Monday, May 7, 2012

Words From the Wise #12 -- Pamela Courtney

Today we welcome to The Write Stuff, Pamela Courtney who specializes in Early Literacy. She is also the creator of the blog, MyLMNOP REads to Kids.   Thank you so much for joining us today Pam, we are glad to read your wise words!



MyLMNOP__the building blocks of literacy

Sandi Hershenson, the author of Annie and Me, is having MyLMNOP Reads to Kids,  as a guest on her amazing blog,The Write Stuff!  This site is filled with resourceful information that is so beneficial to writers of all levels.  She recently interviewed author/illustrator Frank Asch.  He is the author of the Moobear picture book series. Please visit and read this great interview!   I am excited to be a guest on Sandi's blog!  I get a chance to discuss two of my favorite subjects__children's books and my literacy program.  I began MyLMNOP in the fall of 2005 after being in the field of Early Childhood Education for over twenty-five years.   MyLMNOP is a language based music program designed to enhance literacy and expressive language through music.  This program targets early learners in areas where access to quality literacy engagement is limited.
 
I love children's books!  More specifically, I love children's books that are rich with descriptive language and compelling illustrations.  These illustrations can be as simple as Shel Silverstein's work or very detailed and complex as in the work of Christopher Canyon.  Either way, illustrations are excellent provisions in connecting young listeners to visual, context clues.  That is why I chose to join the writing community, 12 x 12 in 2012  hosted by Julie Hedlund, I knew that I would connect with writers producing the kind of books that would lend perfectly to my literacy program.  You see, I choose books that take my early learners on journeys of wonderment and exploration.   Add to this the backdrop of music, and a myriad of fantastical creatures come alive!  I love providing an environment with this kind of stimulation and spontaneity!


Each month in MyLMNOP literacy program, a thematic lesson plan is created.  A minimum of two stories with similar themes are chosen.    From the stories, vocabulary words that encourage descriptive narration from our early learners are employed during each weekly session.  The  low frequency vocabulary words are accompanied by theme related songs, and dramatic play exercises.  Enhancing expressive language through music and literature allows for emergent reading comprehension development, and the expansion of descriptive vocabulary.  These activities are excellent aids for students and their retention of abstract concepts.  Additionally, phonemic awareness lessons are used to help children as they connect letters to sounds that make up the words to their favorite poem, story, or song.  Here's an abbreviated example of a  session with MyLMNOP.  The few activities extracted from the lesson was for the Older Three's and Younger Four's program.  The theme:  Time Keeps Passing... Life's Cycles.



In a recent session, Dinosaurs Go to School by Linda Martin, was introduced to visually illustrate the concept of the passage of time from morning to evening.  Additionally clocks were used as tools to measure how time passes in the course of a day.  Accompanying song, When I Wake Up in the Morning."
Vocabulary Word:  Schedule, Routine, and Cycle.



The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, helped to show how time is measured in the course of a week.  The calendar was used as an additional prop for a measuring tool for time.  Accompanying song, Greg and Steve, Days of the Week, and McMillan's Sing & Learn, Butterfly Fly
Vocabulary:  Larvae, Cocoon, Flutter, Infant, Adult.  Reviewed:  Schedule, Routine, and Cycle.







The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein, showed a broader range of our theme.  The accompanying songs were, Greg & Steve's Months of the Year,  McMillan's Sing & Learn,  Sing a Song About the Seasons,  and The Circle Game,  by Joni Mitchell (which was originally introduced to students as a poem).  The children absolutely loved this song!  I was pleased to see that some of the Fours understood the verse, "Then the boy moved ten time 'round the seasons."  One of the children responded, "He had a birthday ten times!"  Reviewing the vocabulary each week helped the students to understand that as time passes, how we measure repeats itself over and over again.  Learning the songs:   The Days of the Week, The Months of the Year, and Sing a Song About the Seasons, were useful tools in instructing this topic.  Presenting this abstract concept of time measured in days, hours, and seasons, allowed this subject to become more concrete to these brilliant early learners.


These books have been used in various other themes, along with many other vocabulary words (especially with our older students).  Their application in this topic was so engaging and so much fun.  I hope to begin showing videos of my literacy engagements. As soon as I figure out the technical spokes of blogging, uploading music & video files.  I am having fun learning.  I enjoyed sharing a small part of my literacy program with you.  


Pamela Courtney currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia.  She is the creator/owner of My_LMNOP

22 comments:

  1. Sandi, thank you for allowing me to be your guest.

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    1. It was my pleasure! Thank you for a wonderful post!

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  2. Lovely post! My absolute favorite book of all time HAS to be The Giving Tree...it touches my heart and mind on so many levels that I literally tear up every time I read it. Perfect example where less is definitely more!

    Donna L Martin
    www.donasdays.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks Donna, the sentiment of giving is the theme I use in the month of November with The Giving Tree. The children enjoy revisiting the book and it having a different spin in its meaning.

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    2. I have always loved The Giving Tree too! I can recall reading it as a child, and now enjoy sharing it with my own children. The book takes on an entirely different perspective when reading it again as an adult.

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  3. Great interview Sandi and Pam! I'm glad to have the opportunity to learn more about MyLMNOP! :)

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    1. Thank you Susanna! MyLMNOP is a wonderful way of engaging young learners in the world of literature.

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    2. Thank you Susanna! Glad the that you enjoyed it!

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  4. Thank you for going the extra on my behalf. A big thank you for having guest on your resourceful blog.

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  5. So wonderful to learn more about MyLMNOP, Pam, and about you in the process. What a wonderful way to enhance the learning experience! I want to be in your class!

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    1. Beth, you are very kind. You and Sandi can join in the fun. We'll skype our way across America! Ha!

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  6. I like the way you said, "illustrations are excellent provisions in connecting young listeners to visual, context clues." I know how my kids liked to 'read' pictures when they could not yet read text.
    Let us know when you get the videos going! Can't wait!

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    1. I find that some of the best books for early readers are actually wordless books. They allow the children to use the illustrations to create their own 'text' for the story. I love them!

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    2. Julie, thank you. For me, interesting illustrations are just as important as the language authors use to introduce us to their world. Sandi, I agree. Those types of books are great tools for engagement with Toddler programs.

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  7. I enjoyed learning more about you, Pam, and about your musical literacy program! I did some research in grad school about the benefits of music on learning. So what you're doing is excellent!

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    1. Music enhances life in so many ways!

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    2. Thank you Tina. I have observed the significant difference in the level of verbal engagement when music is introduced to teach a particular concept, than when a session is done with reading material only.

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  8. Great post Ms. Hershenson and Ms. Courtney! :) I love the books The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Giving Tree!

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    1. Thank you Erik! You are one of my most loyal followers. I truly appreciate it!

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    2. Thanks Erik! glad you like the post!

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