I noticed that both articles mentioned using everyday logos in the classroom. The Bell and Jarvis article went into much more detail about this. I think using these logos in a classroom is a great way to build students' confidence about reading. Students are familiar with these common artifact (like the ones in the picture above) and know what they say. Using these can help students to relate other words to these words that they already know. I also liked the idea of using the students' pictures and names along with the logos in your posted classroom alphabet. I observed a kindergarten teacher who used her students name like the above image uses logos, but I think using the pictures with the names would be much more helpful to the students, especially in the beginning. I think using these artifacts from their real world is a great way to build confidence and aid in their learning to read. I wonder if you could even use your students favorite TV shows and characters (like Dora and Diego) to engage and familiarize your students.
I completely agree with you about the logos. Students see those types of logos everyday and for them to realize they have they are able to read those definitely helps their confidence of reading. I have witnessed my cousins when they were recognizing the words that were on the cereal box on other objects. If I was reading a book with them they would start to remember where they have seen that word before and it would encourage their reading. So I definitely think the logos are an excellent idea.
ReplyDeleteI've noticed that one of the things that has stuck out to everyone is the use of common ads or signs, just like you said. I love that instead of trying to steer children back to the conventional books, we are learning to embrace what society has to offer, and use everyday life as a tool to increase our students' learning. I also really like the picture you posted!
ReplyDeleteI do like the idea of using environmental print. I do have one concern. Many of the logos are for junk food. Would I be advertising products that I really would not want my child eating. I am not health food obsessed but I do think what we put in our bodies is very important for overall mental and physical health. We are all slammed with marketing all the time should the classroom be included? Just a thought....
ReplyDeleteI so agree. I wrote my comment below before I read what you commented Jennifer. I remember that I posed this question in elem. ed. 422. Professor Colman-King said that the junk food logos could be used to spur discussion about what is healthy and what is not. Even still, marketing is powerful...
DeleteMy thoughts about the picture you posted are Wow! Students, at such a young age, really can read so many logos (or maybe it's just that they recognize them, who knows?). I was well aware before reading the article that every kid knows what McDonald's is, but that bulletin board shows that there are so many more real life examples out there that can provide students with confidence that they do know how to read.
ReplyDeleteMadison,
ReplyDeleteThose are really good ideas. I know you are not going to be teaching in a Pre-K class, but I know that they use everyday logos such as the ones you have shown in your image in sections of the classroom such as the kitchen. In the kitchen, they will post the logos and the children can pretend that they are at whatever place the logo represents or eating whatever it is that the logo is.
I love the idea of incorporating environmental print in the classroom. Last semester in my CFS 353 class we talked a lot about environmental print and the effect on students. Helping children at a young age become familiar with signs and logos around them is the beginning steps to literacy.
ReplyDeleteIncorporating logos from everyday life into the process of learning to read is such a good idea! Children (especially in today's world) are very familiar with brands. They may recognize many words well before they can read, and pointing this out to them really does build their confidence in learning to read. I think a good idea is allowing children to bring in different items they find around their house and being able to contribute to an on going word wall. This could be fun for many ages, not just kindergarten.
ReplyDeleteIn my CFS classes, we learned the importance of environmental print in the classroom. These readings only further encouraged me to incorporate environmental print into the classroom. I agree with you in that using environmental print and class pictures helps children relate new words to words they already knew.
ReplyDeleteI like your idea of using TV show characters. But I also agree that having the recognizable cue be print is better for letter recognition. I sometimes feel conflicted about the use of environmental cues that promote an unhealthy life style, such as mcdonalds. Luckily, I want to teach 5th grade so I wont have to worry about solving my delimma!
ReplyDeleteEnvironmental print greatly influences the children in our classrooms. I worked in a pre-school classroom last semester with a 5 year old Korean boy who was only saying a couple of simple words in both English and Korean. One day he was playing with a set of magnetic letters and spelled out Abercrombie and Fitch perfectly. This was a great chance to work with I believe that Environmental print is a great resource for teachers to use.
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