Emergent Literacy Support in Early Childhood Education Essay

26 pre direct t tout ensemble(prenominal)(prenominal)ers and 8 preschool administrators drawn from 8 preschools in Kasempa and Solwezi districts comprise the ensample. A total 680 preschoolers were part of the schoolroom purlieus in which representational manifestations were conducted. The info were collected by questionnaires for preschool t apieceers, designed to capture preschool t apieceers recogniseledge of sudden literacy and schoolroom practices. Questionnaires were besides administered to preschool administrators and these were designed to capture the schools profile on their teachers, philosophy on literacy focal point and availability of teaching and cultivation materials. For the naturalistic observation of actual classroom sessions, data were ga in that respectd with the aid of a schoolroom Literacy Checklist. nurture data were collected using semi-structured experience interviews to involve in whatsoever gaps from questionnaires and observations. The carry a riskings were that each(prenominal) the preschools investigated had first-class honours degree literacy accommodate as a result of limited speech and literacy opportunities for the children and paucity of learning and p point materials. Lack of the preschool teachers gustatory perception of emerging literacy rendered them unable to fully provide environments and practices that nutrition emerging literacy.INTRODUCTIONBackground The concept rising literacy was introduced in 1966 by a New Zealand enquiry worker Marie Clay in her doctoral thesis authorise emergent Reading Behaviour but the marches was coined by William Teale and Elizabeth Sulzby in 1986. The term was applyd to nominate the behaviours seen in four-year-old children whereby they imitate adults course session and composing activities, even though the children can non actually take aim and save up in the conventional sense. The growing of the emerging literacy aspect can be traced from the information readiness perspective.In the four decades since Clays introduction of this term, an enormous body of question has expanded the understanding of rising literacy. According to current research, childrens literacy development begins wide before they start formal instruction in elementary school it begins at birth and strains through the preschool years even though the activities of young children whitethorn not seem related to to reading and writing. azoic behaviours such(prenominal) as reading from pictures and writing with scribbles be examples of emergent literacy and atomic number 18 an important part of childrens literacy development. With the digest of p atomic number 18nts, c begivers, archaeozoic childishness educators, and teachers, as hearty as exposure to a literacy-rich environment, children successfully turn over from emergent to conventional literacy. In other words their growth from emergent to conventional literacy is influenced by thei r act literacy development, their understanding of literacy concepts, and the efforts of p arnts, caregivers, and teachers to elevate literacy. It proceeds along a continuum, and children acquire literacy skills in a word form of ship elan and at different ages.Childrens skills in reading and writing develop at the same sen xce and are interrelated rather than sequential. Educators can promote childrens understanding of reading and writing by abeting them build literacy cognition and skills through the pulmonary tuberculosis of engaged learning activities. As children are lamentable into conventional literacy, they pass through different periods of development in their efforts to become successful readers, just as they did at the emergent level. Over the past ten years, the concept of emergent literacy has gradually replaced the notion of reading readiness. Consequently, it has a significant impact on the way the teaching of literacy in ahead of time childhood programmes i s approached. The surmise of emergent literacy developed from research in the field of child development, psychology, preparation, linguistics, anthropology, and sociology. It has virtually redefined the field of literacy and made educators, teachers, and parents alive(predicate) that the term reading readiness no lengthy adequately describes what is happening in the literacy development of young children (Teale, 1986).Research conducted on emergent literacy indicates that living to childrens emergent literacy in azoic childhood bringing up facilitates easy literacy development in children. Parents, caregivers, and teachers conduct to secure that young children are exposed to literacy-rich environments and receive developmentally appropriate literacy instruction. Such environments and experiences birth a dark effect on childrens literacy development by providing opportunities and encouragement for children to become successful readers.Thus a preschool should be an environ ment that asserts the subsequence of emergent literacy. In order for a preschool to promote the continuous event of literacy, it must be an environment where on that point is a high variety of authentic literacy activities. It must alike be an environment that affords learners opportunities to engage in goal-directed literacy activities which are ac friendshipd as valid literacy behaviour.In the Zambian context emergent literacy is a fair new phenomenon. Its practice is dependent on what teachers k straight off and believe ab bug out it and this withal is dependent upon the develop that preschool teachers undergo. Against the background of emergent literacy, the concern of early childhood educators should be valuing the experience children lay down than with replacing it by highly dubious and narrow models of what literacy is and how it functions (Hall, 1989 viii). Little is cognise regarding literacy teaching in preschools in Zambia. This take aim, therefore, attempted to husking out the boundary to which classroom practices in preschools in Zambia, with special reference to Kasempa and Solwezi, documentation the duration of emergentliteracy in children.Statement of the problem Although the theory of emergent literacy has been in use for over four decades, it is not known to what extent emergent literacy is appreciated and back up in early childhood pedagogics in Zambia. While research has been conducted in other move of the world, there has been no investigation into its practice in Zambias preschools. Thus the problem that was being investigated was that we do not know the extent to which classroom practices in Zambian preschools, and with particular reference to Kasempa and Solwezi, support the prolongation of emergent literacy in children.Objectives This training seek-after(a) to earn the following objectives (i)To ascertain preschool teachers knowledge of emergent literacy in children.(ii)To establish the extent to which the class room environment supports the prolongation of emergent literacy.(iii)To establish what literacy instruction programme is in place and the extent to which it supports emergent literacy.(iv)To find out teaching and learning materials that are available in preschools and the extent to which they support emergent literacy.(v)To establish classroom literacy practices that obtain in preschools and the extent to which they support emergent literacy.Significance of the take up The significance of this withdraw was premised on the position that it foc utilize on unrivaled detailed line of business of education namely early childhood education. While a lot of research has been do on the basic and high school sectors of education in Zambia, actually lowly has been done on preschool education. It is indisputable that salutary early childhood education is a precursor to the other levels of education. This shoot sought to investigate the extent to which classroom literacy practices in early childhood education in Zambia support the continuation of emergent literacy. Such a drive has not been explored before in Zambia. This study, therefore, is significant in that it cogency provide valuable data on early childhood teachers knowledge of emergent literacy and the extent to which classroom practices support the continuation of emergent literacy. It is hoped that such data big businessman be useful to policy strikers such as the Ministry of Education and preschool curriculum designers. In this way, it might provide data on which future curricula for early childhood educators training can be based. It is excessively hoped that the study lead stimulate further research into emergent literacy practices in Zambian preschools, which is currently wishinging. methodologyResearch design This study was qualitative as the detective sought to interpret his observations and the respondents views to establish the extent to which practices in the target preschools support the continuation of emergent literacy. However, the study also employed some denary elements in the design. The study was also naturalistic because there was no systematic manipulation of any shape during observation. Rather the detective observed live classroom practices in the preschools as the teachers and learners went about with their activities.Sample sizing The sample for the study was drawn from eighter from Decatur preschools in the twain study areas, namely Kasempa and Solwezi Districts in North-western Province. The sample size comprised 26 preschool teachers and 8 preschool administrators. 680 preschoolers were part of the classroom environments where the naturalistic observations took place. The sample structure for the preschool teachers is presented below as Table 1 Highest QualificationMalesFemale heartUntrained documentationDiplomaPrimaryCertificateTotalsTeachers(Table 1) Sample Structure for Preschool Teachers in the Study Areas 5Sampling techniques Samples wer e chosen on a non-probability basis on the understanding that respondents would be available, easy to access and ready to participate in the study. As such and convenient and purposive samples were used. This is because the researcher rented samples jibe to what was logistically convenient and feasible. Bearing in thinker the period in which the study was to be undertaken, the preschools that were selected were those that were not in hard-to-reach areas. This was in line with Ghosh (2006) who says convenience sampling is used when the universe is not defined and when administrative limitations make it difficult for the researcher to randomly select samples. Since purposive sampling is used to target a group of subjects a researcher believes to be accredited for a study (Kombo and Tromp, 2006), in this study it was used to select the eight schools in the study area. The use of this sampling technique was aimed at ensuring that only well-established preschools were targeted. inf ocollection Three instruments were used to collect data. The Classroom Literacy Checklist was used as a classroom observation instrument. It was used to check for classroom practices in legal injury of literacy-richness of the environment, reading practices, variety of literacy activities, authenticity of literacy activities and teachers usage of childrens knowledge of literacy. It was adapted from other literacy observation checklists such as the KS1 Format and the National philia for reading Disabilities 2004 Literacy environment Checklist developed by Groover J. Whitehurst (Ph.D.).These observation instruments are designed to assess whether literacy environments in preschools provide a range of quality literacy experiences and a print-rich environment which are important brokers in the facilitation and support of literacy learning. Two types of questionnaire were used, one for teachers and the other for administrators. The questionnaires for the teachers sought to energise information on their training and knowledge of emergent literacy. The questionnaires for the administrators sought to elicit information on the school profile, instructional materials and the schools ethos on literacy development. Questionnaires were given on the offshoot day of research at each preschool. The mentation was to give respondents three to five days of respondent the questionnaire, based on findings from the pilot test. Interviews were conducted with teachers and administrators as follow-ups to help fill in gaps or clarify any matters from 6questionnaires and observations. For the teachers these were done soon after each observation. For administrators these were conducted at least twice in each school, one of which was on the last day of the research at each particular preschool. selective information epitome Since this study was mainly qualitative, data analysis (particularly preprocessing) began during the data collection pegleg. During lesson observations the r esearcher made class profiles by recording the childrens level, age range and enrolment. The researcher was also doing a dairy on each lesson observed. Another thing the researcher did at this pegleg was to match that the data were internally consistent. For example, the researcher would make follow-ups with informants to clarify any contradictions and gaps in the questionnaires or interviews. Data preparation then followed and this included summarizing and organizing the data according to categories. At the final stage theresearcher sought to make interpretations of the questionnaire responses, observations and interview responses.FINDINGSThis study sought to find out the extent to which classroom practices in preschools support emergent literacy. The study relied mainly on naturalistic observations of live classroom sessions but this was complemented by questionnaires and follow-up interviews. Below is a discussion of the specific findings, carve up into five sections, each dis cussing the findings in relation to each of the five objectives of the study. Preschool Teachers Knowledge of Emergent Literacy The study has revealed that none of respondents had ever heard of the term emergent literacy. In spite of this, the findings shake up also revealed that all the respondents abide noticed elements of emergent literacy in children when they just infix preschool. The study has further shown that respondents pull in high sentiency levels of childrens emergent literacy behaviours. However, the study has also revealed that generally, the respondents perceptivity of the childrens emergent literacy was very poor. One area major area where this was evident was with regard to keen how to reinforce childrens display of emergent literacy (for 7example if a child got a declare and began to turn pages or if a child stood up and began to read around the room).This apparent disparity betwixt the respondents high awareness of emergent literacy behaviours and their low mouthful of emergent literacy can be attributed to the respondents training. It was clear that preschool teachers are not taught about emergent literacy, hence the respondents did not regard emergent literacy behaviours as a developmental stage in literacy learning. Generally all the respondents tended to stand to the reading readiness perspective.In relation to the think of the study, these findings suggest that preschool teachers in the study areas cannot provide the required support to childrens emergent literacy if they are bestial of emergent literacy as a developmental stage in childrens literacy learning.Preschool Classroom Environment This study has revealed that the classroom environments in the study areas fool low literacy support. It has also established that the most universal aspects of literacy support were the alphabet frieze and month and day names. This effectively subject matter that the environments were not print-rich. The study has further revealed that the preschool teachers had low knowledge levels of how a preschool environment ought to be. In cases where the respondents revealed high knowledge levels, there was a gap between this knowledge and what was obtaining in the classrooms. The findings established that this was due to paucity of resources and having proprietors/managers who were unlearned of preschool education. These findings suggest hard implications on childrens literacy development. number 1 because preschool teachers and proprietors/managers tended to have low appreciation of what a preschool environment ought to be, they cannot provide the requisite environment that fully supports the continuation of emergent literacy. Secondly, because preschool children in the study areas have little exposure to a literacy-rich environment, they may not comfortably progress from emergent to conventional literacy.Preschool Curriculum This study has revealed that the study areas do not seem to have any clear philosophy re garding literacy instruction. As such the preschools did not have clear literacy instruction programmes. The study has also established that there is no putting green syllabus for preschools in Zambia. Preschools were using whatever they could lay their hands on. These findings show that it is difficult to measure the schools literacy instruction success when issues of syllabi are vague.Literacy Instruction Materials This study has revealed a paucity of teaching and learning materials in the study areas. The most commonly available instructional materials are flashcards, charts and building blocks. The study has established that there is a lack of a variety of reading books, workbooks, literacy objects for form play, and generally playthings.In view of the paucity of literacy instructional materials in the study areas, there is less support to childrens emergent literacy as children do not have sufficient interaction with a variety of literacy objects. The other implication is tha t with the paucity of play things, the children throw off less time on play related activities and do more of formal learning. Classroom Literacy Practices This study has revealed that using music is a practice widely employed in all the eight preschools. However, the study has also established that preschool children in the study areas have limited reading experiences. In close to all cases children seldom handle reading books as this is mute for Reception or Grade 1 levels. This is because teachers do not see this as necessary since the children cannot read in the conventional sense. Further children are rarely read to and hardly engage in divided up book reading. It has also been found that there are hardly any independent activities for children not work with an adult.More formal learning as foreign play-related learning has been found to be a common practice. The implication of these findings is that preschool teachers in the study areas are not using developmentally app ropriate activities to teach literacy to the preschoolers. remnantBy analysing the classroom practices, preschool teachers knowledge of emergent literacy and the environments in the study areas, this study has established that the practices in the eight preschools do not provide sufficient support for the continuation of emergent literacy. A number of factors have militated against high support for emergent literacy. The first factor is the preschool teachers lack of knowledge/appreciation of emergent literacy. This has arisen from the constitution of training that preschool teachers undergo in Zambia. Coupled with this is the fact that some of the preschool teachers currently serving in schools have not undergone formal training. In this study almost a third of them were untrained. The other factor is lack of resources to construct appropriate structures forpreschools and furnish them with requisite materials. This has been compound by the fact that preschool education in Zambia is in private run and as such the Government has had no stake in it.The third fact is the very fact thatGovernment has had no stake in preschool education. This has led to lapses in the registration of preschools and lack of serious and constant monitoring of preschools. As such there is no quality assurance in the readying of preschool education. The results of this study are significant in two main ways the results have indicated the exact for capacity-building preschool teachers in the area of emergent literacy. The results have also demonstrate the need for Governments keen amour in preschool education.As regards the need for capacity-building preschool teachers, the study has exhibit that while preschool teachers may notice emergent literacy behaviours among preschool children, they cannot unwittingly provide the necessary scaffolding to emergent literacy if they do not have sound knowledge of the phenomenon. This, therefore, pith that emergent literacy must be part of preschool teachers curriculum. The need for governments keen participation in preschool education arises from the fact that most of the inadequacies noted are a result of lack of stringent jurisprudence and monitoring of preschool education. Stringent regulation will ensure that only individuals/institutions meeting the minimum standards are allowed to run preschools.On the other hand, constant monitoring will ensure that high standards are maintained in preschools. Another key way Government unavoidably to participate in preschool education is through provision of grants or instructional materials. It is commendable that preschools are now falling under the Ministry of Education which has expert effect to oversee the running of education provision in general and preschool education in particular. There is, however, need to come up with a directorate creditworthy for preschool education.ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSI wish to acknowledge the valuable contribution of the many people without wh om the demands of this research would not have been met. First I pay tribute to my pedantic supervisor Dr John Simwinga who provided the much needed counsel, counselor and criticisms from the proposal stage right through the completion of this thesis. Thank you for your confidence in me and giving me analogue throughout this academic journey. May God continue to lift you in your academic pursuits.I also wish to convey Mr D.C. Nkosha for having inspired my interest in emergent literacy which led to my pursuing this study. I thank lecturers Mr G Tambulukani and Mr S.B. Hirst for making useful comments at heterogeneous stages of the study all lecturers on the NOMA (Norwegian Masters) Literacy Programme for sharpening my academic faculties. Special thanks go to all the participants in Kasempa and Solwezi districts who made it possible for me to undertake the study at no cost. I extend my thanks to all my colleagues on the course with whom I worked well. Notable among them are Ms Ma ry-Grace Musonda, Ms Georgina Njapau and Mr Benson Kamangala.My gratitude will be unelaborated without expressing my indebtedness to my wife for tolerating my academic appetite and for her go along understanding, support and perseverance and dwelling a towboat in our home during my long periods of absence. I remain congenial to the girls Tionge and Peggy for enduring my absence and remaining good children while I was away.I am grateful to my employers for granting me paid study leave yet again, without which it would have been impossible to pursue my masters programme. I shall remain forever grateful for the NOMA scholarship given to me through the University of Zambia.To God be the glory for the great and many things He has done for me.REFERENCESBarton, D., 2007. Literacy An Introduction to the environmental science of Written Language. Oxford Blackwell PublishingBergen, D., 2001. Pretend Play and girlish Childrens Development. ERIC Digest, ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and betimes childhood EducationBredekamp S. (ed.) 1987. Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8. Washington, DC NAEYC. Freeman, E.B., and J.A. Hatch 1989. Emergent Literacy Reconceptualizing Kindergarten Practice. 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