1.2 - Empathy

1.2 – Explain how young children’s literacy and numeracy learning can be socially conveyed through their behaviour feelings or approach.

Tags: Confidence, Japanese lessons, culture, numeracy, counting, bilingual languages.

Last Friday I was attending my preschool practicum in the Eastern suburbs.  A few weeks ago a little boy started preschool (I will use the pseudonym Ben, for confidentiality reasons), he and his family had recently moved from Overseas and has been incredibly very shy.  He will not sit with the other children during mat time, he prefers just to stand and observe what is happening.

A really exciting thing happened last week I was sitting on the floor with the other children, while another teacher was teaching a Japanese lesson.  The teacher started off the lesson by counting with the children in Japanese.  The children counted to 10.  The teacher then started reading a Japanese popup book about various vegetables, that all grew underground.   The teacher would ask the children to guess what vegetable was growing underground.  Ben, the little boy who would never sit down, all of a sudden was very involved in the story and for the very first time at preschool, sat down very close to me.  He was really involved with the Japanese lesson, the pictures in the picture book and was engaged in the Japanese oral language too.   The teacher asked the children one at a time, who had raised their hand, what was growing under the ground the top of the picture had a green stalk emerging Ben’s guess was an “orange carrot” in this case was correct.  The smile on his face summed up his confidence, he was clearly very proud.

My mentor teacher was standing very close, but involved with another activity, I called her over gently, she was thrilled that Ben had sat down and was very engaged with the Japanese lesson.  What I can conclude from this observation is that Ben feels comfortable with his classmates, to sit on the floor, and be fully immersed in the story and the Japanese culture, which forms part of the preschool curriculum.

It has been a pleasure to watch Ben grow in confidence.  He is engaging more with other children and speaks to other children.  Therefore his skills in literacy are being further enhanced through conversations.  Ben also engages in cooperative learning.  Is becoming more involved during mat time, raising his hand and contributes to regular conversations.  Other children have warmed to him and enjoy playing with him too.

Ben has enjoyed participating in writing.  On another occasion, I sat down with Ben and he told me a story, which I transcribed writing on one line, missing a line and then writing on the next line.  This provided an excellent opportunity for him to then copy the words underneath.  The letters were well formed, so Ben clearly had a great knowledge of letters and words.  Working as part of a group Ben learns about literacy such as phonological awareness, that words are made up of sounds.  He also has an opportunity to participate in and discuss items with his peers.

Each day when the children arrive the parent or caregiver signs the children into preschool for the day.  At the same time the children go and sign their name in the sign in book.  It has been fascinating to watch Ben’s handwriting develop over recent months.

A wonderful teaching moment which is embedded in my memory forever.