Learning to read: the zone of proximal development is not enough

Author(s):

Jyrki Reunamo

Conference:

ECER 2009

Network:

27. Didactics - Learning and Teaching

Format:

Paper

Session Information

27 SES 06 B, The Teaching and Learning of Reading

Paper Session

Time:

2009-09-29

10:30-12:00

Room:

NIG, HS 2G

Chair:

Brigitte GRUSON

Contribution

Arne Trageton (2008) has been doing research about playful computer writing. Through action research in 14 classes in Norway, Denmark, Finland and Estonia over three years (1999-2002), the six-year olds learned writing and reading in grade 1 through playful writings on computers. Traditional primers (textbooks) in grade 2 (Finnish grade 1) became unnecessary. Children produced their own primers by playing “Publishing house” and “Printing office”. In grade 3, the children were “professional authors” and composed books in different genres and made advanced newspapers. The writing stimulated intensive reading. PC classes showed significantly (p

Method

The research problems have been: What kind of writing and reading processes describe the level of proximal development, the level of intrapsychological actual development, the level of intrapsychological tool production, and the level of interpersonal production of cultural tools? The participants in the research were 16 Finnish in-service elementary school and pre-school teachers who had practiced playful computer writing in their classes. The teachers were presented a Vygotskian model of language development (Reunamo and Nurmilaakso, 2007). The teachers were asked to describe the writing/reading process in line with research questions above. The teachers were given 15 minutes to write down their experiences on each four aspects. The examples were analyzed qualitatively using content analysis. By narrowing the interpretation into a certain aspects of Vygotskian language development, a coherent and theoretically meaningful interpretation of the reading/writing process was sought.

Expected Outcomes

The book-making process seems to begin in the interpsychological zone of proximal development where the teacher engages the children in writing text with computers. Children’s thoughts, emotions and opinions are important, and the teacher helps the children to start a process that requires many skills that the child cannot master yet. The proximal zone is nevertheless insufficient. The teacher needs to confront the children’s intrapsychological actual development and skills and teach children also directly and help children to master necessary skills. After learning something new, the children can begin to use their skills as instrumental tools. The teacher helps children to realise their aspirations. As children present their products and cooperate, the process becomes interpersonal again, the children affect others, which has an effect on the classroom culture. In the end we find ourselves again in the zone of proximal development, the zone consisting of books children are producing.

References

Reunamo, J. (2007a) Adaptation and agency in early childhood education. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 15, 365-377. Reunamo, J. (2007b). ICT as a mediator in learning and teaching. A presentation at Kasvatustieteen päivät conference in Vaasa, Finland, 22-23.11.2007. Available online at http://www.helsinki.fi/~reunamo/article/kasvtp07.pdf . Reunamo, J. & Nurmilaakso, M. (2006) Language objectives in the Finnish preschool curriculum. In A. Pipere, (Ed.) Education & Sustainable development: First steps toward changes Volume 1 (pp.188-201). Daugavspils: Saule. Reunamo, J. & Nurmilaakso, M. (2007) Vygotsky and agency in language development. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 15, 313 - 327. Trageton, A. (2005) Creative writing on computers: 6- to 10-year olds. Writing to Read. In Pandis, M et al: Reading, Writing , Thinking. Proceedings of the 13th European Conference on Reading pp 170-177. Newark; International Reading Association. Trageton, A. (2008) Playful computer writing. Grade 1.4. Article retrieved 1 September 2008 at http://munin.hsh.no/home/atr/tekstskaping/engartikkler.htm. Van Oers, B. (2007) Helping young children to become literate: the relevance of narrative competence for developmental education. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 15, 299-312. Vygotsky. L. S. (1978) Mind in society. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Vygotsky. L. S. (1988) School instruction and mental development. In Donaldson, M. & Grieve, R. & Pratt, C. (Ed.) Early childhood development and education. Readings in Psychology. Great Britain: T.J.Press, Padstow, 263-269.

Author Information

Jyrki Reunamo

University of Helsinki

Department of Applied Sciences of Education