Literacy Development and Trends in Primary Education - Research Paper Example

? Final Synthesis Paper Roots of literacy are connected to the trends in early literacy in a concrete manner since it is considered as a public policy debate. The emphasis over early literacy is quite gigantic in nature because of its multidimensional benefits to the society as well to the nation directly. The educationists, who belong to early literacy, have profoundly recognized several issues regarding language and literacy preparatory clauses which can make children succeeded to schools in early childhood. It is the best age when children are supposed to send to schools in order to contribute in strategic stride of national and economic development so far. The contemporary trends of early education which can be delved as most frequently practiced or emphasized issues are as follows: Social and cultural milieu of play of young children Educational technology in early education Cost of caring Global education Social status of early educator The above stated trends provide a lucid picture of what has been explored in past years related to the significance of education for children. In the social, cultural and cognitive set up of early literacy, it is required to resolve the dilemma of the educators in order to identify best practices which may be like a gust of zephyr for children rather than becoming an over burden for them. Goodman (1994) suggests that there must be a proper tradeoff between play and work so that children can carry their tasks according to the prescribed action plan. It is taken aback when some educators become extremists. They either pay the entire attention over play or work only aside. Contextual variation in play arises when a child moves away forward to his or her 2nd year of life. It is the most apt time for young kids to make partnerships in play and work development. This is the age when children are excited to make chums and foes to abet or loathe respectively (Glick et al, 1997). The environment for play is required to be generated in an acceptable way for all. The predicament responsibility and dilemma for educators is to have the option of play available for pupil apart from gender segregation. The choices for play for both male and female children differ in an observable manner for example male children are inclined towards block corner games whereas the female students are interested in kitchen games and household area (Hoffman & Powlishta, 2001). There are many solutions presented in this regard. It is a positive practice to design such kinder gardens which consist of several areas for male and female children (Theokas et al, 1993). However this choice is somehow difficult to be adapted by the Montessori schools because of several reasons indeed, because it requires outside environment and the target pupil for this setting are a few. Furthermore Christie (1991) divulges that there is psychological connection found between play and work environment for children of young age. The connection can be enhanced with development in play environment in the milieu of work at preschools. Educational technology is one of the most contemporary and most frequently discussed debate in near past. During the last decade, especially, it was being dug out that there should be class room computers for young pupils while delving for its appropriateness is another issue (Swaminathan & Wright, 2003). Children at the age of three are expected to have interaction with computers in order to get general introduction and orientation with technology age. They are meant to be engaged with root level art and manipulations. This enhances the preschool interest and art sense in kids (Armstrong & Casement, 2000). However a question is still unanswered: can this technology meet up with the intended outcomes? Probably yes, may be no. the answer still possesses ambiguity because of no concrete results aroused from real settings. Every child behaves differently in the same environment because children are brought up with different psychological resilience. The buoyed responses from several controlled and experimental groups elucidated that some children even not interested in exploring the world of computer because they are connected with the pure art and literature psychologically and genetically (Cordes & Miller, 2000). By the beginning of 1980, numerous educationists expressed their insecurity that presence of computer in class room will discourage the conventional class room activities which are beneficial for pupil’s physical fitness (Swaminathan & Wright, 2003). This view revolved around widely and divided the educationists in to two schools of thoughts; one was in favor in class room technology orientation while the other was strongly condemning the presence of computers at preschools. At present the most popular concept is physical activities and traditional activities which can be helpful in turning the children towards creativity. It is explicated that the real objects which are manipulated by young children can enhance their creative skills and cognitive ability in natural way (Healy, 1998). Instead of desktop computers, technology may assist in other manner such as introduction of smart toys and lap wares (Clay, 2005). These lap wares may include electronic toolkits and software as well. Educational technology in positive sense may aid the children’s cognitive skills in an agreeable way such as mental development, physical development and creativity enhancement (Swaminathan & Wright, 2003). Cost of caring is a trend which is related to financial ability of parents to send their children at play schools. Policy is the product of need. Responding to a predicament leads toward policy formation and then approval of the policy results in successful execution (Goffin et al, 1997). In United States, policy execution is reliant over the needs of poor. The work and study environment is embedded with respect to the social and cultural requirements in the contemporary age (Rust, 2003). Finding the appropriate child care opportunity may be specified as one the major economic constraints in current time for the parents. It is generally elaborated that the cost of reliable care is so high such that many of the parents cannot afford. According to a survey, only 53 per cent of the parents were able to send their children in grade A Montessori in 2001 (Dickinson et al, 2004). The frugality and thriftiness of parents was unfruitful in this regard. In order to cope up this problem, federal government had initiated national safety net for poor families on macroeconomic level. This also included with child care costs in order to justify young children’s brought up. The myopia was so much escalated during the past few years (Rust, 2003). Every child is subject to receive equal perks and benefits in order to contribute equally in the social and national strategic objectives indeed. Global education has several views and perspectives. The most commonly quoted one is “unity with diversity” (Swiniarski et al, 1999). It is required to adopt the compatibility amongst several cultures in order to meet up the demands of modernity. The family members and the educators are required to implement the objectives of the global education as it is a basic mode of education. Infusion of a brief world view the young children’s education is crucial because they have to expose themselves in future. It is the global phenomenon to provide contemporary global education concept to improve the exposure of children from young age (Armstrong & Casement, 2000). If parents, family members and educators play their role effectively, children may become thrifty in presenting their ideas creatively while matching up to the global needs (Duke & Kays, 1998). Global education does not comprise of one day event celebrations such as international earth day, women’s day or children day etc. However such events may be considered as the efforts to inflate global education widely. At the same time, they do merely not constitute the whole definition of global education indeed (Cordes & Miller, 2000). The importance of global education cannot be ignored in today’s dynamic world. The emerging concept of globalization has sufficiently encouraged the global education. Globalization refers to world shrinks with everyday passed or “think globally, look locally”. Internationalization in every aspect of life has fastened the pace of life at earth (Armstrong & Casement, 2000). To meet the demands of such contemporary issues and meet the strides with the fastening pace of life, global education serves as a mile stone indeed. The significance of global education is admitted widely in order to serve the nation, economy and culture. The cultural amalgamation in the United States is also important factor that encourages the need of global education (Goffin et al, 1997). The Social Status of the educator queries about the level and the quality of early childhood education and play. It is the question which quests for the difference between a profession and occupation in case of early literacy educators. The orthodox of the concept of common sense is no more applicable in today’s world. It is most important discussion that reveals about sincerity and competitiveness of an educator to teach the very young pupils (Healy, 1998). The duty of the pedagogue does not end with class room instructions but it is an important dilemma to implement the concept of practice what you preach because Chaucer has said ,”If Golde Ruste what shall Irone do?” An educator for early literacy is expected to be a highly professional and expertise regarding children education and psychology. It is required to revisit the concepts of professionalism in an ethical manner. The growing absurdity between occupation and profession is questionable especially in case of the child care educators (Hoffman & Powlishta, 2001). Summarizing, the trends of early education are crucial while evaluating the current scenario of the early education. Each trend has its own unique significance while valuing the teacher is the most problematic situation which needs to be heeled on urgent basis. The federal and state government is going good at policies to relieve poor but infusion of awareness among family members and pedagogues is crucially significant, without this the early literacy cannot be augmented at intended level. Sign of perfect policy execution is based upon the social responses and social behavioral characteristics of the professionals. Since the children psychology is complex and it revolves with the shift in ages. The educators are required to provide refreshing courses in order to have orientation with upcoming trends and requirements which are critical to add in the practices. No sooner did the pedagogues are educated than the children can be expected to get required results which have been intended over time. The discussion paper suggests emerging discussed trends in order to uplift the early childhood education. References Armstrong, A., & Casement, C. (2000).The child and the machine: how computers put our children's education at risk. 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Poster presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Washington, DC. Goffin, S., Wilson, C., Hill, J., & McAnich, S. (1997). Policies of the early child-hood field and its public: Seeking to support young children and their families. Major trends and issues in early childhood education. Challenges, controversies, and insights. New York: Teachers College Press. Goodman, J. F. (1994). “Work versus play” and early childhood care. Child and Youth Care Forum, 23, 177–196. Healy, J. M. (1998). Failure to connect: how computers affect our children's minds--for better and worse. New York: Simon & Schuster. Hoffman, M. L., & Powlishta, K. K. (2001). Gender segregation in childhood: A test of the interaction style theory. Journal of Genetic Psychology,162, 298–313. Rust, F. O. (2003). Counting the Cost of Caring: Intended and Unintended Consequences of Early Childhood Policies. Major trends and issues in early childhood education: challenges, controversies, and insights (2nd ed., pp. 136-149). New York: Teachers College Press. Swaminathan, S., & Wright, J. L. (2003). Educational Technology in the Early and Primary Years. Major trends and issues in early childhood education: challenges, controversies, and insights (2nd ed., pp. 136-149). New York: Teachers College Press. Swiniarski, L. B., Breitborde, M., & Murphy, J. (1999). Educating the global village: including the young child in the world. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill. Theokas, C., Ramsey, P. G., & Sweeney, B. (1993, March). The effects of class-room interventions on young children’s cross-sex contacts and perceptions. Paper presented at the biennial conference of the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD), New Orleans. Read More