Reading, Writing and Childrens Literature - Essay Example

Writing and Children’s Learning in the 21st Century Introduction As technology is expanding it has become a major part of every kind of society. All ages are using technology in performing their activities as it has surrounded society. In the classroom today, technology has become a major aspect as today’s learners are using both traditional and contemporary modes. However, multimodal electronic texts have been introduced in the classroom. Though, throughout history there was limited technology, the concept of ‘writing’ is different from that which it was in the 21st century. Hence, this has resulted in the concept of ‘writing’ to change. However, as a result, this might create pedagogic implications to a practitioner. Writing and children’s learning in the 21st Century In the 21st century, technology has been encouraged to be used throughout the learning activities in the classroom (Eristi et al, 2012). Throughout the 21st century, there has been an extensive use of technology. This is particularly true with the manner in which technology has been introduced to the classrooms and is still developing further. Hence, many of the learners in today’s society, including those in primary years are involved in using technology of some sort, whether inside or outside the classroom. Most of the technologies that have been implemented in the classrooms include projectors, smart white boards and Ipads as well. Thus, as with the implementation of these technologies, it is vital that students’ learning process deal with technology. According to the Board of Studies Syllabus, (2012), it is a key component. Through an objective A, ‘communicate through speaking, listening, reading, writing, viewing and representing’ the outcomes in the classrooms do indicate the use of technology. This is seen through outcomes, ENe-3A, EN1-3A, EN2-3A, EN3-3A, (Board of Studies, 2012). Most importantly is that, as the learners are involved in technology, they get to create texts for different reasons and audiences. For instance, learners may use their computers at home to compose a text as a message to a friend on a blog. However, while in the classroom, the learner may use the classroom computer to write a story or even analyse literary texts found online. Thus, while at home, the learner creates a text using technology for different purposes and different audiences, whereas in the classroom, the audience is the teacher who is expected to read the story and award marks based on the performance of the student. At home the audience is a friend whom the child probably is chatting with. When children experience the learning required of them or when they become educated in an environment related to real-life events, then the learning experience can be long-lasting (Eristi et al, 2012). Therefore, as technology becomes more common, so does the learning process and capability of students become stronger. Majority of students have some sort of technology at home, hence, technology in the classroom may help the learner get some more knowledge and skills necessary for their learning process. In today’s society and classroom, multimodal electronic texts have been created, hence, going beyond creating paper-based written texts. What counts as writing today was different from the last century. Multimodal electronic texts such as webpages and wikis are perceived as writing, hence, a new form of literacy. Therefore, through multimodality, it is clear that children may learn more as they make meaning through the different modalities they encounter. For instance, when children draw a car, they write on it and signify noises of an engine and they move the drawing as if it is a real car driving (Hill, 2010). Hence, with the expansion of technology, there have been a lot of collaborations between electronics and multimodal texts. A good case scenario that has been noted or indicated is that, through research, learning, including activities that require sensory organs, in which students can be engaged in, will result to a learning that is meaningful and stable (Eristi, 2012). Therefore, it is clear that multimodal electronic texts require the children to use more than one sensory organ as multimodal electronic texts include, writing, often sound and images. Hence, the child will learn and make more meaning from their work and also be engaged in performing some activity than being idle. Therefore, as the children are learning and making meaning of the changes brought about by technology, electronic texts that are multimodal are regarded as writing as the world revolves around technology. Writing has always been around, however, in the 21st century there is more writing done by human beings (Yancey, 2009). The reason for this is that, due to the extensive use of technology, people are always writing, whether it is through traditional or contemporary modes. Throughout history way before all the 21st century technologies were used, there was an extensive use of traditional writing with a pencil or pen. The insights of writing in the 21st century involves the concept that ‘writers are everywhere’ as is seen through sites such as MySpace, Facebook, and other social networking sites (Yancey, 2009). A study has shown that towards the end of the twentieth century the amount of people that went to community groups declined (Yancey, 2009). However, in the 21st century it increased all the way through social networks, thanks to the technology used. Writing in the 21st century for learners involves the traditional and contemporary modes. An example is a girl that stated that her area was struck by a tropical storm; she used a computer to compose the text and reach her audience, resulting in saving her community people’s lives (Yancey, 2009). This reveals that she composed a text using the computer as she knew how to do that relating for the 21st century, understood the audience and was taught a lesson, as the lesson she learnt was to take action (Yancey, 2009). This argument is supported by the Board of Studies that notes that learners are taught on how to compose a text for different audiences. This is seen in Objective A,’‘communicate through speaking, listening, reading, writing, viewing and representing’ in which the outcomes are ENe-2A, EN1-2A, EN2-2A, EN3-2A, EN4-2A, and EN5-2A. Therefore, as a result it is clear that writing is important in ones live due to the fact that if a student cannot write, then he/she will not be able to spell words to socialise, network and even get involved in activities or reach out to their peer groups due to the lack of self-confidence they might develop as well. Historically writing was seen to require a lot of work (Yancey, 2009). Thus, before the introduction of technology, ink was being used which smudged, therefore, requiring a lot of work. It was until 40 years later after the ballpoint pen was introduced, that writing was improved in learning centres (Yancey, 2009). However, in the 21st century ‘writing’ can be done without the use of ink, as this can also be done on computers, iPads, iPhones and many other more technological devices. However, the concept of ‘writing’ still has its importance in the 21st century as, even though we use technology, we are still writing through technology. According to Winch et al, (2009), technology can improve ‘the acts of writing and editing’. In addition to this, writing is a ‘valuable’ tool in the learning processes as it allows people to simplify ideas (Winch et al., 2009). As the concept of writing has changed, writing is everywhere as writers are also everywhere and this is seen through emails, text messages, writing and responses on blogs. This type of writing is perceived as self-sponsored writing according to Deburah Brandt (Yancey, 2009). Self-sponsored writing is writing in which the writer does not involve an institution hence resulting in people wanting to compose and do more on the page and on the screen and on the networks-to each other (Yancey, 2009). All this resulted from the use of technology. Hence, sponsored writings allows for audiences to be developed, as this is the biggest change of role. As a result, this can lead to social networking. As technology has become a major part of our everyday lives inside and outside the classroom, some children may be limited to technology. Therefore, this can be one pedagogic implication one has to deal with as a practitioner. Zammit mentions that many students make use of technology more outside the classroom (Zammit, 2010). Hence, this can be seen as an implication due to the fact that in order to engage the students in the classroom, the practitioner would have to relate activities to their everyday life’s which includes of technology, as their everyday life may consist of technology. However, as there is a difference between the literacies outside the classroom and inside the classroom (Zammit, 2010), an implication could be to help students understand that there are different types of texts to compose as the composition methods of texts outside the classroom is not the same way we may compose a text inside the classroom. For instance, when students are writing to each other outside the classroom through technology, they may not find it necessary to edit their work or write the full words. However, this can be an implication in the classroom as they may not realise that they are doing so. Hence, as a practitioner, activities relating to editing their work and writing full words such as writing on the computer a story, will guide them to the correct way of writing, hence, their writing skills will continue to develop in order to fit into the 21st century way of thinking and writing. There are some students who when outside of the classroom may not get hold of the technology outside the classroom. The reasons could include that the students may not have a great amount of technology at home or family members may have access to it too being that it may be a priority to all (Zammit, 2010). This can be a pedagogic implication for a practitioner. Reason being that, as there has been an extensive use of technology in classrooms such as iPads, computers and the interactive whiteboards, students’ technology skills may still be limited. Trying to accommodate for all students’ learning would be the best option, as those children who know how to use technology e.g. writing through technology, may not be interested when explaining to those who don’t. Hence, including those students who do know how to use technology to write their work in general, to explain to the others in front of the classroom, will keep the other students’ engaged. Children with limited technology understanding can result in an implication because; scaffolding has to be required in order for those students who are limited in the use of technology to understand the use of technology and how to accomplish their writing through technology. Hence, this will require that the planning and teaching practices be changed in order to include technology. This will be in order to allow students to have an advanced knowledge in technology and writing through technology as technology is everywhere and now is a prerequisite before anyone gets in the workforce (Winch, 2010). Hence, by carrying out the change a lot of the students will be allowed to have a better education and more options and opportunities in life (Zammit, 2010). Consequently, their writing development will be in place. Conclusion In conclusion, technology has changed the way in which children learn in the classroom as it has shifted the trends of learning and even writing of texts and classroom works given to students. This is because since technology has been introduced in the classroom, it has resulted in the concept of ‘writing’ to change. However, all these technologies may create pedagogic implications in the classroom to the practitioners as some children may have limited access to technology or even call for extra guidance without being excluded or prejudiced, whilst developing their writing skills. However, in overall, technology has played a major role in our lives and in the classroom life for the benefits of the learners. References Hill, S. (2010) The Millennium Generation: Teacher-researchers exploring new forms of literacy. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, v. 10, no. 3, 314-340. Winch, G., Johnston, R., March, P., Ljundahl, L. & Holliday, M (2010). Literacy: Reading, writing and children’s literature (4thed.) Melbourne: Oxford University Press. (Chap 22 Teaching writing in the classroom pp 423 – 458). Yancey, K. (2009). Writing in the 21st Century. Urbana, IL.: National Council of Teachers of English. Accessed at http://www.ncte.org Zammit, K. (2010). New Learning Environments Framework: Integrating multi-literacies into the curriculum. Pedagogies: An International Journal, 5(4), 325-337. Eristi, S. Duygu., Kurt, A., Askim. Dindar, M. (2012). Teachers Views about Effective Use of Technology in Classrooms. v.3 (2), 30-41. NSW Board of Studies (2012) NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum: English K-10 syllabus. Sydney: Author. Accessed at http://syllabus.bos.nsw.edu.au/ Read More