Murray State University



Chapter 10 Facilitating Expression through Drawing and Writing

Chapter Objectives

After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

• delineate the relationship between drawing and writing

• analyze how drawing and writing contribute to the thinking and writing processes of children

• compare the developmental processes of both the writing and drawing efforts of young children

• analyze drawing and writing samples for assessment purposes

Links with Literature:

Computer Software and Literacy Web Sites

What is Literacy and a Literacy Website?

There are three basic types of software that support young children's literacy growth (Buckleitner, 2008).

On-screen storybooks that give children the ability to interact with pictures and text, Children can move through the books with a click of the mouse, click on pictures to discover some hidden images, or change the text and storylines as in the Living Books version of the Dr. Seuss classic, Green Eggs and Ham or the electronic storybook version of well known children's book illustrator Tomie dePaola's book, The Art Lesson by MECC. The opportunity for children to gain access to picture books via the Internet is increasing rapidly (Rosen, 2007).

Phonemic awareness/reading activities that give children practice with matching letters and sounds, rhyming words, spelling, and other word games. Some of these programs use morphing to transform letters into things that make that letter sound, such as a letter A that turns into an ape. Many of these programs feature familiar storybook characters as hosts who guide children through activities, such as Curious George.

Story-composing software makes it possible to make letters of any size of color using different fonts, to draw or paint pictures on screen, record their own voices reading the story, use desktop publishing capabilities to make their own books, and so forth. Literacy Websites are Internet sites specifically designed to support children's growth in literacy.

Why Use Literacy Software and Websites?

As software has grown in its interactive capabilities, it has become more useful to the very young child. Now that children can speak their words and have them typed or speak their commands instead of learning keyboarding codes, software is more accessible to them. High-quality literacy software builds on young children's visual literacy skills and oral language skills. Judiciously used, literacy software can offer the following benefits:

• 1. Give children who might not otherwise have access to a computer an opportunity to use on in support of literacy.

• 2. Encourage children to share and interact with a peer while drawing, writing, or composing.

• 3. Motivate children to play with language in an interactive way.

• 4. Support special needs children by providing different adaptations that enable them to communicate more effectively.

• 5. Enable children to produce a finished product (e.g., an original book) that is desktop-publishing quality.

Early Literacy Web Sites for Teachers, Parents, and Children

• 1. Candlelight Stories

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• This web site is filled with opportunities for parents and teachers to learn about ways of promoting early literacy in young children. One special feature is the "kids' zone" where kids can go to play spelling games, listen, and learn a lesson from the Aesop Fable of the day, listen and look at illustrations of stories such as Thumbelina and Rumpelstiltskin. Web links to other early literacy sites are included.

• 2. Early Language and Literacy

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• This site features an extensive list of early literacy resources for parents and teachers. Links for ordering books selected amkes this a way for families to builde their home libraries.

• 3. Early Literacy - Beginning Reading

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• This site contains an extensive list of professional books, teaching resource materials, and videos on early literacy. The list contains recent early literacy resources such as Making Books with Beginning Writers, by Jo Ellen Moore and 75 Creative Ways to Publish Students' Writing, by Cherlyn Sunflower.

• 4. Children's Storybooks Online

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• At Children's Storybooks Online, children can listen to stories such as The Counting Story and Alphabet. The click of a mouse will move children through the screens of these illustrated books. Also, the "KidsLinks"at the bottom of the home page will take children to other web sites relating to their interests.

• 5. Funschool

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• Funschool provides engaging educational content for children. The early literacy activities start at the preschool age and continue through late elementary school. There are activities ranging from word games to geography and math. Also included for the early grades are activities involving pattern recognition and matching.

• 6. Education Place

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• This site, supported by Houghton Mifflin, features a "Kids' Clubhouse," a Teachers' Center," and a "Parents' Place," all of which help to promote literacy in their own special way. In the "Reading Room," kids can share book reviews, communicate with featured authors in the Author Spotlight, and take part in books discussions. At the "Parents' Place," parents can find tips for helping children become active readers. The site also contains word games for kids to play.

• 7. Literacy Resources Online

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• This site contains information regarding early childhood education. Some of the topics include literacy, early childhood programs, and scaffolding.

• 8. Citations on Early Literacy

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• This site contains a list of current citations from the ERIC database that address various topics related to early literacy.

• 9. Early Literacy Activities in the Home

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• This early literacy site uses statistical data and research to document the importance of participating in literacy activities in the family environment. It also suggests ways that parents and families can engage children in literacy activities at home.

• 10. The Center for Early Literacy

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• At the Center for Early Literacy home page you can find out about early literacy courses and workshops. Also included is a list of the Little Books for Early Readers series and Early Literacy Learning Initiatives. Additional links are provided.

Recommended Web Sites

o The International Child Art Foundation

o The Language of Children's Art

o The Child Art Gallery

o "Becoming Bilingual" Writing Development

o Children's Development of Emergent Writing

o The National Art Educational Association

o International Children's Education

o Spelling

o Writing Development

o Children's Writing in ESL

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