age
Context
Observation
Interpretation
Date_______________________
Childs name/s
Age
Context
Antecedent
Interpretation
Behaviour Consequence Future planning
Jottings
Childs name/s __________________________________________
Date Observation Interpretation
Future planning
(see Arthur et al., 2015, p. 282)
Narrative
Childs name/s __________________________________________
What modes of communication is the child using?
What knowledge and experiences are the children drawing on? How are they building on what they already know?
How do the adults or other children present build the childs communication, language or literacy understandings?
How is the child reacting to the environment?
How can the people and environment further extend the communication, language and literacy of the child?
What insights does this observation give us about possible ways children develop language and literacy understandings?
Booklet Extracts
These three extracts are taken from three different booklets from previous years. They have been shared here with permission of the students. These students did well but that does not mean these examples are perfect or that you must do exactly the same thing. The content and format of your booklet will depend on your case studies and research. Note too that some of the formatting from these examples (including photos and use of font and layout) has been lost in copying them here.
Extract One From Booklet Introduction
This student is setting up what is to follow, and supports her statements with quotes and statistics from good academic sources. Her reference to the appendices shows she has collected data, although because she gives no hint as to what is those appendices, it is not as helpful as it could be.
Relationships
Children begin to learn about language before they are even born (Gross, 2013, p. 14).
So then as parents what can we do to help them on their journey to communicate orally, read and write?
Well in most cases we do things naturally without even thinking about it (appendix 1). We talk to our babies and children, smile at them and attend to their needs with love and care. These interactions and the relation-ships we develop from them are so important in their overall development and their development of language (Hill, 2015, pp. 4-5). As babies and children need to feel supported and encouraged to participate, feeling valued and safe to express themselves and try new things. Children are born genetically social beings with a desire to understand their environment and communicate with others (Roseman, 2008, p. 42).
These desires need to be utilised so that children can achieve their potential. It is now known that intelligence is 20% reliant on genetics and 80% on the environmental factors (Winter, 2010, p. 14). Throughout this booklet there are many tips and ideas for you to create an environment for your babies and children that will help you meet their potential (appendix 3 and 4).
The type of experiences and the quantity and frequency of these interactions matter!
(Hart Risley, Teale & Sulzby as cited in Rosemary & Abouzeid, 2012, p. 181).
Extract Two From Early in the Booklet
This student again uses academic sources to explain key terms. Note that although she is doing this, she is also using language and explanations that parents can understand. She draws on examples from her case studies to illustrate her points.
Phonological Awareness
Phonological awareness refers to the umbrella concept of being able to understand what a word that is said, means, based on just hearing it and not seeing the letter is starts with. Once a child finds differentiation and similarities between words that rhyme, this begins to make contextual meanings for children (Konza, 2011, p.1). Phonemic awareness, described by Konza (2011), refers to the specific, individual sounds in words that create a specific meaning, therefore builds on childrens understanding that even though the words rhyme, they may mean different things and are spelt differently, or very similar (p.1). As described by Evas experience (See Appendix One, p.11-12), to assist with Evas phonological awareness, the educator repeats the names of the sea animals in syllable form, then referring to them by using non-verbal gestures, all promoting Evas receptive language, in early stages of Phonological awareness development (McLachlan, Nicholson, Fielding-Barnsley, Mercer & Ohi, 2013, p.125).
Self Expression Through Literacy Practices
Being self-expressive is what children do best, they have learned how to do this through mimicking adults and other children around them since birth. Environments that promote open-ended play with bright coloured, tangible objects that are familiar to their experiences, allow opportunities for children to become creative and imaginative when utilising them in play (Bouley, 2013). Educators in early childhood settings use observations of their play and interactions, during planned and unplanned activities, to determine their well-being and overall enjoyment of life. From these observations, educators plan experiences and set up learning areas in the classroom, centre or outdoor area to promote childrens interests (Early Years Learning Framework, 2009, p.9).
Visual Arts
Through childrens innate curiosity, they are naturally drawn to investigate themselves through any medium available. A child who is 12 months old is given a crayon or paint, first they may begin by sucking or trying to eat it, however it is through adult modelling that children then move forward to mark making, often misunderstood as scribbles, in their emergent years of exposure to drawing or writing with various mediums (Makin & Spedding, 2012, p.85). Children benefit greatly from being given open opportunities to manipulate tools and the result is that the children begin to experiment and explore.
Dramatic Role Play
Singing songs, using various levels of intonation, rhythm and rhyme adds to childrens phonological awareness and is a great way for children to express themselves through song. An experience observed of a 5-year-old boy (See Appendix Five, p.21-22), shows a child using rhythm and rhyme in a song called 5 cheeky monkeys to assist him in his navigation along tree branches, using the rhyming words to make dramatic arms, leg and body movements. Using songs to extend other games is common practice in early learning centres, to build on childrens phonological awareness, songs and words should be used more than once for the children to benefit from the rhythm, rhyme, tone, intonation and tenor of songs (Makin and Spedding, 2012, p.3).
Extract Three From near End of a Booklet
Towards the end of the booklet, this student gives practical examples of what a parent could do (note that in other good booklets, these suggestions have been spread throughout the booklet). She does not use academic sources here, but in this instance this is acceptable because she has used academic sources in her preceding discussion and here is giving general ideas of her own, and from her case studies, which she refers to.
Let your children help: Encourage your child/ren to help with daily task and purposeful activities such as cooking, following recipes, writing shopping list, joining in on a facetime call with a loved one or simply using a calendar to plan an upcoming event. These tasks draw attention to the variety of ways and purposes for that we use oral and written language and communication.
Role Play: Activities that encourage children to play, think creatively and imaginatively are highly beneficial in encouraging children language and cognitive thinking skills (see Appendix C,D & E). Props such as play kitchen/home corner, dress ups, and open-ended materials are great for developing and extending childrens imaginative thinking and language skills.
Word and sound games: Having fun and playing games that involve getting children to think about different words, letters and sounds is a great way to enhance their oral, auditory and language skills (see Appendix B, E & F).
Sing it out loud: Dont be afraid to sing out loud. Young children learn a great deal about sounds, rhyme, rhythm and listening skills from hearing you sing (see Appendix C). If you dont feel comfortable singing there are numerous resources for finding suitable songs (see over page).
Listening games: encourage children to tune in to the sounds around them (see Appendix D). Examples of auditory discrimination games include Simon says, freeze dance, and simple outdoor sound hunt. Rhymes, rhythm and repetition: Use stories and song that utilise rhythm, rhyme and repetition. Examples of such stories, include Brown Bear, Brown bear and Were going on a bear hunt. The repetition and sounds throughout allow children to easily recall and retell the story (see Appendix E &F).
