Children with cerebral palsy in South Africa may face various challenges in their acquisition of literacy. In order to address these, an understanding of the nature of these challenges can be seen as the first step. Successful acquisition of literacy is not only determined by formal instruction. Studies have found that the development of literacy skills appear to be related to supportive home literacy environments and experiences. Specific aspects of home literacy experiences have been found to predict later literacy and language skills. The aim of this research is to describe the home literacy experiences of Zulu children with cerebral palsy aged four to six years and their peers without disabilities living in KwaZulu-Natal. Caregivers of 10 children with cerebral palsy and caregivers of 10 children without disabilities, matched for age and gender, were selected from various preschools and schools within KwaZulu-Natal to complete a questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed based on a previous study and is based on five domains of home literacy experiences which include: (1) the child’s literacy experiences and interest, (2) materials and caregiver activities for child literacy development, (3) shared storybook reading, (4) caregiver’s own literacy materials and activities, and, (5) caregiver’s expectations of their child’s literacy development. The results obtained indicated that, in general, the home literacy experiences of the two groups did not differ for most of the home literacy experience aspects. Both groups of caregivers engaged in literacy mediating activities with their children. There were similar trends in the frequency that the child and the caregivers in both groups engaged in literacy practices, which shows that both groups of children had literate role models to demonstrate literacy experiences. Both groups had relatively high expectations of their children’s literacy development. Statistically significant differences were found between the two groups regarding the reported level of active involved in some of the activities engaged in during shared storybook reading and in children’s interest in literacy activities. Children with cerebral palsy were reportedly less actively involved during certain shared storybook reading activities and less interested in literacy activities. The study highlights the nature of the home literacy experiences and some of the areas that need consideration in the literacy development of children with cerebral palsy. Suggestions for future research are provided. / Mini Dissertation (M(AAC))--University of Pretoria, 2017. / National Research Foundation (NRF) / Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (CAAC) / M(AAC) / Unrestricted

Pre-kindergarten students often arrive the first day of school carrying a backpack filled with supplies which they are eager to use. Inside these backpacks are scissors, glue, and crayons. This study proposes that the pre-kindergartners are also carrying another backpack, their literacy backpack holding all of their literacy skills and practices that they use every day at home. This qualitative case study examined these literacies brought from home in the students’ figurative literacy backpacks. The study also focused on their teachers’ literacy views and practices. The study was conducted in three parts. First, through field observations and interviews with parents, the literacy practices occurring at home were identified and examined. Unique “literacy stories” were crafted from the data for each of the pre-kindergartners and shared with their parents. Part two of the study examined the two pre-kindergarten teachers’ literacy practices through semi-structured interviews. The impact of external forces (e.g. state and federal mandates, school curriculum, grant requirements, and trainings) on the views and practices of the pre-kindergarten teachers was discussed. These external forces stress the development of formal literacies, thus modeling a narrow definition of literacy. Part three of the study focused on sharing the students’ “literacy stories” with their teachers and examining the teachers’ reactions to the stories. Data from the interviews following reading the stories pointed to the teachers’ acknowledging the multiple literacies found in the homes of their students and a desire to learn more about their families’ literacy practices in order to utilize them in the classroom. The students’ “literacy stories” proved to be a valuable tool in expanding the teachers’ definition of literacy. The stories helped the teachers broaden their views of literacy to include literacy practices that occur in many different cultural and social contexts; adopting a definition more in line with the socio-cultural development of literacy and the NLS concepts (Street, 2003). Using this definition, multiple literacies will be made visible in the classrooms and connections from home to school can be made allowing students to strengthen their existing literacies and expand them to incorporate other literacies. / text

Thesis (M.A.)--Carleton University, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 73-84). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:29:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-09-03Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:59:11Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 sampaio_fgg_me_fran.pdf: 793396 bytes, checksum: d0edd87bfac7371fce3a8c2f4aa58437 (MD5) / Este estudo realiza um retrospecto de vida e de trabalho da pesquisadora a partir do enfoque de metodologias de leitura e escrita dentro da Educação Infantil. Um trabalho pedagógico significativo pode levar as crianças a construir conceitos e habilidades fundamentais essenciais, desenvolvendo a competência delas enquanto leitores e escritores. A pesquisa também oferece uma retomada histórica do processo da lecto-escritura e de como essas competências se constituem como um mecanismo de exclusão social desde os primórdios, àqueles que não tiveram a oportunidade de adquiri-las. O recorte do tema analisa a proposta do letramento como uma dinâmica que deve ser aplicada pelas escolas atuais, continuando a prática social da linguagem da família, para evidenciar alguns aspectos teóricos fundamentais aos professores da rede e pesquisadores que se interessam pelo assunto. Busca-se com a pesquisa verificar in loco esse processo dentro das Escolas Municipais de Educação infantil de Franca e aplica-se como mecanismo de análise as entrevistas aos sujeitos (diretores e/ou coordenadores, professores, pais), depois de observações em sala de aula, estabelecendo de maneira dialética a relação teoria e prática. Verificaram-se vários contextos significativos das interlocuções entre professores e alunos e também das políticas públicas, como a elaboração de um Referencial próprio da rede, porém, ainda existem reivindicações para a melhoria do processo da lecto-escritura, como a aquisição de livros para as crianças da Educação Infantil / This study makes a retrospect of the researcher‟s life and work outlooking the methodology for reading and writing in kindergarten. A significant pedagogical work can lead children to build concepts and fundamental skills essential to developing their competence as readers and writers. The research also offers a summary of the historical process of reading and writing and how these skills are considered a mechanism of social exclusion of those who since the beginning, have not had the opportunity to acquire them. Also in the theme, we look at the proposal of literacy as a dynamic that should be applied by schools today, continuing the social practice of language in the family highlighting some theoretical aspects crucial to school teachers and researchers interested in the subject. The research looks for verification in loco (on site) of this process within the Public Primary Schools in Franca and it applies as a mechanism to review the interviews with individuals (principals/deputy, head teachers, teachers, parents), then with class observation setting out the dialectic relationship between theory and practice. There were several significant contexts of interactions between teachers and students as well as public policies, such as drawing up a proper network, however, there are demands for improving the process of reading and writing: the purchase of books for children in Early Childhood Education

Orientador: Djanira Soares de Oliveira e Almeida / Banca: Maria Aparecida Zero / Banca: Adriana Giaqueto / Resumo: Este estudo realiza um retrospecto de vida e de trabalho da pesquisadora a partir do enfoque de metodologias de leitura e escrita dentro da Educação Infantil. Um trabalho pedagógico significativo pode levar as crianças a construir conceitos e habilidades fundamentais essenciais, desenvolvendo a competência delas enquanto leitores e escritores. A pesquisa também oferece uma retomada histórica do processo da lecto-escritura e de como essas competências se constituem como um mecanismo de exclusão social desde os primórdios, àqueles que não tiveram a oportunidade de adquiri-las. O recorte do tema analisa a proposta do letramento como uma dinâmica que deve ser aplicada pelas escolas atuais, continuando a prática social da linguagem da família, para evidenciar alguns aspectos teóricos fundamentais aos professores da rede e pesquisadores que se interessam pelo assunto. Busca-se com a pesquisa verificar in loco esse processo dentro das Escolas Municipais de Educação infantil de Franca e aplica-se como mecanismo de análise as entrevistas aos sujeitos (diretores e/ou coordenadores, professores, pais), depois de observações em sala de aula, estabelecendo de maneira dialética a relação teoria e prática. Verificaram-se vários contextos significativos das interlocuções entre professores e alunos e também das políticas públicas, como a elaboração de um Referencial próprio da rede, porém, ainda existem reivindicações para a melhoria do processo da lecto-escritura, como a aquisição de livros para as crianças da Educação Infantil / Abstract: This study makes a retrospect of the researcher‟s life and work outlooking the methodology for reading and writing in kindergarten. A significant pedagogical work can lead children to build concepts and fundamental skills essential to developing their competence as readers and writers. The research also offers a summary of the historical process of reading and writing and how these skills are considered a mechanism of social exclusion of those who since the beginning, have not had the opportunity to acquire them. Also in the theme, we look at the proposal of literacy as a dynamic that should be applied by schools today, continuing the social practice of language in the family highlighting some theoretical aspects crucial to school teachers and researchers interested in the subject. The research looks for verification in loco (on site) of this process within the Public Primary Schools in Franca and it applies as a mechanism to review the interviews with individuals (principals/deputy, head teachers, teachers, parents), then with class observation setting out the dialectic relationship between theory and practice. There were several significant contexts of interactions between teachers and students as well as public policies, such as drawing up a proper network, however, there are demands for improving the process of reading and writing: the purchase of books for children in Early Childhood Education / Mestre

The purpose of this study was to begin constructing an expanded framework for child literacy learning with participants who educate children in formal and informal settings in literacy, the arts and environmental education. The study explored how a broader framework for child literacy learning could gain strength and purpose from our increasingly diverse and complex social environment. I used participatory arts-based research to spark dialogue and foster partnerships. The design of the study was intended to demonstrate how the arts, in this case photography, can be effective as a means of attending, exploring, and communicating ideas. Three major themes emerged: Child Literacy Practices and how they can attend to belonging and voice; Arts and Culture and the engagement of children in the arts and how this is relevant to child literacy learning ;and Environmental Destruction looking towards preparing children to be ecologically literate in the context of child literacy learning. / Graduate