The Beginning of My Literacy Journey

The earliest recollections I have of my literacy journey began roughly 22 years ago at the age of four. I am sure I was read to and wrote (scribbled) on thousands of pieces of paper long before this, but age four is about the time that I recall really noticing print and wondering what words were and what they meant. I will list a few of my earliest memories of reading and writing.

• My earliest memory is of environmental print. I remember seeing many street signs and labels and longing to try and figure out what they said and what they meant. It didn't take long to learn what many of them meant as I would see similar signs and labels over and over again.


• I remember picking up books in our house and pretending to read them even though I am sure that most of the time they were probably upside down or opened backwards. :)

• I also remember attempting to write constantly when I was little. I would write something (scribble actually) and then tell my Mom or whoever would listen what it said. I loved to write and draw.

My Literacy Models

Without the literacy modeling of many special people in my life, I would not have developed the love for reading that I now have today. I will describe below a few of the people I owe thanks to for being such wonderful literacy models for me.

• I owe thanks to my Mother for every morning that I woke up early and she would be curled up on the couch with a good book or reading from the Bible.


• I also owe thanks to my Mother for constantly writing down her most precious memories and stories of our lives. I remember watching her write these stories and loving to hear her read them to me. I still love reading them today! :)


• My Grandmother also deserves a great deal of thanks for being such a wonderful literacy model in my life. I remember her always having a book out and reading in her spare time.


• I owe thanks to the many teachers throughout my elementary school years for being great literacy models as well. I remember being read to very often throughout each school day and being given many opportunities to write.

It is clear that the love I have for reading today is in large part due to the incredible literacy models I had throughout my childhood. I hope to be an even better literacy model for my children and for the children I have the opportunity to teach.

Literacy Journey Throughout the School Years

I have many fond memories of my literacy journey throughout the school years. All of my experiences with reading and writing as well as the literacy modeling I was provided have helped me to develop a strong love for reading and a desire to teach children and instill that love for reading within them as well. I have explained a few of my reading and writing memories I have from the school years below.

• Throughout my early school years I remember learning about letters and the sounds of each letter through Phonics. I took many spelling tests as well to help me remember how to spell lots of new words. I remember really enjoying these spelling test because I usually did pretty well on them. :)
  
• I learned to write through journal writing and being given many opportunities to write down my thoughts, ideas and stories. I remember teachers giving me writing prompts and sentence starters to help get my ideas going. Many of my teachers also took me through a writing process where I would write down my ideas, write a draft, have a peer conference, make corrections, have a conference with the teacher, and I would then write my final draft. I also remember being very proud when the teacher would display our stories on the bulletin board or in the hall for everyone to see. :)

• Thanks to my early literacy experiences and my literacy modeling, I remember having a love for reading throughout the school years. I remember reading a lot from Basal readers, but do not remember being given much supplimental reading. I did take many trips to the library and loved going to pick out a new book to dive into. It seems as though every teacher I can remember from Kindergarten through eigth grade read to us daily and I loved every minute of it. I have provided a list below of the books I remember reading or having read to me as a child.

I fell in love with books and being read to in school and have an even greater appreciation and love for books and reading today. This is why I feel so strongly about teaching children and helping them find a love for reading.

My Current Literacy Journey

Today my literacy journey continues on as I work towards my Master's in Reading. I had many wonderful reading and writing experiences throughout the years that have lead me to take the path I have taken. Through my experiences and my education I have realized that I am an interactionist. I believe in allowing children to explore books that will supplement lessons being taught and that they should write for real purposes. I also believe that every child can learn to read and write when provided with a variety of strategies in which they can relate to. I have a strong desire to teach children and to help them find this intense love for both reading and writing. I look forward to the day when I obtain my first teaching position and have the opportunity to share my passion for learning with my students.

I chose to create my reading and writing autobiography in the form of a blog because I really enjoy writing and updating my own blog as often as I can. I hope to add to my literacy journey blog throughout this course and throughout my teaching career.

Through college I became a fan of Mem Fox and wanted to include her read-aloud commandments below. Each is something that every teacher and parent should strive for daily!

Enjoy! :)

Ten read-aloud commandments
Mem Fox’s Ten Read Aloud Commandments

1. Spend at least ten wildly happy minutes every single day reading aloud.

2. Read at least three stories a day: it may be the same story three times. Children need to hear a thousand stories before they can begin to learn to read.

3. Read aloud with animation. Listen to your own voice and don’t be dull, or flat, or boring. Hang loose and be loud, have fun and laugh a lot.

4. Read with joy and enjoyment: real enjoyment for yourself and great joy for the listeners.

5. Read the stories that the kids love, over and over and over again, and always read in the same ‘tune’ for each book: i.e. with the same intonations on each page, each time.

6. Let children hear lots of language by talking to them constantly about the pictures, or anything else connected to the book; or sing any old song that you can remember; or say nursery rhymes in a bouncy way; or be noisy together doing clapping games.

7. Look for rhyme, rhythm or repetition in books for young children, and make sure the books are really short.

8. Play games with the things that you and the child can see on the page, such as letting kids finish rhymes, and finding the letters that start the child’s name and yours, remembering that it’s never work, it’s always a fabulous game.

9. Never ever teach reading, or get tense around books.

10. Please read aloud every day, mums and dads, because you just love being with your child, not because it’s the right thing to do.

I have also created a bookshelf to the right with books I have read recently or that I hope to read in the near future.

Hope you have enjoyed reading my literacy journey!