Where are the Childhoods in Childhood Literacy? An Exploration in Outer (School) Space.
Anne Haas Dyson in the above articles (see reference page) makes the following points:
- We need to be careful when we look at literature in our classrooms and the writing that is associated with it that it does not divide or discriminate amongst our students. She notes that in many cases, ignoring popular culture in our classrooms, essentially divides our children into classes.
- We need to recognize that all children have knowledge that they bring with them to the classroom. It may not however be knowledge that the traditional or official school system defines as relevant. The reality is that it is very relevant to our students lives and therefore to their learning. This knowledge includes a toolbox filled with different symbols (sounds, images and ways of talking. Dyson defines these as textual toys which can be found within the words and images of: parents; teachers; teenagers; other kids; radio, TV, video; and everyday forms of communication.
- Students recontextualize (change according to the setting) or manipulate these forms in ways that make them relevant to their in-school experiences.
- Dyson believes that popular media informs a child’s world. It can help children understand different genres and voice types. By allowing students to use their “unofficial” world materials in the “official” school world it can help motivate them to perform and succeed. Using the unofficial world materials lets learners call upon familiar frames of reference and well-known materials, which then help them to try new experiences. Teachers if they use the unofficial world – show that they recognize and value it can help their students establish common ground which then helps them understand other symbolic tools and communicative practices.
- Teachers need to be careful that we don’t define being literate as only students who read and write texts that are considered appropriate in ways that are defined by our schools.
- Some students by being able to use these ‘outside’ sources, can use them to help position themselves with the social networks of their classrooms.
- Dyson also argues that references to media and shared childhood cultures are more than topics that interest children, they are closely aligned to a child’s identity and peer affiliations – it helps them form who they are in school and out.
