Diversity and Ziblets

As a follow up to the diversity blog, found an interesting related study. 
The original article was called:
Childlike wonder good for memory

In a study conducted by Ohio State University researchers, adults had better recall of pictures of imaginary bugs than familiar animals like cats. Why? When we categorize people and objects, it lowers our ability to remember individual differences between them. In the first experiment, adults and children were shown pictures of animals such as cats, bears, and birds, and later asked to identify which pictures they had seen before. The younger the child, the better he or she did. In a second experiment, the real animals were swapped for imaginary creatures. From OSU Research News:

...In this new experiment, adults were shown three different types of imaginary, insect-like creatures that (cognitive science professor Vladimir) Sloutsky calls "ziblets." In this experiment, adults performed as well as children did in the first study in remembering which ziblets they had seen before without having many "false positives."

The difference here was that the adults had no previous knowledge that allowed them to easily categorize the ziblets without paying close attention to each picture.

"They remembered them because they had to pay close attention," Sloutsky said. "They remembered the details."

So what does this have to do with diversity? Adults rely on that mental categorization of our environment… I believe in young children things are more or less equal.  Wow! You’re different!  Now let’s play.

Do you agree?

Diversity for Children?

What is diversity?  In the corporate world this usually refers to race-- Sometimes to physical abilities.  Isn’t diversity much deeper than that?  Isn’t the surface differences, color, size, abilities, etc…just that- superficial?  Isn’t background, perspective, personality, background add much more to the interaction?  How do children approach diversity?

During preschool years, children begin to notice physical aspects of identity. At about age 2, children become increasingly aware of gender. This is followed by curiosity about skin color, hair color and texture, eye shape and color, and other physical attributes. Awareness of disabilities tends to come later; however, some toddlers begin noticing more obvious disabilities, such as a person using a wheelchair. Usually between the ages of 2 and 3, children will begin to notice cultural aspects of gender influence. For example, they may take note of the fact that girls tend to play with dolls while boys play with trucks. They may also begin to recognize ethnic differences, noticing that children eat different foods and celebrate different holidays or, conversely, do not celebrate or recognize certain holidays. As they begin to notice differences, 2-year olds may show signs of "pre-prejudice"-they may act afraid or uncomfortable. Not necessarily possessing the vocabulary to express their concerns, they may avoid or ignore a child they perceive to be different.

Or perhaps, they really don’t care.  As adults we tend to look and judge things based on our world view.  That person is different… that is good or that is bad.  I don’t believe young children look at the world that way… we just project our adult perspective on them.   I think it is more like puppies… some are black, some are brown, some are white, some spotted, etc.  Don’t you think children view others like puppies?  They may learn from their environment to attach some judgment to individuals, but they pretty much start with a clean slate.

In “Peep Peep Finds a Friend”, I take that child-like perspective on diversity.  Oh, look at you… you look different than me… cool let’s play!  This is the third book in the series and Peep Peep’s new friend “Gua Gua” is an odd duck!  Literally, we never learn what kind of duck Gua Gua is or even if it is a male or female.  When you are a duckling, it doesn’t really matter.   Well, in reality baby ducks are imprinted on recognizing like kind, but for our story it doesn’t really matter.  A friend is friend.

Have you ever had a discussion with a child about diversity?  What were the circumstances and how did it go?

Johnnie

Foniks versus Whole Language

Did you learn to read phonetically or by sight (whole language) reading?   You may not know.  

There seems to be a battle between the phonics camp and the whole language camp—but which is the bet way to learn to read?  There are arguments for both sides, but my opinion is the sight-reading or whole language is the way to go.  Why?  Phonetics is based on a false premise… that there are actually consistent rules when dealing with English.   Is this were so, then we would be spelling it “fonetiks”.

If you want to read fast—you have to shift to sight-reading.   Yes, you will use “foniks” to “sound out” a word… then it gets filed into the brain into the sight-reading mechanism.

Here is some background on this battle—let me know which side you lean—

Proponents of phonics point to a purported decline in reading test scores in the 1990s that they saw as a result of whole language instruction and "scientific" studies that indicated phonics instruction produced better reading scores than other methods. Whole language advocates point to other reasons to explain those instances of declining reading scores such as students living in poverty and to ethnographic studies of students in classrooms to support their position. As shown in Figure 1, reading scores for students as reported by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress showed little change from 1992 to 2005.

Figure 1: National Assessment of Educational Progress 4th Grade Reading Scores 1992-2005

As education moved from the home into schools in the eighteenth century, textbooks were developed to teach reading. The McGuffey Readers were among the first of these. They consisted of a graded series of books that are now called a basal reading series. The first and secon d grade books were specially written to include stories that emphasized the sounds of letters in words, but the readers for older students were anthologies of stories drawn from a variety of sources. As well as helping teach reading, the McGuffey readers emphasized values like the rich helping the poor and being kind to animals. Teaching in the eighteenth century tended to be teacher-centered with students doing a lot of rote memorization.

At the beginning of the Twentieth Century, the Progressive Education Movement pushed for instruction that focused more on the interests of students and what science was discovering about teaching and learning. More and more stories were included in basals that emphasized particular sounds or other targeted reading skills. These specially written stories with controlled vocabularies were often of little interest to students and did not include ethnic minority characters. In the 1950s the "Dick and Jane" readers published by Scott Foresman used a "whole word" approach to teaching reading where words were repeated on each page enough times that, according to behaviorist research, students could remember them.

Phonics proponents led by Rudolph Flesh in his 1955 book Why Johnny Can't Read attacked the whole word approach because it did not get students into reading children's stories that did not have carefully controlled vocabularies. Phonics advocates focus their efforts on the primary grades and emphasize the importance of students being able to sound out (read) words based on how they are spelled. A problem with English is that it does not have a one-to-one sound symbol relationship that would make reading much easier. The many homonyms in English such as to, too, and two create difficulties for students, even at the university level in regard to spelling.

While knowing basic phonetic rules helps students sound out words, other very common "outlaw words" still need to be memorized as sight words because they don't follow any but the most complicated rules. It is estimated about half the words in the English language cannot be pronounced correctly using commonly taught phonic rules. Other problems with phonics include the differing size of students' vocabularies and differing dialects of English that vary in their pronunciation rules

Phonics is considered a "bottom up" approach where students "decode" the meaning of a text. The advantage of phonics, especially for students who come to schools with large vocabularies, is that once students get the basics down, they can go to the library and read a wide variety of children's literature.

Whole language is a currently controversial approach to teaching reading that is based on constructivist learning theory and ethnographic studies of students in classrooms. It is particularly associated with the work of Ken and Yetta Goodman at the University of Arizona. With whole language, teachers are expected to provide a literacy rich environment for their students and to combine speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Whole language teachers emphasize the meaning of texts over the sounds of letters, and phonics instruction becomes just one component of the whole language classroom.

Whole language is considered a "top down" approach where the reader constructs a personal meaning for a text based on using their prior knowledge to interpret the meaning of what they are reading. Problems associated with whole language include a lack of structure that has been traditionally supplied by the scope and sequence, lessons and activities, and extensive graded literature found in basal readers. Whole language puts a heavy burden on teachers to develop their own curriculum.

So, where do you stand?  Whole Language or Phonics?

Phonics versus Whole Language

© Jon Reyhner, Northern Arizona University, Revised December 13, 2008

Read Together

In Diane Frankenstein’s book; “Reading Together: Everything You Need to Know to Raise a Child Who Loves to Read”, She highlights 11 elements to help accomplish this…

Eleven Essential Elements—to raise a child who loves to read
1. A child’s desire to learn to read comes from being read to.
2. Enthusiasm and passion for stories are contagious. Don’t waste precious time trying to convince your child of the importance of reading—just read them good stories.
3. Children need confidence to be good readers and confidence comes from understanding a story.
4. Be creative and find other times in a day—not just bedtime—when reading can happen. How about a poem with breakfast? How about a short story with a snack? How about one chapter with dessert at dinner?
5. A child’s reading will improve the more they enjoy reading.
6. Conversations are where children first learn many of the skills they need to learn to read. Talk with children about the story, the pictures, and their reaction to the book.
7. Offer children books that speak to both their reading level and their developmental readiness for the story.
8. Expect your child to love reading and support that expectation by helping them find their “home-run” books—books that tap into their curiosity and interests, stories where they care about the characters and what happens to them.
9. Keep the love of story alive. While your child hones his/her reading skills, encourage him/her to return to the picture books and early reads he loved when he was little—you are never too old to read a 32-page picture book!
10. Don’t interrupt the reading of the story with explanations or editorials. A child can easily become annoyed and frustrated with too many interruptions.
11. Slow down. Encourage your child to read fewer books and know them well. Children need comprehension—not speed—to be good readers.

3 Strategies to Create a Love of Reading in Young Children

Parenting on its own can feel daunting… among general care, teaching, cleaning, cooking, washing, coaching, tolerating, etc… we also need to get specific with teaching… specifically teaching reading!  But “We were not trained as reading teachers, let alone trained as parents!”  There are a myriad of parenting styles (and learning styles) and there is definitely not a “one size fits all” when comes to helping children learn to read.

Strategy 1:   Expose readers to a restricted or controlled vocabulary…

Reading is a very complex process. Not all words can be read using simple phonic rules. Many important words need to be learned by sight. Teach only the simple and common words at first. The knowledge of 400 key words called Dolch Words, is all a young child needs to be able to read well.

Limit the initial reading vocabulary.
Reading is a very complex process. Not all words can be read using simple phonic rules. Many important words need to be learned by sight. Teach only the simple and common words at first. The knowledge of 400 key words called Dolch Words, is all a young child needs to be able to read well.

            --OK, The Dolch words???” what???   Just a list of about 400 words that young children should be able to recognize and read on sight.  Dr. Seuss used this list in crafting many of his books.   This is what made his work so appealing… a beginner reader could read the book “all by myself”.    So where do you find books with controlled vocabulary like the Dolch list?   Check for codes on the books such as from Random House and others (more on this in future blogs).  Also, please feel free to check out the books on Lunchpail Books.  At www.lunchpailbooks.com you will find books crafted with the same controlled vocabulary…  Soooo-- grab a couple of Dr. Seuss books and checkout the “Peep Peep” series.

• “Peep Peep Comes Home”
• “Peep Peep Takes a Walk”
• “Peep Peep Finds a Friend”

Strategy 2:  Read to Children…

Scientific research can inform beginning reading instruction. We know from research that reading is a language-based activity. Reading does not develop naturally, and for many children, specific decoding, word recognition, and reading comprehension skills must be taught directly and systematically. We have also learned that preschool children benefit significantly from being read to.

The evidence suggests strongly that educators can foster reading development by providing kindergarten children with instruction that develops print concepts, familiarity with the purposes of reading and writing, age-appropriate vocabulary and language comprehension skills, and familiarity with the language structure.

Substantial evidence shows that many children in the 1st and 2nd grades and beyond will require explicit instruction to develop the necessary phoneme awareness, phonics, spelling, and reading comprehension skills. But for these children, this will not be sufficient.

For youngsters having difficulties learning to read, each of these foundational skills should be taught and integrated into textual reading formats to ensure sufficient levels of fluency, automaticity, and understanding.

Strategy 3:  Practice, Practice, Practice…

The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play.
So we sat in the house all that cold, cold, wet day.
I sat there with Sally. We sat there, we two.
And I said, "How I wish we had something to do!"
-from “The Cat in the Hat” by Dr. Seuss -

Where you aware that 38% of all fourth graders in the United States can't read the first line from Dr. Seuss’ classic?  Is your child one of them?  Does your child struggle, hesitate, and torture words while reading? He or she is one of 7 million elementary-aged children who is performing below his or her reading potential.

Now is the time to pass on the legacy of love a reading to your children or a child in your life!  Stop by your local library, amazon.com or enjoy reading the adventures of “Peep Peep” to your child.  Pass on the love!

Johnnie Lunchpail

The Shoe Shovel

The Shoe Shovel

Finally, a solution to part of the problem…

The Shoe Shovel

(Courtesy of Stupid Inventions)

Shoe Shovel on You Tube

I love handling dog feces just as much as the next guy, but it’s the smell I can’t stand. Using my hands, the smell gets a little to close to my nostrils for comfort. The Shoe Shovel eliminates any hand-to-dog-feces contact, leaving you, if all works out, relatively scentless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O22KKy9d5g8&feature=player_embedded

from http://www.gearfuse.com/shoe-shovel-eliminates-hand-to-poop-contact/

How to Get Dog Poop Off Your Shoes

In follow up from my previous post—never really thought there was a proper remedy for “Poo on My Shoe”. (POMS)… From eHow

How to Get Dog Poop Off the Soles of Your Shoes

Yuck! Dog poop on the soles of your shoes is not only smelly and gross, it is not something you want tracking into the house.
Those of us with multiple dogs have learned a trick or two about cleaning dog poop out of the soles of our shoes.

Instructions

1.    Step 1

If you are likely to step in poop when you go out to clean your yard, two things help. First, get in the habit of a daily poop pickup. Second, keep a pair of those plastic clogs by the door and use those for pickup duty. They are easy to hose off if you step in something nasty and you won't track any inside.

2.    Step 2

If there is snow on the ground, hop up and down in it, moving around and stomping until you are not leaving brown tracks behind. If the poop is fresh this will get it right up.

Wiping your feet on grass can actually smoosh the poo into the treads of your shoes. Instead, jump up and down. Find a puddle or a hose, wash off your soles and continue jumping in clean grass until they get clean.

3.    Step 3

If none of this is feasible, you have to hold your nose and use warm soapy water and a brush. The hotter the water, the more that lovely aroma will drift up to your face so practice holding your breath! Leather shoes should be polished afterwards because the soapy water can dry out the leather.

4.    Step 4

When all else fails or if the poop is starting to dry, use your dishwasher on the pots and pans scrub cycle. This works great on athletic shoes. I do suggest you empty out all the dishes first. Then put them in an old pillowcase along with a couple of fabric softener sheets and run them through the dryer.

This was posted as a handy tip… (for those that are proactive)

• Dogs fed cheap, high grain kibbles usually have softer and smellier poop.

Do You Find This Offensive?

Do you find this offensive?

Is farting an appropriate subject matter for children’s books?  What are your thoughts?

Does this have more appeal for boys versus girls? 

I, (Johnnie Lunchpail) am playing with the text for a story, currently titled “There’s Poo On Shoe.”  Am I crossing the line of good versus poor taste?  Or will kids enjoy reading a “giggle” story?  Would this encourage boys to read more?  Fart more?  Or perhaps there is no gender bias at all.

There is a child in each of us… I know for sure there is an adolescent boy that lurks in my psyche – I still giggle at farting?

Let me know your thoughts….The Gas We Pass

Would “There’s Poo On My Shoe” be crossing the line of taste and acceptability to readers and Moms and Dads?

Quacking Up

Quacking Up!
Here are how ducks all over the world quack. It is interesting to me how different many of them are… why do you think that is? (Sounds are transliterated English equivalents)

Country	Sound
Chinese	Gua Gua
Danish	Rap Rap
Dutch	Kwak Kwak
Finnish	Kyak
French	Coin Coin
German	Quack Quack
Greek	Pa-Pa-Pa
Hebrew	Quak Quak
Hungarian	Hap- Hap
Italian	Qua Qua
Japanese	Ga Ga
Russian	Krya Krya
Spanish	Cua Cua
Swedish	Kvac-Kvac
Turkish	Vak Vak
Urdu	Quak Quak

So, Peep Peep’s friend Gua Gua translated to English is actually Quack Quack… but Peep Peep doesn’t care*. It is interesting to note that Peep Peep in Turkish would be jiyk jiyk. How is that? I can’t even pronounce that! It must be tough to be a bird in Turkey…. Wait! Turkey is a bird—A Turkish Turkey would go “glu glu”.
For a rather comprehensive list of transliterated animal sounds check out Derek Abbott’s Animal Noise Page.
Clilck here to learn more about Gua Gua in “Peep Peep Finds a Friend”

What makes a good children’s book?

So what makes a good children’s book?  Generally speaking it is the same as for any book out there!  Is it interesting? Compelling? Is it written for the reader?  For children, this also includes illustrations?   So which is more important the text or the illustrations? 

In my opinion, while interesting and compelling illustrations are paramount for a picture book, they cannot make up for a poorly written text.  What is considered poorly written?   There are many ways to determine quality.  Does the text have a flow or rhythm?  Does it use appropriate vocabulary?  Now the appropriateness of the vocabulary will depend a lot on the intention of the book.   Are you or an older child going to be reading this book aloud to a younger child?  Is it a book designed for an independent reader or perhaps a beginner reader?

Through my last trip to the local Barnes and Noble… I found some delightful “featured” picture books with beautiful and intricate illustrations.  In some cases the stories some sort of rhythm, but not a clear cadence… perhaps this is not a problem.  A larger concern was the word usage.  Without getting academic—does the story use big words?  Although a word like disappeared—may not seem like a big deal, if you are just starting out as a reader you may find a bit overwhelming when trying to read this word.

In earlier blogs, I have made reference to the Dolch reading list.   This is the list of sight reading words.   Personally, I feel sight reading is the key skill to good reading.   Many teachers may disagree.   Have you listened to a young adult read?  Many are painful to listen to as they phonetically sound out each word… Have you ever taken a speed-reading course?  Simplifying the process—it is basically teaching you to sight read in clusters.   Phonetics has its place in sounding out new words.   However, if an early reader can master the basic words and can sight read them… they will be well equipped to master increasingly more advanced reading.

Watch out for slick Marketing

You may have noticed that a lot of the “hot” books are spin-offs of TV shows, cartoons or movies.  They have big budgets behind them and can lure you into purchasing—especially when you have a little one with you.  More of a market brand than an endorsement of sound children’s literature.   So, open the book and ask yourself if your child could read this, or with a little help could do so.

Assuming you’ve got past the glitzy displays and into the dustier depths of the shop, what do you look for?

Is there a storyline?

Does it have a beginning and middle and an end?   Does it flow?  Does it have a message?  For small children this may just be a simple message or love, acceptance or comfort.  You can find this type of stories featured at Lunchpail Books.   Check out the “Peep Peep” adventures.  They feature a simple story, with a simple uplifting message of love and acceptance.  No need to go deeper than that for a 5 year old!

Is it written well?

Read a couple of pages of the book—does it make sense?  If it is a rhyming book, does it have a regular or fun rhythm to it?  For Lunchpail Books—there is a certain musical form found in the books… children enjoy the beat.

Does it avoid political posturing?

A good children’s book (one that could be destined to be classic) knows no particular time, or political leanings.  (Some non-fiction books may be an exception).  Think of “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak.  The delightful creatures are not locked into any particular region, area or political agenda.   Leave this kind of stuff for the grown-ups

Illustrations?

Younger readers= simpler art.  Bright colors!  Fun!  More on this in a future blog. In the meantime, you can find some very simple child-like drawings featured in the “Peep Peep” adventures.  Simplicity with a sense of humor appropriate for child and adult.

PEEP PEEK (video clip)

My first video clip--not much to brag about, but I will get better over time.   Let me know what you think.

PEEP PEEK 1

Would love your feedback, thanks!

Johnnie Lunchpail

Should books for early readers be expressed in rhyme (poetry)?

What memories do you have from rhymes, songs or jingles that have stuck with you?  When I was a kid the girls would play a game with their hands that involved an intricate pattern of verse and motions.   It wasn’t really “Patta Cake”, but I don’t recall what the activity was called.  I was mesmerized by the game, but it along with hopscotch was off limits for boys. But what a great blend of kinesthetic and auditory… it had rhythm and rhyme.    All I can recall is that it started with

“A sailor went to sea, sea, sea, to see what he could see, see, see… And all that he could see, see see was the bottom of the deep blue sea, sea, sea… hey those girls that once knew this—what was it called?

I pulled this from the “Scholastic” Website (www.scholastic.com).   Does rhyming help the early reader read?

If you've ever recited a nursery rhyme, played "Itsy-Bitsy Spider" or sung "If You're Happy and You Know It," you've been preparing your child for learning to read. Familiar songs and poems can strengthen his ability to hear the sounds of our language — a skill that will serve him well when he learns to connect sounds with letters (phonics) in kindergarten and 1st grade.

Nursery rhymes are especially powerful, because they are so memorable. Research has found that children who are familiar with nursery rhymes when they enter kindergarten often have an easier time learning to read. This is probably because rhyming helps them discover many common word patterns (such as those in quick/stick or down/crown). And the more familiar these patterns become in oral language, the more easily children will recognize them when they begin to encounter them in print.

The ability to hear rhymes — knowing that cat rhymes with hat, but not with bag — is an essential skill for learning to read because it means that your child can discern the differences among individual sounds (or phonemes). Playing with rhymes trains her ear to hear the differences and similarities in how words sound.

Songs with rhyming lyrics are also terrific devices for teaching your child about the patterns of sounds. You might remember the Schoolhouse Rock television segments from your childhood ("Conjunction junction, what's your function?") as some of your first lessons in grammar. The phrases were memorable because they were fun to say and sing. Here are some more fun ways to use rhymes to further strengthen your child's language and reading skills:

Find many opportunities to sing to and with your child. Create songs on the spur of the moment about whatever you are doing. Try "This is the way we wash our hands ... " Remember that you don't need to have a good singing voice; your child will love it because it's yours.

Combine rhyming with rhythmic clapping or movements. For example, try the rhyme "Ten Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" to reinforce sound patterns. Rhymes like these are especially helpful for an active child who needs to involve his entire body in the activity. Songs like "Do Your Ears Hang Low?" or "The Hokey Pokey" can help your child follow directions as you sing the words. This kind of play involves your child's whole body in absorbing the sounds of speech, which may make it easier for him to connect the motion with the words you say.

Encourage wordplay using poems, rhymes, or songs. You might begin by saying, "What rhymes with Matt [his name]?" Make up silly rhymes, such as, "Did Matt sit on the cat?" Or try working together to tell a little story about a cat chasing a fat rat. Write down the sentence you've thought up, and have him illustrate the idea. Together, make your own rhyming book.

For some new and unique rhyming books crafted especially for the early reader, take a look at Lunchpail Books. 

Your Favorite Book When You Were 5...

What was your favorite book, say when you were about 5? All of us were about 5 at one point in our lives, some a lot longer than others. I was 5 in a much different time than today. Although, I originally struggled with reading, there was a thrill of accomplishment whenever I completed a book “all by myself!”
But then I discovered the beloved “Dr. Seuss” (Ted Geisel). Reading became fun, a gateway to fantastic adventure—even a rhythmic and rhyming adventure. I learned words are cool! You can paint pictures with words.

Mr. Geisel created The Cat In The Hat in reaction to a Life Magazine article by Pulitzer Prize winning author John Hersey, published in the May 24, 1954 issue, titled “Why Do Students Bog Down On First R? A LOCAL COMMITTEE SHEDS LIGHT ON A NATIONAL PROBLEM: READING.” In the article, Hersey was critical of the then current state of school primers,

“In the classroom boys and girls are confronted with books that have insipid illustrations depicting the slicked-up lives of other children. [Existing primers] feature abnormally courteous, unnaturally clean boys and girls.

In the classroom boys and girls are confronted with books that have insipid illustrations depicting the slicked-up lives of other children. [Existing primers] feature abnormally courteous, unnaturally clean boys and girls.” “In bookstores, anyone can buy brighter, livelier books featuring strange and wonderful animals and children who behave naturally, i.e., sometimes misbehave. Given incentive from school boards, publishers could do as well with primers.”

5 years old for me was also long enough ago to remember “Fun with Dick and Jane.” A basic primer (beginner book) with simple imperative sentence structure such as “Look!”, “See Dick run”, etc. The stories were really boring. Although, I never thought of the illustrations as insipid, they were nevertheless uninteresting. Anyway, Mr. Geisel (Suess) responded to this “challenge” by rigidly limiting himself to a small set of words from an elementary school vocabulary list, then crafted a story based upon two randomly selected words—cat and hat. The results of this personal challenge are nothing short of amazing!

Children’s literature was never the same! Which Dr. Seuss story is your favorite? I loved “The Cat in the Hat”, but I think my favorite was “If I Ran the Zoo”.
“It is a pretty good zoo, said young Gerald McGrew and the fellow who runs it seems proud of it too!”

—This is from memory and perhaps I am a little off in my recollection—but it does speak to the power of the story and especially a story in rhyme.
Do you have another from when you were 5? How about classics like “Where the Wild Things Are”, “The Giving Tree” or “Good Night Moon” ? Think back to your early childhood— What was your favorite?