J. Fellowes and G. Oakley,Language,Literacy and Early Childhood Education

Part One – Young Children and Language

Part one contains seven chapters in which the functions of language as essential for communication, the way language develops and the importance of the home, early childhood settings and the primary school in language development are outlined. Part one also makes clear the relationship between play and oral language, and between brain development and cognition. Authentic assessment and documentation of early language, and examples of the kinds of experiences available to support the maximization of children’s learning, are also featured in this section. In particular, Fellowes and Oakley outline the essentially social nature of humans, which makes communication and its development from birth a contextually negotiated experience. They note the expressive and receptive nature of language, detailing its properties, components and functions, and in particular the way that children have an extraordinary capacity for mastering oral communication by being exposed to it. Not only do children become competent speakers during their early years, they also acquire the ability to monitor the way that communication is affected according to the purpose for which it is being used and with consideration for the people with whom they are communicating.

Recognition of the home and family as central to children’s daily activities and communication places parents at the heart of the language development process. As an increasing number of families are accessing childcare for their infants, toddlers and preschoolers in long day care and education environments or preschools, these have also been identified as valuable sites offering rich language experiences to foster language development. It is pleasing to see the value placed on play in the development of language by the authors. Remarking on the value of play as a natural learning context, which captures children’s interest and absorbs their attention, Fellowes and Oakley suggest a range of play experiences, materials, resources and environments through which language can be both facilitated and strengthened. Listening and auditory discrimination skills are often glossed over in discussions about the acquisition of language and literacy, but these authors demonstrate that critical listening is vitally important to children’s language development and to their ability to assess the validity of the spoken message, the intention of the speaker and to evaluate information.

Of course the development of the skills required for language and for understanding literacy are inseparably linked with cognitive activities and the interrelated nature of language and cognition is discussed in some detail. The theories of Piaget and Vygotsky are explored with respect to their varying ideas about the way that language and cognition impact on one another. Some discussion also focuses on the role of the educator in supporting children’s learning through language. Ensuring that all children have access to effective speaking and listening opportunities is essential for maximizing their learning, and in the final chapter in this first part of the text, discussion focuses on the importance of authentic assessment and documentation of children’s oral language skills, listening skills and understanding. Observation is outlined as a key method for assessment in all early childhood environments as a way of learning about aspects of children’s speaking including their proficiency with grammar, functional use of language, rules of conversation, vocabulary and clarity. Observation also allows educators to assess children’s listening skills, their turn-taking abilities, levels of concentration and understanding.

Part Two – Understanding Literacy: Reading and Writing

Part two brings together definitions of literacy; understanding reading; the elements characterizing reading proficiency, such as phonological awareness; strategies for increasing vocabulary; and teaching reading for fluency and to ensure that children comprehend what is being read. In the first chapters in part two, particular attention is paid to the subject of reading, including discussion about the foundational knowledge required by readers, much of which develops early in children’s lives, well before more formal strategies are introduced. It is essentially in the context of the home and community that this foundational knowledge is acquired, and it is important that educators in contexts for under-fives and in the first years of school respect children’s funds of existing knowledge (Moll et al., 1992), value the knowledge they bring with them to the educational setting, and use this as a springboard to help develop future understanding. Young children immersed in print- and language-rich environments are likely to display an awareness of the purpose and value of a range of literacies, have well-developed topic knowledge and vocabulary, and become aware at an early age of the conventions of print and book language. While play-based experiences are essential for young children’s literacy learning, the intentional teaching of some elements associated with successful reading is also stressed. Fellowes and Oakley note that intentional teaching strategies such as modelling, demonstrating, open questioning, explaining and problem-solving are vitally important and are congruent with the broad outcomes noted in the Early Years Learning Framework as being appropriate for the enhancement of the foundational skills necessary for successful reading. Reading is conceived as the ability to decode text and derive meaning, and consideration is given to some of the approaches used by teachers to accomplish this, most specifically the teaching of phonological awareness, graphophonic relationships and sight words.

Although reading comprehension and fluency develop over time, without a clear understanding of text content, such enterprise is meaningless. Nevertheless, as Fellowes and Oakley note, some children find difficulty in comprehending text and many do not have the skills to enable them to make meaning. It is critical that educators take the time to ascertain children’s level of comprehension, and offer as much support and appropriate instruction as possible to maximize children’s learning outcomes in all domains. A comprehensive account of how reading for comprehension can be facilitated is made available in this book. It offers ideas about what children need to know in order to comprehend a text, differing levels of comprehension and the kind of strategic processes experts use to make meaning.

Part Three – Learning to Write

In part three of the text, the focus shifts to an emphasis on learning to write, and the section starts by outlining the kinds of knowledge, skills and strategies required by children to be competent writers. Familiarity with the grammatical conventions, or the organization of spoken language, is fundamental to young children’s writing competency; however, written language also requires a range of grammatical components and markers in order to make meaning clear. The grammar of language is developed as children learn to speak, expanding in more precise and elaborate ways as children mature. To understand the way that written language differs from spoken language, children not only need exposure to a variety of written texts and an opportunity to practise writing, they also need educators who have a clear understanding of grammatical concepts in the specific language of instruction. This section outlines elements of sentence structure including the use of nouns and pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions and the like, as instruction for pre-service educators and for the children they will teach. It also details the use of punctuation markers and the construction of paragraphs, and finally explains the way that these can be taught to young children. Numerous strategies for the teaching of spelling and for the development of legible handwriting are also included.

While the contents of the previous chapters on writing have largely focused on its more formal aspects, in particular those associated with learning in the first years of school, the final chapters in part three remind us of the importance of the very early years in the establishment of understandings about writing, well before children commence school, and also the need for educators to develop the skills and processes for evaluation and assessment of young children’s knowledge about writing and their ability to write. As with language and other literacies, it is young children’s experiences with writing as they interact with others, and then as they are given opportunity to familiarize themselves with writing materials and practise writing in play contexts, that their understanding develops. Understandings about writing and its purposes flourish in print-rich environments, and settings for children in the years prior to school can be vibrant spaces for literacy learning. When educators use play areas wisely, incorporating writing materials into block and construction sites, or into socio-dramatic play spaces, in addition to establishing dedicated writing nooks, they are fostering children’s interest in writing and providing the environment for them to experiment. Providing all children with opportunities, support and encouragement for writing in early childhood centres and in the early years of school encourages motivation and establishes the foundational understanding needed to become skilled writers.

Part Four – Framing Language and Literacy Learning

Part four contextualizes literacy learning, offers contemporary perspectives on literacy issues and outlines some of the key theoretical features of current literacy research. It positions mandated curricula and frameworks in the Australian context and emphasizes the importance of partnering with families in fostering children’s literacy understanding, and the use of information and communication technology (ICT) and other technologies – all vital considerations in the support of young children’s literacy development today. There is a focus on children’s literature and its place in the school-based curriculum, with reference to outcomes listed in the Early Years Learning Framework, the curriculum vision for children attending prior-to-school settings. Part four also identifies the term ‘multiliteracies’, which reflects the thinking of the New London Group (1996) and much contemporary research that views literacy, not just in terms of written text, but as incorporating linguistic and cultural diversity, as well as numerous other forms of communication that make and transmit meaning. ICT is commonly used by young children in today’s early childhood environment and its value in enhancing opportunities to further literacy understandings is clearly outlined. The authors promote the use of ICT as a vital tool in the literacy armoury and, in this section, outline a range of developmentally appropriate programs and ways of using ICT to facilitate learning.

Increasingly, research has demonstrated that children are not isolated from their homes and families and that their sense of self and well-being are closely interrelated with the social and cultural expressions of their families and communities. Fellowes and Oakley recognize the importance of agencies partnering with families in the support of young children’s developing literacy, noting that family literacies underpin the knowledge that children bring with them to the early childhood environment, irrespective of the diverse ways in which they are expressed. When educators recognize children’s funds of knowledge (Moll et al., 1992), they are able to direct their teaching about literacy into meaningful and relevant ways that capture children’s specific interests and understanding. The importance and the benefits of regular, two-way communication between parents and educators, based on trust and respect for family and cultural and indigenous diversity, is stressed.

Conclusion

In summary, Janet Fellowes and Grace Oakley have produced a most comprehensive text that highlights the growing need for effective learning environments that enhance the literacy development of infants, toddlers and young children in prior-to-school settings and the early years of school. It is heartening to see that there is considerable attention given to the development of infants, toddlers and preschoolers in the years prior to school. Not only is there evidence that more and more families are accessing early childhood services for their children before they attend formal schooling, but there is considerable research, including brain development research, that demonstrates that the experiences for learning taking place in the first two or three years of children’s lives have considerable impact on their academic and social outcomes in the early years of school and in later life. It is in these very early years that support for children whose language and literacies are compromised because of additional needs, language diversity or a range of family circumstances can be most effective and produce the best short- and long-term outcomes.

A significant focus of the text is on the skills required for speaking, listening, reading and writing, and the way that these can be supported by educators in the context of school. As a text for pre-service teachers, Fellowes and Oakley’s work is particularly appropriate as they commence their teaching with a focus on language and literacy in the first three years of school and it will be of particular benefit for those pre-service teachers with a less-confident understanding of English grammar. All educators in every area of early childhood education need the skills and understanding to be able to support the learning of their pupils, and will undoubtedly welcome the rich resources offered by this text. For pre-service teachers with English as a second or third language, the specific teaching about grammar and spelling, and the clear deconstruction of spoken and written language, will be particularly useful. While it is encouraging to see that there is still considerable emphasis on the value of play as an aid to teaching in the early primary classes, this is balanced with information about direct teaching and the importance of authentic assessment.

I was particularly encouraged by the final part of the text with its emphasis on the contemporary issues associated with language and literacy education. However, the authors do not engage with discussion about popular culture, which is an important feature of children’s lives and impacts significantly on play and children’s language development. Popular culture entices adults and children alike, building social and cultural capital and encouraging motivation. For many children, their only exposure to literacy in the home context may well be the literacies associated with popular culture and failure to acknowledge its significance is likely to further alienate those children for whom the dominant literacies, those particularly associated with school, may be viewed as irrelevant.

Language, Literacy and Early Childhood Education is a valuable text, of benefit to both pre-service teachers and to early childhood practitioners in under-five settings and for educators in the first years of school. It is contemporary in its approach and very practical in its orientation, while the ideas suggested for the support of young children’s developing language and literacy competency are grounded in established theoretical perspectives and solid research. This book is an excellent resource and I applaud the authors for their work.