Dear Parents,
We are well on our way with our Vowel stories and their sounds. At this moment, we are still living in the world of orality, but soon we will be writing our first sentence and officially step into the world of literacy. This is a big step, for them and for you. When this moment happens your child will be crossing a threshold that is wonderful and magical, but one from which there is no return. Once the child learns to read, they enter the world of literacy that changes the way they see the world. I’m sure that you may have had some ‘concerned’ friends and family asking when you child will actually learn to read and you may even be feeling a bit of pressure and anxiety in that regard. This is understandable as there is a growing trend across the world to get children into schools younger and to get them to read sooner. A great amount of time and money is spent on developing programmes and learning materials to get children to earlier linguistic and reading proficiency. Technology is used to get babies to recognise sounds and images which will (so it is presumed) allow them to become proficient readers sooner. The idea is that the sooner they learn to read, the better they will do at school. But the strange thing is, the sooner we tend to start with literacy, the less we seem to get to it! Many education systems presume that they can fix the problems around literacy with more literacy. However, literacy cannot be fully or truly understood and mastered without exploring its relationship to orality – the ancient state of consciousness that we passed through and have forgotten, leads us to literacy and gives us the framework that we need to work with the world of the written world. Norman Skillen (an experience Waldorf teacher and trainer) says that; “if orality is not given its rightful place, school will not be a wholesome environment for children and literacy will ultimately suffer.” Literacy, which is vital to the developing human being, needs to be grounded in spoken language and so the cultivation of oral skills always underpins literacy. Literacy begins with Orality – ‘it fits like a glove on the hand of orality’. The task in this modern, technological age however is, as Rawson & Richter states, “to cultivate a transformed orality”, which, as Skillen concluded, “is none other than the power of imagination itself.” In his book ‘A is for Ox’, Barry Sanders states that, “Orality provides a proving ground, a safe place, where a child’s imagination can unfold without fear of judgement or censure.” Where then do we as teachers find this ‘transformed orality’ that will take us into a dynamic, imaginative, creative approach to literacy? I think that the answer lies in stories. We know that stories answer our questions, they allay our fears and help us to make sense of the world. When we hear stories that touch us, we fall in love with the words and language and within us is ignited a desire for more, a love of learning. Stories bring the idioms, expressions and sayings of our community and people, and we develop a deeper, richer understanding of the world. Stories hone listening skills, they develop a sense of logic and comprehension. When we recall and retell stories, we organise and ‘storyfy’ the information, with expression, rhythm and timing. The teaching of literacy needs to be founded on a curriculum of stories, jokes, riddles, songs, plays, improvisation, and recitation. Children need to hear stories made up and told by the teacher. Teachers need to love words. This will inspire children. Teachers need to use good language, rich descriptions filled with colour and sensations. A child with an abundant vocabulary will become a good reader and writer. Past generations were able to read well because they learnt to speak well. They acquired an increased vocabulary through rhetorical practise. Good readers grow out of good reciters and good speakers! However, stories, verses and songs are often regarded as a waste of time in countless education systems and teachers are told to ‘get on with real work’. But children are hungry for stories. As Philip Pullman says, “After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.” TERM 4 Week 1: 12th – 14th October Week 2: 19th – 21st October Week 3: 26th – 28th October Week 4: 2nd – 4th November Week 5: 9th – 11th November Week 6: 16th – 18th November Week 7: 23rd – 25th November Week 8: 29th Nov – 3rd Dec (full week) Watching the children everyday as they listen to the stories, I agree with that…. Warmly. Teacher Beulah 5th August 2021 |
AuthorTeacher Beulah's 'Letter to the Parents' Archives
February 2023
Categories
All
|