Kaye West, Ph.D.

Ideas for Developing Liteacy

It is critical that all world citizens become literate, especially at this time in history when bad actors are espousing misinformation creating hostilities and division which are threatening our democratic institutions. Literacy development includes the recognition of propaganda devices, determining authoritative sources, and keeping abreast of pertinent literature, among other things. Those who desire to help others develop literacy should help them understand both of those areas of understanding as well as promote their writing and basic reading skills. Some specific ideas include the following:

Sources of Excellent Literature for Children and Young Adults

Besides traditional sources of excellent literature for children and young adults given annually by the American Library Association (the Newberry Award, given for best novel, and the Caldecott Award, selected for best illustrations) there are other lists selected annually by various organizations and states. Among those are the following:

•Social Justice Literature Award is presented annually for both fiction and nonfiction picturebooks and other books of fiction and non-fiction by the Literacy and Social Responsibility SIG of the International Literacy Association (L-SR SIG).

• Notable Books for a Global Society (NBGS), 25 books selected annually, for interest levels K-Adult which promote cultural understanding, by the Children's Literature and Reading SIG of the International Literacy Association.

Promoting Writing

Students of all ages should be encouraged to write about topics of importance to them. A step-by-step procedure of how classroom teachers or home schoolers can encourage students to write and illustrate their own book is available in David Melton's publication Written & Illustrated by..., and some of the winning titles of the National Written and Illustrated by Awards Contest (for students in three age groups: 5-9, 10-14, and 15-19) published by Landmark Editions are still available at Book Depository or Open Library for those desiring inspiration from the work of winning students. Though the contest itself ended upon David Melton's death, his legacy continues. Dav Pilkey, winner in the first contest in the oldest age category with his book World War Won, is today a prolific children's literature author/illustraor.

Developing Basic Reading and Writing Skills

In the 1980s Anne H. Adams developed a series of books for teachers or parents to use to teach in a sequential manner various aspects of reading and writing entitled Success in Reading and Writing. Some of her books remain available. In the 1990s Helen Cappleman, as series editor, and several other educators revised and expanded those books in a series called Success in Reading and Writing, Second Edition. There was one book for each grade K-6, and the series was published by GoodYearBooks, an imprint of Scott Foresman, which is a division of HarperCollins Publishers. Again, some of these books are still available and are extremely helpful.

Each book describes the basic modules, each of which is scheduled daily, and also outlines suggested activities for each module on a day-by-day basis. The modules include the following:

• Pictures and Word Study: A group lesson where a picture is labeled (first with nouns, then later with descriptive phrases and later yet a sentence or two). Words related to language ("word," "letter," "capital," "spelling," "homonym" or any other word which is related to the discussion) and words related to the content of the picture (enhancing comprehension via group discussion and relating that meaning to written language) are highlights of this module. Students are invited to participate as they can (they name what they see; they spell the words that are written on the large chart where the picture is displayed, they draw the line from the item on the picture to the word/phrase related to it, etc.). The charts are available for students to reference to remind them of the discussion and the related written words.

As students mature, this module evolves to items including phonics, spelling, handwriting, structural analysis, sentence structure, vocabulary development, and dictionary skills.

• Storytime / Recreational Reading: Books are read aloud to students with a short discussion of the book, either during the reading or following it. This experience can be modified to include shared book reading (such as tracking the text with a pointer), participatory reading (encouraging students to join in on repeated pattens, predictable language, and the like), partner reading (encouraging students to select books of their own and share something about a special book with a partner or small group), and other activities to extend the meaning or enjoyment of books.

In time, the books describe techniques for conversations about reading and record keeping of books read.

• Writing: Providing time daily for students to discuss a theme and then write about it in a journal or folder. Time is also provided for sharing something they have written with another person or group.

It is important to keep samples of students' writing so their progress can be demonstrated over time. They should have opportunities to share their writing as well as to "publish" and improve their writing. Teachers can also provide mini-lessons on topics to share writing skills (such as how to use quotation marks to identify something which was said, how to use a variety of sentence types, how to "show" rather than "tell" in writing, etc.). Students can also be taught how to proofread and various methods to publish their work.

• Alphabet and Research: Focusing daily on the letters of the alphabet and related items (letter patterns, word patterns, etc.) is how this module begins. Aspects of this module include brainstorming, as the group works together to name and write on a chart words that conform to the focus item, searching real-life materials (newspapers, magazines, menus, pamphlets, etc.) for specific letters or related items, or extending the lesson via art or other activities.

As they gain skill, students can be taught how to gather information, take notes, organize information, evaluate information, and share information they have learned.