Kress, Gunther. (1997). Before writing: Rethinking the paths to literacy. London: Routledge.
socially and culturally situated activities that change over time.
Based on this perspective, Kress outlines four characteristics for the “necessary theory of meaning making for the new literacy curriculum”(pp. 152–153). The first is that individuals have an understanding of and control over the numerous meaning-making resources used for communication (writing, drawing, speaking, coloring). The second is that people always communicate in a number of modes of representation, each with its strengths and weaknesses. He argues that present literacy curricula pay no attention to this multiplicity, as the visual modes of representation are not developed in children. The third characteristic relates to the first two: multimodality. Children must learn which modes best communicate information, and why. Design is the fourth and final characteristic. Kress is effusive on this characteristic, positing that an emphasis on design “changes the valuation
of the maker of a message or a text, no matter in what mode” (p. 154). Design
embraces the transformative, innovative capabilities in people. In particular, design looks ahead to the future, toward producing change. Design asks: “what do we need in order to act productively?” (p. 156).
Perhaps out of necessity, Kress paints in broad strokes. He offers few particulars when he looks ahead. It should also be noted that he is not arguing for the backgrounding of reading and writing; rather, he argues for an expanded notion of these actions, one that addresses the modalities in a changing world. Moreover, he recognizes the limits to what he discusses here—namely the absence of gender and cultural influences—and so Before Writing might be seen as a first step, and a bold one at that. Ultimately, Kress’ provocative book argues that we need to pay more attention to the multimodal paths that children take in their journey toward literacy, especially as it becomes increasingly clear that future societies and technologies will employ many other modes of communication besides written language.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Henry Jenkins and good ol' Kress
Kress (2003) stresses that modern literacy requires the ability to express ideas across a broad
range of different systems of representation and signification (including “words, spoken or written;
image, still and moving;musical...3D models...”). Each medium has its own affordances, its
own systems of representation, its own strategies for producing and organizing knowledge.
Participants in the new media landscape learn to navigate these different and sometimes conflicting
modes of representation and to make meaningful choices about the best ways to express
their ideas in each context.All of this sounds more complicated than it is.As the New Media
Consortium’s 2005 report on twenty-first century literacy suggests,“Young people adept at
interpreting meaning in sound,music, still and moving images, and interactive components not
only seem quite able to cope with messages that engage several of these pathways at once, but
in many cases prefer them” (online source).
Kress argues that this tendency toward multimodality changes how we teach composition,
because students must learn to sort through a range of different possible modes of expression,
determine which is most effective in reaching their audience and communicating their message,
and to grasp which techniques work best in conveying information through this channel.
Kress advocates moving beyond teaching written composition to teaching design literacy as the
basic expressive competency of the modern era.This shift does not displace printed texts with
48
images, as some advocates of visual literacy have suggested.Rather, it develops a more complex
vocabulary for communicating ideas that requires students to be equally adept at reading and
writing through images, texts, sounds, and simulations.The filmmaker George Lucas (Daly,
2004, online source/no page number) offers an equally expansive understanding of what literacy
might mean today:
We must teach communication comprehensively in all its forms.Today we work with the
written or spoken word as the primary form of communication. But we also need to
understand the importance of graphics,music, and cinema, which are just as powerful and
in some ways more deeply intertwined with young people’s culture.We live and work in a
visually sophisticated world, so we must be sophisticated in using all the forms of communication,
not just the written word.
In short, new media literacies involve the ability to think across media, whether understood at
the level of simple recognition (identifying the same content as it is translated across different
modes of representation), or at the level of narrative logic (understanding the connections
between story communicated through different media), or at the level of rhetoric (learning to
express an idea within a single medium or across the media spectrum).Transmedia navigation
involves both processing new types of stories and arguments that are emerging within a convergence
culture and expressing ideas in ways that exploit the opportunities and affordances
represented by the new media landscape. In other words, it involves the ability to both read and
write across all available modes of expression.
range of different systems of representation and signification (including “words, spoken or written;
image, still and moving;musical...3D models...”). Each medium has its own affordances, its
own systems of representation, its own strategies for producing and organizing knowledge.
Participants in the new media landscape learn to navigate these different and sometimes conflicting
modes of representation and to make meaningful choices about the best ways to express
their ideas in each context.All of this sounds more complicated than it is.As the New Media
Consortium’s 2005 report on twenty-first century literacy suggests,“Young people adept at
interpreting meaning in sound,music, still and moving images, and interactive components not
only seem quite able to cope with messages that engage several of these pathways at once, but
in many cases prefer them” (online source).
Kress argues that this tendency toward multimodality changes how we teach composition,
because students must learn to sort through a range of different possible modes of expression,
determine which is most effective in reaching their audience and communicating their message,
and to grasp which techniques work best in conveying information through this channel.
Kress advocates moving beyond teaching written composition to teaching design literacy as the
basic expressive competency of the modern era.This shift does not displace printed texts with
48
images, as some advocates of visual literacy have suggested.Rather, it develops a more complex
vocabulary for communicating ideas that requires students to be equally adept at reading and
writing through images, texts, sounds, and simulations.The filmmaker George Lucas (Daly,
2004, online source/no page number) offers an equally expansive understanding of what literacy
might mean today:
We must teach communication comprehensively in all its forms.Today we work with the
written or spoken word as the primary form of communication. But we also need to
understand the importance of graphics,music, and cinema, which are just as powerful and
in some ways more deeply intertwined with young people’s culture.We live and work in a
visually sophisticated world, so we must be sophisticated in using all the forms of communication,
not just the written word.
In short, new media literacies involve the ability to think across media, whether understood at
the level of simple recognition (identifying the same content as it is translated across different
modes of representation), or at the level of narrative logic (understanding the connections
between story communicated through different media), or at the level of rhetoric (learning to
express an idea within a single medium or across the media spectrum).Transmedia navigation
involves both processing new types of stories and arguments that are emerging within a convergence
culture and expressing ideas in ways that exploit the opportunities and affordances
represented by the new media landscape. In other words, it involves the ability to both read and
write across all available modes of expression.
One of the major findings of my interviews is that digital story-making is an embodied learning experience. When I listened to the words they used, and to their comparisons between “traditional” assignments and digital story assignments, it appears that more of themselves is involved, physically and emotionally in addition to intellectually.
If life is like a box of chocolates, then
CLICK
Digital Storytelling is a lot like three dimensional tic-tac-toe
CLICK
As opposed to written assignments, which usually only involve effective use of text, successful stories challenge student to make connections (AND meaning AND effective arguments AND provocative statements) across dimensions of time, sound, and image.
Embodied: Combines visual, aural, and kinesthetic processes
Iterative: Production process encourages revisiting, reflecting on meaning
Multimodal: Enhances fluency across a range of media
Integrative: Connects prior experience, course, and other co-curricular learning
Authentic: Keep/share with others
Gail Matthews-DeNatale, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Academic Technology
“[Students] cannot learn in a deep way if they have no opportunities to practice what they are learning … they cannot learn deeply only by being told things outside the context of embodied action.”
JAMES PAUL GEE – What Video Games have to teach us about learning and literacy
Gee came to this conclusion by considering the experience of video gaming.
Yet digital authorship is also a complex, physical experience – one that includes most, if not all, of the “36 design principles” that Gee identified in his work on the relationship between games and learning. Yet we often gloss over this dimension of the experience.
Henry Jenkins – McArthur-funded New Media Literacies initiative
Play (experiment and problem-solve)
Performance (improvisation & discovery)
Collective Intelligence (pool & compare)
Simulate (model real-world processes)
Network (search, synthesize, disseminate
If life is like a box of chocolates, then
CLICK
Digital Storytelling is a lot like three dimensional tic-tac-toe
CLICK
As opposed to written assignments, which usually only involve effective use of text, successful stories challenge student to make connections (AND meaning AND effective arguments AND provocative statements) across dimensions of time, sound, and image.
Embodied: Combines visual, aural, and kinesthetic processes
Iterative: Production process encourages revisiting, reflecting on meaning
Multimodal: Enhances fluency across a range of media
Integrative: Connects prior experience, course, and other co-curricular learning
Authentic: Keep/share with others
Gail Matthews-DeNatale, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Academic Technology
“[Students] cannot learn in a deep way if they have no opportunities to practice what they are learning … they cannot learn deeply only by being told things outside the context of embodied action.”
JAMES PAUL GEE – What Video Games have to teach us about learning and literacy
Gee came to this conclusion by considering the experience of video gaming.
Yet digital authorship is also a complex, physical experience – one that includes most, if not all, of the “36 design principles” that Gee identified in his work on the relationship between games and learning. Yet we often gloss over this dimension of the experience.
Henry Jenkins – McArthur-funded New Media Literacies initiative
Play (experiment and problem-solve)
Performance (improvisation & discovery)
Collective Intelligence (pool & compare)
Simulate (model real-world processes)
Network (search, synthesize, disseminate
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Children's Stories.
In allowing this particularly violent story in our curriculum,
we followed the lead of writers such as Cooper
(1993) and Engel (1999; 2005), who argue that stories
create a much-needed space where children can play with
ideas that concern or frighten them. Cooper believes that
stories empower children. Rather than encouraging further
violence, they simply give children opportunities to play
out, and thus diffuse, scary material. Similarly, Engel
argues that children understand stories are different from
real life. Because stories don’t represent the real world,
they give children a clearly defined, safe place to explore
scary, taboo, or otherwise worrisome ideas.
we followed the lead of writers such as Cooper
(1993) and Engel (1999; 2005), who argue that stories
create a much-needed space where children can play with
ideas that concern or frighten them. Cooper believes that
stories empower children. Rather than encouraging further
violence, they simply give children opportunities to play
out, and thus diffuse, scary material. Similarly, Engel
argues that children understand stories are different from
real life. Because stories don’t represent the real world,
they give children a clearly defined, safe place to explore
scary, taboo, or otherwise worrisome ideas.
Parent Questionairre: age, School Writing and child's strength
Skylar is 7.
Her parents report that she is an excellent reader and loves to read; her comprehension is weak, but they are working on that.
At school Skylar has written about holidays and seasons.
Michael is 7.
His parents circled reading well, writes well and enjoys reading on the form.
Parent does not now what kinds of stories Michael writes at school.
Deseree is 7.
Her parents think she writes and speaks well.
Reports one story written at school called "Her Lost Kitten."
She is good with communication.
Trace is 6.
Parent reports that he has a very strong vocabulary and strong language skills, and that he explains thought processes very clearly.
Reports he has written about pets, family and vacation at school.
Very advanced in usage of large words, and very descriptive.
Chosen is 6.
Parent reports his language strength is that he enjoys being read to.
Left the writing at schools space blank.
His parent thinks he needs more practice reading.
Arianna is 6.
Arianna speaks and writes well. She enjoys being read to at this point more than she likes to read to her parents.
Her parents are not sure they are writing actual stories right now in school. She has seen paragraphs here and there with her describing a picture.
Arianna has a great accent in Spanish when she speaks the words she knows. (Her dad is a fluent Spanish speaker.)
Bryce is 7.
He loves to read. He reads very well and has a great vocabulary.
He has only brainstormed ideas for stories.
He often surprises his mom with some of the things he says.
Jaidyn is 6.
Jaidyn has great language skills. She loves to talk, read and write.
At school, she has written stories about times with her family.
Her parents report that she is an excellent reader and loves to read; her comprehension is weak, but they are working on that.
At school Skylar has written about holidays and seasons.
Michael is 7.
His parents circled reading well, writes well and enjoys reading on the form.
Parent does not now what kinds of stories Michael writes at school.
Deseree is 7.
Her parents think she writes and speaks well.
Reports one story written at school called "Her Lost Kitten."
She is good with communication.
Trace is 6.
Parent reports that he has a very strong vocabulary and strong language skills, and that he explains thought processes very clearly.
Reports he has written about pets, family and vacation at school.
Very advanced in usage of large words, and very descriptive.
Chosen is 6.
Parent reports his language strength is that he enjoys being read to.
Left the writing at schools space blank.
His parent thinks he needs more practice reading.
Arianna is 6.
Arianna speaks and writes well. She enjoys being read to at this point more than she likes to read to her parents.
Her parents are not sure they are writing actual stories right now in school. She has seen paragraphs here and there with her describing a picture.
Arianna has a great accent in Spanish when she speaks the words she knows. (Her dad is a fluent Spanish speaker.)
Bryce is 7.
He loves to read. He reads very well and has a great vocabulary.
He has only brainstormed ideas for stories.
He often surprises his mom with some of the things he says.
Jaidyn is 6.
Jaidyn has great language skills. She loves to talk, read and write.
At school, she has written stories about times with her family.
Computers and Computer Use at home (cross case)
Reported by parents:
Skylar -
Computer at home? Yes
Home computer activities: learning activities, games
Michael -
Computer at home? Yes
Home computer activities: playing games
Deseree -
Computer at home? No. Family plans to get one soon.
Trace -
Computer at home? Yes
Home computer activities: ToonTown, Academic games.
Chosen
Computer at home? Yes
Home computer activities: playing games, cartoon network, nick, etc.
Arianna
Computer at home? Yes, but she doesn't use it often.
Home computer activities: starfall, educational cds
Bryce
Computer at home? Yes
Home computer activities: games
Jaidyn
Computer at home? Yes
Nick games, there's a math website she enjoys.
Skylar -
Computer at home? Yes
Home computer activities: learning activities, games
Michael -
Computer at home? Yes
Home computer activities: playing games
Deseree -
Computer at home? No. Family plans to get one soon.
Trace -
Computer at home? Yes
Home computer activities: ToonTown, Academic games.
Chosen
Computer at home? Yes
Home computer activities: playing games, cartoon network, nick, etc.
Arianna
Computer at home? Yes, but she doesn't use it often.
Home computer activities: starfall, educational cds
Bryce
Computer at home? Yes
Home computer activities: games
Jaidyn
Computer at home? Yes
Nick games, there's a math website she enjoys.
Teacher Descriptions of LA (writing/speaking)
Mz. MP:
Shared Writing 2 times a week, journal writing 2-3 times a week.
Children have daily classrooms discussions after calendar and story time
Ms. AG.
Every Monday begins with journal writing about the weekend. Start off with two sentences at the beginning of the year and end up with seven towards the end. Throughout the week there is usually one big piece, but there is daily journaling in other subjects.
(Informal interview about other writing: For instance, if they are studying penguins, students may be assigned to write "5 facts about penguins" on cute pattern, Or to write a "creative" story about a Penguin in a new home.)
Shared Writing (informal interview) - One student's story is written on a chart. The other students write it in their journals what the other child has written only the focus is on correcting spelling of common words. Ms. G said she really wanted the kids to know how to spell those common words.
Opportunities to talk: partner sharing, opinions about stories, Lessons begin with teacher initiated questions, and end with "our" thoughts about what is learned.
Ms. GP
Journal writing 2x a week. (teachers do slight variations of basically the same routines - (confirmed by teachers themselves in informal interviews and from journal samples, observed classroom and hall displays.)
Student talk opportunities are at calendar time, and discussions of stories in the basal.
Shared Writing 2 times a week, journal writing 2-3 times a week.
Children have daily classrooms discussions after calendar and story time
Ms. AG.
Every Monday begins with journal writing about the weekend. Start off with two sentences at the beginning of the year and end up with seven towards the end. Throughout the week there is usually one big piece, but there is daily journaling in other subjects.
(Informal interview about other writing: For instance, if they are studying penguins, students may be assigned to write "5 facts about penguins" on cute pattern, Or to write a "creative" story about a Penguin in a new home.)
Shared Writing (informal interview) - One student's story is written on a chart. The other students write it in their journals what the other child has written only the focus is on correcting spelling of common words. Ms. G said she really wanted the kids to know how to spell those common words.
Opportunities to talk: partner sharing, opinions about stories, Lessons begin with teacher initiated questions, and end with "our" thoughts about what is learned.
Ms. GP
Journal writing 2x a week. (teachers do slight variations of basically the same routines - (confirmed by teachers themselves in informal interviews and from journal samples, observed classroom and hall displays.)
Student talk opportunities are at calendar time, and discussions of stories in the basal.
Pre- Interviews Across Cases
Trace
His pre-interview is short compared to his post interview where he took a leadership, guide role with Skylar who is very reticent.
On the computer he says he likes to go to game goo. (this is a game in the computer lab) He did not mention until later his avid use at home (his parent mention it.)
He was confident in his abilities as a story writer and story teller, but gave the reason as "I just am." When pressed he said he "thinks first and then writes." He answered the same for story telling: "I think first." This is a theme his teacher hits upon in her questionnaire about him.
Choesn's pre-interview:
Chosen said he liked Dr. Suess (just heard in the library that day) He also said he liked the "monkey movie." Says he likes to write about magic school bus (an assignment in class after watching a video.)
Talked about going to centers and taking his journal to write there.
What makes him good at writing stories?
Well he writes at home (a list?) and staples them to the wall. He has to buy more staples to staple them. When pressed he said Every single day he gets better and better at writing. When he talked about telling stories he mentioned reading at home makes you get better with your voice, and that one had to read loud so the listener can really hear it.
Bryce's pre interview
In his pre-interview, Bryce was asked what kinds of stories he likes. He said liked science stories and he likes to tell make believe stories. He answered quickly without much hesitation. In fact the only hesitation in his entire interview was when he was asked about the writing he did at school. He did mention he writes about math... explaining his strategies. He said there was no show and tell and he didn't really raise his hand much to speak in class.
Bryce considers imself good at writing stories. When asked what makes a good story he said "pictures and words."
He also considered himself good at telling stories. When asked what makes that kind of story good, he said when "they figure it out. This means when the listener follows and understand events. I think this would be an issue with Bryce speaking with other children because his stories are long and often complicated and he uses interesting language.
Arianna pre-interview
Arianna, in her pre-interview says she likes all types of books when asked about her favorite book. WHen pressed, she said she liked fiction books. Asked to name a favorite, and she paused and said she doesn't remember the names of favorites. She said she likes to tell scary stories- tell scary stories to her little cousin who reacts "scary."
At school she says she likes to write about her "weekend."
Asked about opportunities to share and talk at school, she had not answer. She did say that in kindergarten she would bring her stuffed Animals for show and tell. When asked what she would say about those animals, she said that she usually gets them from sea world.
She said she is a good story writer because she "writes neatly."
She said that what makes a good story to tell "words come out of your mouth." I thought she might have meant expression, but when pressed that doesn't seem to be where she was headed.
Michael's Pre-interview
In his pre-interview he said he liked funny stories like Captain Underpants. He said he liked to tell stories like Charlotte's Web.
He said he liked to go home and tell about things he did at school. (Parents mention this as well.) He says that at school he also likes to write about what he did and where he went. I think this is the standard journal entry for his class: What'd you do this weekened?"
Like all the other students, the parents seemed unaware of any writing students did at school.
He said he was a good writer and that he was good because his sister taught him. He could not verbalize what made a good story. When pressed about what he could do to make telling a story interesting to a younger child, he could not verbalize what he might do with his voice, etc.
In the pre-interview he said he liked "reading stories" on the computer. (There is a website we used in the computer lab.) His parents said he had a computer at home and liked playing games.
Jaidyn's pre-interview
Jaidyn most talkative here! Talks about what she likes to do in the computer lab. (Gamegoo) At home she plays Nic and Sponge Bob games.
Says that she likes Arthur stories... that they are her favorites.
Says she likes to tell what happened at school at home.
Says we don't usually write much, but that they write what they did for spring break. Said she wrote about the zoo.
Says yes she is good at writing stories. The reason is because she write "the beginning and I write the ending and I write the middle." Agreed that teachers her that.. and mom.
His pre-interview is short compared to his post interview where he took a leadership, guide role with Skylar who is very reticent.
On the computer he says he likes to go to game goo. (this is a game in the computer lab) He did not mention until later his avid use at home (his parent mention it.)
He was confident in his abilities as a story writer and story teller, but gave the reason as "I just am." When pressed he said he "thinks first and then writes." He answered the same for story telling: "I think first." This is a theme his teacher hits upon in her questionnaire about him.
Choesn's pre-interview:
Chosen said he liked Dr. Suess (just heard in the library that day) He also said he liked the "monkey movie." Says he likes to write about magic school bus (an assignment in class after watching a video.)
Talked about going to centers and taking his journal to write there.
What makes him good at writing stories?
Well he writes at home (a list?) and staples them to the wall. He has to buy more staples to staple them. When pressed he said Every single day he gets better and better at writing. When he talked about telling stories he mentioned reading at home makes you get better with your voice, and that one had to read loud so the listener can really hear it.
Bryce's pre interview
In his pre-interview, Bryce was asked what kinds of stories he likes. He said liked science stories and he likes to tell make believe stories. He answered quickly without much hesitation. In fact the only hesitation in his entire interview was when he was asked about the writing he did at school. He did mention he writes about math... explaining his strategies. He said there was no show and tell and he didn't really raise his hand much to speak in class.
Bryce considers imself good at writing stories. When asked what makes a good story he said "pictures and words."
He also considered himself good at telling stories. When asked what makes that kind of story good, he said when "they figure it out. This means when the listener follows and understand events. I think this would be an issue with Bryce speaking with other children because his stories are long and often complicated and he uses interesting language.
Arianna pre-interview
Arianna, in her pre-interview says she likes all types of books when asked about her favorite book. WHen pressed, she said she liked fiction books. Asked to name a favorite, and she paused and said she doesn't remember the names of favorites. She said she likes to tell scary stories- tell scary stories to her little cousin who reacts "scary."
At school she says she likes to write about her "weekend."
Asked about opportunities to share and talk at school, she had not answer. She did say that in kindergarten she would bring her stuffed Animals for show and tell. When asked what she would say about those animals, she said that she usually gets them from sea world.
She said she is a good story writer because she "writes neatly."
She said that what makes a good story to tell "words come out of your mouth." I thought she might have meant expression, but when pressed that doesn't seem to be where she was headed.
Michael's Pre-interview
In his pre-interview he said he liked funny stories like Captain Underpants. He said he liked to tell stories like Charlotte's Web.
He said he liked to go home and tell about things he did at school. (Parents mention this as well.) He says that at school he also likes to write about what he did and where he went. I think this is the standard journal entry for his class: What'd you do this weekened?"
Like all the other students, the parents seemed unaware of any writing students did at school.
He said he was a good writer and that he was good because his sister taught him. He could not verbalize what made a good story. When pressed about what he could do to make telling a story interesting to a younger child, he could not verbalize what he might do with his voice, etc.
In the pre-interview he said he liked "reading stories" on the computer. (There is a website we used in the computer lab.) His parents said he had a computer at home and liked playing games.
Jaidyn's pre-interview
Jaidyn most talkative here! Talks about what she likes to do in the computer lab. (Gamegoo) At home she plays Nic and Sponge Bob games.
Says that she likes Arthur stories... that they are her favorites.
Says she likes to tell what happened at school at home.
Says we don't usually write much, but that they write what they did for spring break. Said she wrote about the zoo.
Says yes she is good at writing stories. The reason is because she write "the beginning and I write the ending and I write the middle." Agreed that teachers her that.. and mom.
Research Process (in case anyone cares)
My process:
First, I transcribed data and made a few notes directly after transcribing. Read and re-read data in the context of the work of
Labbo
Smitherman
Dyson
Ball
Boykin
Vygotsky
I was looking for connections/extensions of previous research.
I came up with questions. For example? Why didn’t my students’ work look more like Dyson’s (or even my own work with students making web pages?) This is much of the early blog writing about the digital stories. I also sought answers to my research questions.
For the children themselves, I pulled all the data together and organized it per child. For instance, I made a profile of Bryce by pulling together all the data sources about him into a single summary. This has been much of the later blog writing.
I then began to compile the data across the profiles (cases). I called myself doing cross case analysis ala Stark. Starting with the pre-interviews, the “teacher talk” that the kids were doing when describing why they were “good story writers” was clear as a bell to me. And since I knew that there was other data that fit (their journals, the teacher questionnaires, the parent questionnaires) I could put that together to support my hypothesis that the students were high influenced by their interactions with teachers.
Is that last too much of a leap? From what I’ve read of cross-case analysis (very little… it’s new to me) you look at the data by type (such as pre-interviews)across the cases, and look for patterns that can be confirmed by other data. This is what I did. I don’t see where there was another step in there between examining the pre-interviews across the cases, and seeing an obvious pattern that can be confirmed by other sources.
Let me know if I’m missing something.
Marva S.
First, I transcribed data and made a few notes directly after transcribing. Read and re-read data in the context of the work of
Labbo
Smitherman
Dyson
Ball
Boykin
Vygotsky
I was looking for connections/extensions of previous research.
I came up with questions. For example? Why didn’t my students’ work look more like Dyson’s (or even my own work with students making web pages?) This is much of the early blog writing about the digital stories. I also sought answers to my research questions.
For the children themselves, I pulled all the data together and organized it per child. For instance, I made a profile of Bryce by pulling together all the data sources about him into a single summary. This has been much of the later blog writing.
I then began to compile the data across the profiles (cases). I called myself doing cross case analysis ala Stark. Starting with the pre-interviews, the “teacher talk” that the kids were doing when describing why they were “good story writers” was clear as a bell to me. And since I knew that there was other data that fit (their journals, the teacher questionnaires, the parent questionnaires) I could put that together to support my hypothesis that the students were high influenced by their interactions with teachers.
Is that last too much of a leap? From what I’ve read of cross-case analysis (very little… it’s new to me) you look at the data by type (such as pre-interviews)across the cases, and look for patterns that can be confirmed by other data. This is what I did. I don’t see where there was another step in there between examining the pre-interviews across the cases, and seeing an obvious pattern that can be confirmed by other sources.
Let me know if I’m missing something.
Marva S.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Commonalities Across the Cases
Pre interviews -
What makes you a good story writer?
Journals - Teacher questionnaires, Classroom observations
teacher directed/assigned. Highly teacher centered classrooms. "structure."
descriptions with emphasis on detail, spelling, not style, number of sentences
'sharing events' - spelling based (modified -bastardize? - shared writing) Complete thoughts, complete sentences.
post interviews - audience based. "funny." Content.
What makes you a good story writer?
Journals - Teacher questionnaires, Classroom observations
teacher directed/assigned. Highly teacher centered classrooms. "structure."
descriptions with emphasis on detail, spelling, not style, number of sentences
'sharing events' - spelling based (modified -bastardize? - shared writing) Complete thoughts, complete sentences.
post interviews - audience based. "funny." Content.
What is a story?
Despite the fact that the main emphasis of my research was on “story,” I neglected to ask these children in pre-interviews what a “story” was to them.
I did ask them if they were “good” at writing and telling stories. All of them said they were. When asked what made a good story, most of their answers, if they could verbalize an answer to this question, reflected their classroom interactions with their teachers.
They were good story tellers because:
I write neatly - Arianna
I plan and then write – Trace (reflected later in his teacher’s description of him that he often goes off on tangents when writing instead of sticking to a plan.
I write every day which made you get “better and better.” - Chosen
The pictures and words – Bryce,
I just am – Trace
I have a beginning, and end and a middle – Jaidyn
Only Chosen, who likely has few positive writing interactions with his teacher in school, answered this question by sharing a home writing incident: where lists and stories he makes at home are stapled to the wall. Otherwise, their description of writing and storytelling stayed in the school realm as much as possible, even though I was able to lead Arianna into talking about telling her little cousins stories.
These students’ answers were highly contextualized. I was a “teacher” in their environment. When I interviewed them, we were sitting in the hallway outside the first grade classroom hub. So their thinking about stories and the answers to my questions were filtered through a school context as well.
Supporting this theory about their school context filter were there answers to what they liked to write about. Most of them reported that they liked to write about what they did that weekend, or what happened at recess. These of course were the assigned writing experiences that dominated the first grade curriculum at the school. Bryce was a negative case in this instance, because he talked about enjoying writing about aliens. However, I was soon to learn that Bryce was a boy with a head full of stories that he generated on his own and were just bursting to get out. He was also the one student who, without my severe attempts at leading, expressed a good story as having an audience element.
When asked in is pre-interview what made a good story, besides the previously mentioned statement, he also said, “when they get it.”
Since he has a bend toward alien stories and other fantastical realms, I can see where he may have had trouble in the past with parents and friends and his brand of storytelling.
I did ask them if they were “good” at writing and telling stories. All of them said they were. When asked what made a good story, most of their answers, if they could verbalize an answer to this question, reflected their classroom interactions with their teachers.
They were good story tellers because:
I write neatly - Arianna
I plan and then write – Trace (reflected later in his teacher’s description of him that he often goes off on tangents when writing instead of sticking to a plan.
I write every day which made you get “better and better.” - Chosen
The pictures and words – Bryce,
I just am – Trace
I have a beginning, and end and a middle – Jaidyn
Only Chosen, who likely has few positive writing interactions with his teacher in school, answered this question by sharing a home writing incident: where lists and stories he makes at home are stapled to the wall. Otherwise, their description of writing and storytelling stayed in the school realm as much as possible, even though I was able to lead Arianna into talking about telling her little cousins stories.
These students’ answers were highly contextualized. I was a “teacher” in their environment. When I interviewed them, we were sitting in the hallway outside the first grade classroom hub. So their thinking about stories and the answers to my questions were filtered through a school context as well.
Supporting this theory about their school context filter were there answers to what they liked to write about. Most of them reported that they liked to write about what they did that weekend, or what happened at recess. These of course were the assigned writing experiences that dominated the first grade curriculum at the school. Bryce was a negative case in this instance, because he talked about enjoying writing about aliens. However, I was soon to learn that Bryce was a boy with a head full of stories that he generated on his own and were just bursting to get out. He was also the one student who, without my severe attempts at leading, expressed a good story as having an audience element.
When asked in is pre-interview what made a good story, besides the previously mentioned statement, he also said, “when they get it.”
Since he has a bend toward alien stories and other fantastical realms, I can see where he may have had trouble in the past with parents and friends and his brand of storytelling.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
This is Trace
Trace was 6 years old at the time of this research. He is in class with 2 other students who will not be fully featured in the research. At first Trace was reluctant to leave his class and come with us for the activities.
His pre-interview is short compared to his post interview where he took a leadership, guide role with Skylar who is very reticent.
On the computer he says he likes to go to game goo. (this is a game in the computer lab) He did not mention until later his avid use at home (his parent mention it.)
He was confident in his abilities as a story writer and story teller, but gave the reason as "I just am." When pressed he said he "thinks first and then writes." He answered the same for story telling: "I think first." This is a theme his teacher hits upon in her questionnaire about him.
Parent Questionnaire.
His parents think highly of his vocabulary and language skills. They are able to report that at school he has written about his pets, family vacations. When he talks at home he tells about the events of his day.
They report he plays toontown on the computer at home and academic games.
He likes stories about trains, cards, animals, "boy stuff," and fictional books.
They report an active reading and story life at home. He reads for homework, His sister reads to him, and his parents tell him stories about when they were kids.
They feel he has an advanced usage of words... uses large words and is very descriptive.
His teacher rates him as having "medium" written and spoken language skills. She reports he does use complete sentences, and has some advance vocabulary, but doesn't focus or plan his writing. He adds details as the come and kind of let them take him where ever... off into tangents.
She reports that he feels most comfortable writing about family, science, math and games he plays at home.
Trace's Journal
He has a piece where he describes himself. The structure of the piece features all sentences starting with "I have..." (pants, shirt, ... color, and mentions a spiderman shirt.) His spelling of words is conventional, though he does not seem to stretch for more exceptional vocabulary in his journal writing. Teacher has corrected some of his bs and ds (backward)
Writes another piece about his teeth and brushing habits. Again, traditional spelling. I think there may have been a word list posted for words like permanent etc. Teacher has corrected spelling for vegetables and fruits.
There is also a list of spelling words (three times each) in his journal graded with a happy face. And a story about his time at a friends house. (lacks detail other than lots of fun... had a "grate time."
Quick Research observations:
Trace was very reluctant to come at first and missed the first sessions. In fact circumstances of his first story was during his classes' period in the computer lab just to get him encouraged to come. This story is different than his final two that use stickers.
Trace's writing style might not have been best for the set up of this research. He edits afterwards it seems. This somewhat fits with is teacher's complaint that he doesn't plan first. I think his natural process is to get his ideas on paper and then edit. This is just my teacherly observations from his and his teacher's interview, and the way he tried to make changes during/after his recording particularly of his 1st story.
Trace, like Bryce spent a lot of time on his backgrounds. I think this was social acquired between both of them though I don't know which one started it. They both compared different techniques for changing backgrounds while they were working.
His middle story has a loose theme and then he assembles the pieces that fit his "bomb" motif. His last story was probably heavily influenced by me putting the camera beside him while he was working???? It is just a recitation of what is there. He asked to add music. During author's chair, seemed to not mind that his words were undecipherable under his music. Played it cool and danced along with the music and acted as if he didn't care that his voice was lost.
post interview
Still reports that what he likes best is to play on the computer. Lists Toontown and Pirates of the Caribbean. What he liked best about doing this type of story? That you could do different kinds (describing or funny.) He has picked up a theme that I talked about and made it his... just like the thinking first thing in his pre-interview. This kid is a teacher pleaser and a politician. He will tell you what he thinks you want to hear. He said it was bad that he had to click around for stickers... finding stickers he wanted for what he wanted to show. This is mentioned in other research... how the graphics often limit/control what students do. This was huge with Trace.
He said that folks seeing his dvd was "embarrassing." he said because his family laughed.
I asked him about his backgrounds and he said they were important for all stories, but didn't elaborate on that. He appreciated Deseree's story the most because it was just funny that there was a duck in the street. hah.
His pre-interview is short compared to his post interview where he took a leadership, guide role with Skylar who is very reticent.
On the computer he says he likes to go to game goo. (this is a game in the computer lab) He did not mention until later his avid use at home (his parent mention it.)
He was confident in his abilities as a story writer and story teller, but gave the reason as "I just am." When pressed he said he "thinks first and then writes." He answered the same for story telling: "I think first." This is a theme his teacher hits upon in her questionnaire about him.
Parent Questionnaire.
His parents think highly of his vocabulary and language skills. They are able to report that at school he has written about his pets, family vacations. When he talks at home he tells about the events of his day.
They report he plays toontown on the computer at home and academic games.
He likes stories about trains, cards, animals, "boy stuff," and fictional books.
They report an active reading and story life at home. He reads for homework, His sister reads to him, and his parents tell him stories about when they were kids.
They feel he has an advanced usage of words... uses large words and is very descriptive.
His teacher rates him as having "medium" written and spoken language skills. She reports he does use complete sentences, and has some advance vocabulary, but doesn't focus or plan his writing. He adds details as the come and kind of let them take him where ever... off into tangents.
She reports that he feels most comfortable writing about family, science, math and games he plays at home.
Trace's Journal
He has a piece where he describes himself. The structure of the piece features all sentences starting with "I have..." (pants, shirt, ... color, and mentions a spiderman shirt.) His spelling of words is conventional, though he does not seem to stretch for more exceptional vocabulary in his journal writing. Teacher has corrected some of his bs and ds (backward)
Writes another piece about his teeth and brushing habits. Again, traditional spelling. I think there may have been a word list posted for words like permanent etc. Teacher has corrected spelling for vegetables and fruits.
There is also a list of spelling words (three times each) in his journal graded with a happy face. And a story about his time at a friends house. (lacks detail other than lots of fun... had a "grate time."
Quick Research observations:
Trace was very reluctant to come at first and missed the first sessions. In fact circumstances of his first story was during his classes' period in the computer lab just to get him encouraged to come. This story is different than his final two that use stickers.
Trace's writing style might not have been best for the set up of this research. He edits afterwards it seems. This somewhat fits with is teacher's complaint that he doesn't plan first. I think his natural process is to get his ideas on paper and then edit. This is just my teacherly observations from his and his teacher's interview, and the way he tried to make changes during/after his recording particularly of his 1st story.
Trace, like Bryce spent a lot of time on his backgrounds. I think this was social acquired between both of them though I don't know which one started it. They both compared different techniques for changing backgrounds while they were working.
His middle story has a loose theme and then he assembles the pieces that fit his "bomb" motif. His last story was probably heavily influenced by me putting the camera beside him while he was working???? It is just a recitation of what is there. He asked to add music. During author's chair, seemed to not mind that his words were undecipherable under his music. Played it cool and danced along with the music and acted as if he didn't care that his voice was lost.
post interview
Still reports that what he likes best is to play on the computer. Lists Toontown and Pirates of the Caribbean. What he liked best about doing this type of story? That you could do different kinds (describing or funny.) He has picked up a theme that I talked about and made it his... just like the thinking first thing in his pre-interview. This kid is a teacher pleaser and a politician. He will tell you what he thinks you want to hear. He said it was bad that he had to click around for stickers... finding stickers he wanted for what he wanted to show. This is mentioned in other research... how the graphics often limit/control what students do. This was huge with Trace.
He said that folks seeing his dvd was "embarrassing." he said because his family laughed.
I asked him about his backgrounds and he said they were important for all stories, but didn't elaborate on that. He appreciated Deseree's story the most because it was just funny that there was a duck in the street. hah.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Structuring Chapter 4
Several influences combined to prompt the child to create their digital stories:
A sense of audience strongly influences the child's creation.
The technology itself strongly influences the child's creation.
The child's social-cultural milieu strongly influences the child's creation.
A sense of audience strongly influences the child's creation.
The technology itself strongly influences the child's creation.
The child's social-cultural milieu strongly influences the child's creation.
This is Chosen
Chosen was probably the most eager to join this project. While he rarely returns notes, homework, field trip money, etc, etc, to school, he promptly returned his forms to participate in this project. His teacher was a little jealous, "maybe because YOU'RE an African American." she said, jokingly. (head notes)
Choesn's pre-interview:
Chosen was 6 at the beginning of this research project. He has a computer at home and frequently plays games at cartoon network and nick.com, etc.
According to his mom, Chosen enjoys being read to and enjoys bible stories and fairy tales. According to his mom, she tells folk tales at home (not events of the day, etc.)Chosen tells stories to his little brother.
His mom thinks he needs to practice reading.
Chosen's teachers rated him as a low in writing and verbal skills. He has the same teacher as Arianna, Deseree, and Michael. She says that Chosen has low alphabet recognition and is unable to write words. (This is reflected in his writing journal.) Chosen will write streams of letters or words that are in the environment. Like his parent, his teacher left school writing blank. (Teacher... what does he choose to write about (NA says the teacher.)
She says that Chosen is not very verbal, and when he was would mostly talk about things that were happening at home. The teacher says he does not speak in complete sentences. She thought he neede more language role models and was not exposed to language as much as other students and that he was below grade level.
Chosen's journal: His journal samples reflect short random lists of words as his teacher mentioned. One list of words is checked off by his teacher. I assume he is the type that required feedback to get him to accomplish anything. He also has a fairly detailed rendition of people and a cat (not stick figure) that is wordless, but stamped by the teacher. He has another piece that is probably another collection of random words he sees around the room accompanied by a smiling stick figure in prominently drawn shoes.
Post interview: Chosen has definite ideas here about his favorite thing to do on a computer: Making pictures. As for our story making he enjoyed recording. Chosen liked Bryce's story the best because of the thingy up in there that he forgot. Chosen uses imprecise language to describe favorite book his teacher read to him. "the fish story."
Choesn's pre-interview:
Chosen was 6 at the beginning of this research project. He has a computer at home and frequently plays games at cartoon network and nick.com, etc.
According to his mom, Chosen enjoys being read to and enjoys bible stories and fairy tales. According to his mom, she tells folk tales at home (not events of the day, etc.)Chosen tells stories to his little brother.
His mom thinks he needs to practice reading.
Chosen's teachers rated him as a low in writing and verbal skills. He has the same teacher as Arianna, Deseree, and Michael. She says that Chosen has low alphabet recognition and is unable to write words. (This is reflected in his writing journal.) Chosen will write streams of letters or words that are in the environment. Like his parent, his teacher left school writing blank. (Teacher... what does he choose to write about (NA says the teacher.)
She says that Chosen is not very verbal, and when he was would mostly talk about things that were happening at home. The teacher says he does not speak in complete sentences. She thought he neede more language role models and was not exposed to language as much as other students and that he was below grade level.
Chosen's journal: His journal samples reflect short random lists of words as his teacher mentioned. One list of words is checked off by his teacher. I assume he is the type that required feedback to get him to accomplish anything. He also has a fairly detailed rendition of people and a cat (not stick figure) that is wordless, but stamped by the teacher. He has another piece that is probably another collection of random words he sees around the room accompanied by a smiling stick figure in prominently drawn shoes.
Post interview: Chosen has definite ideas here about his favorite thing to do on a computer: Making pictures. As for our story making he enjoyed recording. Chosen liked Bryce's story the best because of the thingy up in there that he forgot. Chosen uses imprecise language to describe favorite book his teacher read to him. "the fish story."
This is Deseree
Deseree was 7 years old at the time of this research project. She does not have a computer at home, so they had no idea about what she liked to do with computers. In her pre-interview she mentioned games played at the computer lab at school. Her parents are pretty proud of her abilities as a reader, writer and speaker. They believe she does all those well. Deseree's parents remembered one story she'd written at school, "My Lost Kitten." a true experience story. At home she generally tells the events of the day. Her parents said she enjoys 'happy stories' but didn't elaborate on that. Her Dad reads her bedtime stories. They believe she is a good communicator overall.
Deseree's teacher agrees that she is a good communicator and says she was 'on level' by the end of the year. She claims that Deseree could write up to 5 or 6 sentences in a story. This met end of year expectations.
Deseree participated in class' Monday morning routine of writing journal writing about the events of their weekend. The teacher said the class began the year required to write 2 sentences and then ended the year expected to write 5, which Deseree could do. Deseree was often deliberate and slow in her writing, and her thoughts sometimes strayed, but she made sense, which was valued by her teacher.
During free writing, she choose to write about family and friends and also social studies topics the class was studying. Interestingly her teacher also noted that Deseree often made connections between school topics and her real world experiences. She could find patterns and could make connections to stories they read in class.
Deseree was an agile speaker, and used accentuated and appropriate expression to get her point across. Her teacher believed her to be better orally than in print.
Deseree's writing sample from her journal is unimpressive. I choose journal writing because the digital stories they created weren't closer to journal writing than highly polished and published pieces. She wrote what she did over the weekend in a simple three sentence list. I went... I went... The picture she drew showed a bit more care an interest. In another piece she wrote about getting her nails painted and then drew her hand and nails. She talked about how much she like the nails and that they looked pretty. I could assume from the writing that except for times when something exciting actually happened (the nails) she was not enthusiastic about writing about the events of the weekend. There was no elaboration. I see no grading on her writing samples. Deseree probably did not expect anyone to see or respond to these pieces.
Deseree was fairly quiet during author's chairs. She was engaged and watchful. During her own presentations she slumped in her chair and smiled with a guarded smile. She could not tell why she decided on her second story (numbers one) and said it just popped in her head. Her goal for her last story was to make "everyone laugh."
In her post interview She was the only student who mentioned that Author's Chair was her favorite part of the experience. She also talks about being nervous when people watched her story.
SHe also talks about that the parts that were funny (voice) were the parts where she was "nervous." There is no reason to be nervous during recording unless you are aware of audience which is something previous writings didn't have.
Deseree's teacher agrees that she is a good communicator and says she was 'on level' by the end of the year. She claims that Deseree could write up to 5 or 6 sentences in a story. This met end of year expectations.
Deseree participated in class' Monday morning routine of writing journal writing about the events of their weekend. The teacher said the class began the year required to write 2 sentences and then ended the year expected to write 5, which Deseree could do. Deseree was often deliberate and slow in her writing, and her thoughts sometimes strayed, but she made sense, which was valued by her teacher.
During free writing, she choose to write about family and friends and also social studies topics the class was studying. Interestingly her teacher also noted that Deseree often made connections between school topics and her real world experiences. She could find patterns and could make connections to stories they read in class.
Deseree was an agile speaker, and used accentuated and appropriate expression to get her point across. Her teacher believed her to be better orally than in print.
Deseree's writing sample from her journal is unimpressive. I choose journal writing because the digital stories they created weren't closer to journal writing than highly polished and published pieces. She wrote what she did over the weekend in a simple three sentence list. I went... I went... The picture she drew showed a bit more care an interest. In another piece she wrote about getting her nails painted and then drew her hand and nails. She talked about how much she like the nails and that they looked pretty. I could assume from the writing that except for times when something exciting actually happened (the nails) she was not enthusiastic about writing about the events of the weekend. There was no elaboration. I see no grading on her writing samples. Deseree probably did not expect anyone to see or respond to these pieces.
Deseree was fairly quiet during author's chairs. She was engaged and watchful. During her own presentations she slumped in her chair and smiled with a guarded smile. She could not tell why she decided on her second story (numbers one) and said it just popped in her head. Her goal for her last story was to make "everyone laugh."
In her post interview She was the only student who mentioned that Author's Chair was her favorite part of the experience. She also talks about being nervous when people watched her story.
SHe also talks about that the parts that were funny (voice) were the parts where she was "nervous." There is no reason to be nervous during recording unless you are aware of audience which is something previous writings didn't have.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Theory about consideration of audience on later or last pieces
1. Bryce talks about doing a talking fish
what arms story in 2nd author
s chair
Bryce brings the card as preparation for third story. (observation)
2. Arianna comments on her story during her story. (story)
3. Chosen redos his story (less offensive to the amasses.)
4. I think Skylar wanting to say more (story)
5. Michael -
6. Trace - conversational tone (story)
6. Deseree talks of being nervous while recording in her last story. (post interview)
Why reflection? Well they knew they were going to do the third story. Also we talked about goals in the 2nd AC session.
what arms story in 2nd author
s chair
Bryce brings the card as preparation for third story. (observation)
2. Arianna comments on her story during her story. (story)
3. Chosen redos his story (less offensive to the amasses.)
4. I think Skylar wanting to say more (story)
5. Michael -
6. Trace - conversational tone (story)
6. Deseree talks of being nervous while recording in her last story. (post interview)
Why reflection? Well they knew they were going to do the third story. Also we talked about goals in the 2nd AC session.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
This is Bryce
Bryce was 7 at the beginning of this project. He is in Ms. Pierce's class. Arianna is his cousin. He has a computer at home. He likes to play Toontown which is a subscription mmo game for kids from Disney.
Bryce is the only student who made pop culture references in his stories and journal. The teachers' activities are very directed, but Bryce "writes stories" in his head natural at home and for fun. So he knows that he can tap that well.
In his pre-interview, Bryce was asked what kinds of stories he likes. He said liked science stories and he likes to tell make believe stories. He answered quickly without much hesitation. In fact the only hesitation in his entire interview was when he was asked about the writing he did at school. He did mention he writes about math... explaining his strategies. He said there was no show and tell and he didn't really raise his hand much to speak in class.
Bryce considers imself good at writing stories. When asked what makes a good story he said "pictures and words."
He also considered himself good at telling stories. When asked what makes that kind of story good, he said when "they figure it out. This means when the listener follows and understand events. I think this would be an issue with Bryce speaking with other children because his stories are long and often complicated and he uses interesting language.
Bryce's Mom noted that Bryce enjoys playing games on the computer. She glowingly reported that he has great vocabulary, loves to read, and reads very well in her opinion. She said he loves to be told all sorts of stories, but that she often tells him stories about his cousins and other family members.
Bryce's Writing Journal is mostly similar to the others' journals. This reflects teacher planning and collaboration across the grade level. The topics are mostly what they did that weekend. Bryce did find the opportunity to write a pirate story.
He named the characters.
He gave the story a title
He signed it by Bryce.
His story has a sense of beginning/middle and end.
In his what I did entries, he, like Michael expresses "having fun."
The pictures in his journal often reflect different
........................
I won't finish this right now, because I was working on Arianna. But the coolest thing about Bryce is that he is a writer. I was listening to the tape of the 2nd author's chair and I had them state their goals for their next piece. The other kids said stuff like make people laugh. And Chosen mentioned something he didn't remember later when he was making the third story.
Bryce SPECIFICALLY listed that he wanted to write a story about "talking fish with arms."
I knew the first story was something that had been churning inside him for a while. I could just tell by the way it spilled out of him. But it looks like he had other stories on tap and ready to go.
Post Interview:
Likes to play Toontown and Madagascar on his computer.
His favorite part of making these stories was drawing the pictures.
Of all the stories, he liked his last story the best.
Denies changing his voice for his story. (I don't know why... it's obvious that he did.)
What makes a good story: Bryce said different kinds of things... when pressed, he said, 'monsters, aliens.' so he means content makes a good story.
Bryce is the only student who made pop culture references in his stories and journal. The teachers' activities are very directed, but Bryce "writes stories" in his head natural at home and for fun. So he knows that he can tap that well.
In his pre-interview, Bryce was asked what kinds of stories he likes. He said liked science stories and he likes to tell make believe stories. He answered quickly without much hesitation. In fact the only hesitation in his entire interview was when he was asked about the writing he did at school. He did mention he writes about math... explaining his strategies. He said there was no show and tell and he didn't really raise his hand much to speak in class.
Bryce considers imself good at writing stories. When asked what makes a good story he said "pictures and words."
He also considered himself good at telling stories. When asked what makes that kind of story good, he said when "they figure it out. This means when the listener follows and understand events. I think this would be an issue with Bryce speaking with other children because his stories are long and often complicated and he uses interesting language.
Bryce's Mom noted that Bryce enjoys playing games on the computer. She glowingly reported that he has great vocabulary, loves to read, and reads very well in her opinion. She said he loves to be told all sorts of stories, but that she often tells him stories about his cousins and other family members.
Bryce's Writing Journal is mostly similar to the others' journals. This reflects teacher planning and collaboration across the grade level. The topics are mostly what they did that weekend. Bryce did find the opportunity to write a pirate story.
He named the characters.
He gave the story a title
He signed it by Bryce.
His story has a sense of beginning/middle and end.
In his what I did entries, he, like Michael expresses "having fun."
The pictures in his journal often reflect different
........................
I won't finish this right now, because I was working on Arianna. But the coolest thing about Bryce is that he is a writer. I was listening to the tape of the 2nd author's chair and I had them state their goals for their next piece. The other kids said stuff like make people laugh. And Chosen mentioned something he didn't remember later when he was making the third story.
Bryce SPECIFICALLY listed that he wanted to write a story about "talking fish with arms."
I knew the first story was something that had been churning inside him for a while. I could just tell by the way it spilled out of him. But it looks like he had other stories on tap and ready to go.
Post Interview:
Likes to play Toontown and Madagascar on his computer.
His favorite part of making these stories was drawing the pictures.
Of all the stories, he liked his last story the best.
Denies changing his voice for his story. (I don't know why... it's obvious that he did.)
What makes a good story: Bryce said different kinds of things... when pressed, he said, 'monsters, aliens.' so he means content makes a good story.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
This is Arianna
Arianna is 7 at the time of this research project. She is in 1st grade. She is in the same class as Michael, Deseree and Chosen. She is an African American child with a Latino father. According to her parent, she speaks fluent Spanish. Bryce in this study is her cousin.
Her parents tell us she doesn't choose to use the computer much at home. When she does, it is usually starfall or educational cds. Later in her pre-interview, Arianna will say that she likes playing games on the computer, but does not know many sites. She sites a website that the librarian taught her very recently as her "favorite."
Her parents say they are not aware of much story writing she does at school. There are occasional paragraphs describing a picture. Her parents read her bed time stories. She enjoys hearing stories about her cousins. Her parents report that she enjoys hearing Junie B. Jones.
Arianna, in her pre-interview says she likes all types of books when asked about her favorite book. WHen pressed, she said she liked fiction books. Asked to name a favorite, and she paused and said she doesn't remember the names of favorites. She said she likes to tell scary stories- tell scary stories to her little cousin who reacts "scary."
At school she says she likes to write about her "weekend."
Asked about opportunities to share and talk at school, she had not answer. She did say that in kindergarten she would bring her stuffed Animals for show and tell. When asked what she would say about those animals, she said that she usually gets them from sea world.
She said she is a good story writer because she "writes neatly."
She said that what makes a good story to tell "words come out of your mouth." I thought she might have meant expression, but when pressed that doesn't seem to be where she was headed.
Her teacher's evaluation of Arianna's language skills was pretty glowing. The teacher said she was on grade level. She classifed her as having high verbal skills. She gave clear and concise statements and complete thoughts. She claimed Arianna was medium at writing and had improved at a steady pace and she expected her to be right on track at the end of the year. She writes in complete sentences... writing flows.
Arianna chooses to write about friends and family (usually assigned topics.)
Arinna uses complete senses and can be very dramatic to get her point across. She uses correct tenses. Her teacher lists her as a strong language user.
Her Journal:
The journal samples I could get from her were pretty sparse. I tried to choose from each child a sample that was their longest from their journal. That was my criteria... as much words as possible in the three writing samples. Something they seemed to have put some energy into.
Arianna had a numbered list of what she'd done over the weekened which was a common topic in the classroom. The sentences were checked by the teacher. There was correct spelling, capitals and punctuation. There was not much elaboration, but I do not think that was expected. "I went bowling." "I swang on a swing."
She also has a piece where she copied a poem or a song. Again spelled in standard form for the most part.
She has a description of her self (what she is wearing) that other students also have.
Lastly there is a piece that is actually copied from another student. I will get to the reason for that in another post.
She has some half hearted stick figures drawn to accompany her writing.
Field Notes:
Arriana is hard on herself. She was very worried about making her first story. She is a perfectionist... but in the ways she knows...spelling... neatness.. etc. She started out using the shape tools that we learned during computer lab time, but move on to a girls and flowers theme. This was her anchor and she stuck with it. (anchor)
Arianna spoke several times (tapes during work time and 2nd author's chair) that she wanted to do things for Bryce... I am making a story for Bryce, Bryce what should I add here? She expressed interest in making Bryce laugh for her third story.
Arianna erased when the tool was a problem... instead of fixing the tool. That is she didn't really adjust the technology to her needs. She worked around it. She showed less frustration at the end and her third story reflects her working with Jaidyn. Jaidyn left and in her third panael the story is typical Arianna.
During 2nd authors chair Ariann was very critical of her own story. "I don't think mine is interesting" "It was stupid." During her third story she expresses that she hates her story during the last panel. During the 2nd author's chair she expresses that she is going to be funnier next time as her goal.
Post Interview
Arianna is very bouyant during this interview. She is making farting noises joyfully.
Arianna answered immediately that she liked to write silly stories. She said she wanted to laugh Bryces head off' She said computers were fun and that she liked to play on them, play pixie (software used to create stories.)
Said at home her cousin (bryce) helped her with describing words but that when she did these stories she had more time to do lots of stories.
Liked Trace's stories... said because he used the blender (stamps)than she did.
Was looking forward to to getting a dvd. Started making weird monkey sounds so I left her alone.
;Labbo and Arianna
Screen as canvas. She is drawing pretty pictures. The story comes from her lster. I mean I don't know if her pictures reflect deliberate story telling.
Her parents tell us she doesn't choose to use the computer much at home. When she does, it is usually starfall or educational cds. Later in her pre-interview, Arianna will say that she likes playing games on the computer, but does not know many sites. She sites a website that the librarian taught her very recently as her "favorite."
Her parents say they are not aware of much story writing she does at school. There are occasional paragraphs describing a picture. Her parents read her bed time stories. She enjoys hearing stories about her cousins. Her parents report that she enjoys hearing Junie B. Jones.
Arianna, in her pre-interview says she likes all types of books when asked about her favorite book. WHen pressed, she said she liked fiction books. Asked to name a favorite, and she paused and said she doesn't remember the names of favorites. She said she likes to tell scary stories- tell scary stories to her little cousin who reacts "scary."
At school she says she likes to write about her "weekend."
Asked about opportunities to share and talk at school, she had not answer. She did say that in kindergarten she would bring her stuffed Animals for show and tell. When asked what she would say about those animals, she said that she usually gets them from sea world.
She said she is a good story writer because she "writes neatly."
She said that what makes a good story to tell "words come out of your mouth." I thought she might have meant expression, but when pressed that doesn't seem to be where she was headed.
Her teacher's evaluation of Arianna's language skills was pretty glowing. The teacher said she was on grade level. She classifed her as having high verbal skills. She gave clear and concise statements and complete thoughts. She claimed Arianna was medium at writing and had improved at a steady pace and she expected her to be right on track at the end of the year. She writes in complete sentences... writing flows.
Arianna chooses to write about friends and family (usually assigned topics.)
Arinna uses complete senses and can be very dramatic to get her point across. She uses correct tenses. Her teacher lists her as a strong language user.
Her Journal:
The journal samples I could get from her were pretty sparse. I tried to choose from each child a sample that was their longest from their journal. That was my criteria... as much words as possible in the three writing samples. Something they seemed to have put some energy into.
Arianna had a numbered list of what she'd done over the weekened which was a common topic in the classroom. The sentences were checked by the teacher. There was correct spelling, capitals and punctuation. There was not much elaboration, but I do not think that was expected. "I went bowling." "I swang on a swing."
She also has a piece where she copied a poem or a song. Again spelled in standard form for the most part.
She has a description of her self (what she is wearing) that other students also have.
Lastly there is a piece that is actually copied from another student. I will get to the reason for that in another post.
She has some half hearted stick figures drawn to accompany her writing.
Field Notes:
Arriana is hard on herself. She was very worried about making her first story. She is a perfectionist... but in the ways she knows...spelling... neatness.. etc. She started out using the shape tools that we learned during computer lab time, but move on to a girls and flowers theme. This was her anchor and she stuck with it. (anchor)
Arianna spoke several times (tapes during work time and 2nd author's chair) that she wanted to do things for Bryce... I am making a story for Bryce, Bryce what should I add here? She expressed interest in making Bryce laugh for her third story.
Arianna erased when the tool was a problem... instead of fixing the tool. That is she didn't really adjust the technology to her needs. She worked around it. She showed less frustration at the end and her third story reflects her working with Jaidyn. Jaidyn left and in her third panael the story is typical Arianna.
During 2nd authors chair Ariann was very critical of her own story. "I don't think mine is interesting" "It was stupid." During her third story she expresses that she hates her story during the last panel. During the 2nd author's chair she expresses that she is going to be funnier next time as her goal.
Post Interview
Arianna is very bouyant during this interview. She is making farting noises joyfully.
Arianna answered immediately that she liked to write silly stories. She said she wanted to laugh Bryces head off' She said computers were fun and that she liked to play on them, play pixie (software used to create stories.)
Said at home her cousin (bryce) helped her with describing words but that when she did these stories she had more time to do lots of stories.
Liked Trace's stories... said because he used the blender (stamps)than she did.
Was looking forward to to getting a dvd. Started making weird monkey sounds so I left her alone.
;Labbo and Arianna
Screen as canvas. She is drawing pretty pictures. The story comes from her lster. I mean I don't know if her pictures reflect deliberate story telling.
This is Michael
Michael was 7 at the time of the research project. He is an ESL learner due to the fact that his parents are from Africa (will find country.) He has an older sister who was in fifth grade last year.
Michael was in Ms. G's class. Mrs. G. agrees that she does less modeling than Ms. P so that her students had room to go off on their own a bit more in assignments. However most writing was teacher directed; prompts. Even "creative writing" assignments were directed: If they were learning about penguins they might be assigned to write facts about penguins; then as a creative writing activity it might be "what would you do if you had your own penguin. (teacher informal interview)
In class Michael is often a slow starter and seems to not to be "with us." On an observation, I came in and sat beside him during a spelling test. I was surprised to see that there were no words on his paper, just a bunch of erasings. In the lab he struck me as a sharp student. After I sat down beside him he started writing the words where the teacher was... about number 15 out of 25. The words were challenging regular words like after, and bought and he spelling them all correctly. (my observation)
His teacher considered him a high reader, but had trouble completing his thoughts. She said he spoke in wrong tenses (I goes with my mom) and broken sentences. (teacher questionaire)
In his class journal Michael wrote in a fairly standard narrative form. I have pieces from him from January of his first grade year on. By standard narrative, I mean he wrote sentences that were in linear order and grouped on the same topic. In his journal he wrote about his dog and his family. He included feelings of happy and sad. He also wrote about going to his dad's store and exchanging money. (journal samples)
In his pre-interview he said he liked funny stories like Captain Underpants. He said he liked to tell stories like Charlotte's Web.
He said he liked to go home and tell about things he did at school. (Parents mention this as well.) He says that at school he also likes to write about what he did and where he went. I think this is the standard journal entry for his class: What'd you do this weekened?"
Like all the other students, the parents seemed unaware of any writing students did at school.
He said he was a good writer and that he was good because his sister taught him. He could not verbalize what made a good story. When pressed about what he could do to make telling a story interesting to a younger child, he could not verbalize what he might do with his voice, etc.
In the pre-interview he said he liked "reading stories" on the computer. (There is a website we used in the computer lab.) His parents said he had a computer at home and liked playing games.
In his post-interview He said a good story makes people be nice, funny or mean... makes people feel something. So a good story ilicits a reaction from the audience. In his post interview he said he liked playing games and making stories on the computer. He was pretty delighted with the dvd and when reviewing his work he commented on things he thought were left out... things he meant to say.
Before the project, he wrote about the things he wanted to make a movie about:
His dog being gone (mentioned also in his journal)
Giving his mom food.
Dad being funny.
Something about a pet (handwriting indecipherable.)
I can say: Michael write about his family. Michael showed previous interest in exchanging money in his journal. His father owns a store. He tells a trickster tale (tricking dad out of money.) He tells absurd tales: giving mom a gorilla,
Every story begins with the dollar bill stamp (his anchor) and he works around that.
He is the one child who asked for specific help in manipulating the stamp so it could fit his needs. That is, bending the technology to his will rather than going with where the technology took him. He had very purposeful ideas about what he was doing with that stamp (he cried out very upset when his cut and paste covered up his picture when he was just learning how to cut and paste the dollar stamps.)
Michael was the wanderer (like a father-to-be in the waiting room) during Author's Chair sections.
Labbo Stance: Screen as paper (for storytelling) Screen as playground (for jokes) Doesn't quite translate due to the digital story nature of this project. For instance the jokes are in the vocal part not necessarily in what was created on the screen.
Awareness of audience in the last piece?
Michael's Elaboration over time. The pictures were generally the same spare drawing. Same themes. Now that I know that his dad owns a store, I don't know if he departed that far from family after all with the last one. The elaboration over time came from how he told his story. He was having such a good time with the second story that he was shouting it on the way out the door (tape recordings) the day he recorded it. Interesting how 1st story is pretty much in the pictures. Second story he goes beyond the pictures he's drawn (the pictures are place holder for the extra story he wants to tell about gorillas, and punches, etc.) The third reflects decision... what meaning will be carried in the images, what meaning parts will be carried in the vocal recordings.
Theory: The more children used the digital tools, the more they depended on the verbal to carry meaning of the story. (story, tonal pitches)
Michael giggles forcibly through the showing of his second story. Was kind of wild eyed in amazement at the first (wow really??) Third paced the floor like an expectant father. Responded seriously to teacher comments of how she will edit silence spaces or extra talk digitally.
Michael was eager to comment on the stories of others. He said things were "great" and funny.
He said he added items because he wanted to make them funny. (The gorilla) I asked him about the use of his voice (bill cosby!) and he said Well I do not know but I think so. Later you can hear him commenting on others' stories mentioning how their "voice" was funny.
Michael was in Ms. G's class. Mrs. G. agrees that she does less modeling than Ms. P so that her students had room to go off on their own a bit more in assignments. However most writing was teacher directed; prompts. Even "creative writing" assignments were directed: If they were learning about penguins they might be assigned to write facts about penguins; then as a creative writing activity it might be "what would you do if you had your own penguin. (teacher informal interview)
In class Michael is often a slow starter and seems to not to be "with us." On an observation, I came in and sat beside him during a spelling test. I was surprised to see that there were no words on his paper, just a bunch of erasings. In the lab he struck me as a sharp student. After I sat down beside him he started writing the words where the teacher was... about number 15 out of 25. The words were challenging regular words like after, and bought and he spelling them all correctly. (my observation)
His teacher considered him a high reader, but had trouble completing his thoughts. She said he spoke in wrong tenses (I goes with my mom) and broken sentences. (teacher questionaire)
In his class journal Michael wrote in a fairly standard narrative form. I have pieces from him from January of his first grade year on. By standard narrative, I mean he wrote sentences that were in linear order and grouped on the same topic. In his journal he wrote about his dog and his family. He included feelings of happy and sad. He also wrote about going to his dad's store and exchanging money. (journal samples)
In his pre-interview he said he liked funny stories like Captain Underpants. He said he liked to tell stories like Charlotte's Web.
He said he liked to go home and tell about things he did at school. (Parents mention this as well.) He says that at school he also likes to write about what he did and where he went. I think this is the standard journal entry for his class: What'd you do this weekened?"
Like all the other students, the parents seemed unaware of any writing students did at school.
He said he was a good writer and that he was good because his sister taught him. He could not verbalize what made a good story. When pressed about what he could do to make telling a story interesting to a younger child, he could not verbalize what he might do with his voice, etc.
In the pre-interview he said he liked "reading stories" on the computer. (There is a website we used in the computer lab.) His parents said he had a computer at home and liked playing games.
In his post-interview He said a good story makes people be nice, funny or mean... makes people feel something. So a good story ilicits a reaction from the audience. In his post interview he said he liked playing games and making stories on the computer. He was pretty delighted with the dvd and when reviewing his work he commented on things he thought were left out... things he meant to say.
Before the project, he wrote about the things he wanted to make a movie about:
His dog being gone (mentioned also in his journal)
Giving his mom food.
Dad being funny.
Something about a pet (handwriting indecipherable.)
I can say: Michael write about his family. Michael showed previous interest in exchanging money in his journal. His father owns a store. He tells a trickster tale (tricking dad out of money.) He tells absurd tales: giving mom a gorilla,
Every story begins with the dollar bill stamp (his anchor) and he works around that.
He is the one child who asked for specific help in manipulating the stamp so it could fit his needs. That is, bending the technology to his will rather than going with where the technology took him. He had very purposeful ideas about what he was doing with that stamp (he cried out very upset when his cut and paste covered up his picture when he was just learning how to cut and paste the dollar stamps.)
Michael was the wanderer (like a father-to-be in the waiting room) during Author's Chair sections.
Labbo Stance: Screen as paper (for storytelling) Screen as playground (for jokes) Doesn't quite translate due to the digital story nature of this project. For instance the jokes are in the vocal part not necessarily in what was created on the screen.
Awareness of audience in the last piece?
Michael's Elaboration over time. The pictures were generally the same spare drawing. Same themes. Now that I know that his dad owns a store, I don't know if he departed that far from family after all with the last one. The elaboration over time came from how he told his story. He was having such a good time with the second story that he was shouting it on the way out the door (tape recordings) the day he recorded it. Interesting how 1st story is pretty much in the pictures. Second story he goes beyond the pictures he's drawn (the pictures are place holder for the extra story he wants to tell about gorillas, and punches, etc.) The third reflects decision... what meaning will be carried in the images, what meaning parts will be carried in the vocal recordings.
Theory: The more children used the digital tools, the more they depended on the verbal to carry meaning of the story. (story, tonal pitches)
Michael giggles forcibly through the showing of his second story. Was kind of wild eyed in amazement at the first (wow really??) Third paced the floor like an expectant father. Responded seriously to teacher comments of how she will edit silence spaces or extra talk digitally.
Michael was eager to comment on the stories of others. He said things were "great" and funny.
He said he added items because he wanted to make them funny. (The gorilla) I asked him about the use of his voice (bill cosby!) and he said Well I do not know but I think so. Later you can hear him commenting on others' stories mentioning how their "voice" was funny.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Labbo
Kress might be too much for me. How about Labbo? She outlined stances the children took to the computer as they worked at the center. Now my project is a scooch more structured in that they were directed to make a story. But could the analysis be based on the stances she outlined.
;
;
Friday, January 9, 2009
looking for an analysis organizer for my stories.
Not happy with the 'structure' of labov. Looking at my old friend Kress.
Kress and Van Leeuwan (2001) have suggested that the four elements of multimodality
are discourse, design, production and distribution.
Zammitt and Downes (2002, p.25) suggest that a feature of multimodal texts is their
interconnectedness with the form, content and the possibilities of learning.
Zammit, K. and Downes, T. (2002). New learning environments and the multiliterate
individual: a framework for educators. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy,25(2), 24-28
Kress and Van Leeuwan (2001) have suggested that the four elements of multimodality
are discourse, design, production and distribution.
Zammitt and Downes (2002, p.25) suggest that a feature of multimodal texts is their
interconnectedness with the form, content and the possibilities of learning.
Zammit, K. and Downes, T. (2002). New learning environments and the multiliterate
individual: a framework for educators. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy,25(2), 24-28
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