Snuggles, stories and parent power

Snuggles, stories and Snuggles, stories and parent powerparent power

Analysing discourses of Analysing discourses of children’s learning and children’s learning and

development through texts and development through texts and artefacts in cyber and social artefacts in cyber and social

spacesspaces

Sue Nichols & Helen NixonSue Nichols & Helen NixonAARE 2008AARE 2008

Parents’ networks: The circulation of knowledge about young children’s literacy learning & development

What is circulating?

In what forms?

Through what spaces?

How are connections made?

With what effects?

[T]he macro- as well as the micropolitics [T]he macro- as well as the micropolitics surrounding literacy alter the boundaries of social surrounding literacy alter the boundaries of social context, for in addition to the usual local context, for in addition to the usual local participants such as students, teachers, parents, participants such as students, teachers, parents, administrators, and employers, we also need to administrators, and employers, we also need to consider legislators, legislation, and legislative consider legislators, legislation, and legislative histories, not to mention the middle-level histories, not to mention the middle-level bureaucrats who administer funds ... [T]he people bureaucrats who administer funds ... [T]he people who make up the network involved in literacy who make up the network involved in literacy programs, literacy education, literacy events and programs, literacy education, literacy events and literacy research will not be evenly committed to literacy research will not be evenly committed to any one definition of literacy, let alone its meaning any one definition of literacy, let alone its meaning and value to students. (Brodkey 1992 p. 295)and value to students. (Brodkey 1992 p. 295)

Project elementsProject elements An environmental focusAn environmental focus: Walk-about, : Walk-about,

mapping, visual documentation, artefact mapping, visual documentation, artefact collection, and observationcollection, and observation

An organisational focusAn organisational focus: Interviews with : Interviews with information workers, network tracing and information workers, network tracing and artefact collectionartefact collection

A family focusA family focus: Ethnographic participant : Ethnographic participant observation, interviews and artefact observation, interviews and artefact collectioncollection

A textual focusA textual focus: Semiotic & discourse : Semiotic & discourse analysis, intertextual network tracing.analysis, intertextual network tracing.

Identifying discursive formationsIdentifying discursive formations

Central subject

Key discursive

practice

Parent role

Representational

motifs

Claimed benefits

Major sponsors

Early learning: Dominant Early learning: Dominant discursive clustersdiscursive clusters

Toys are ItToys are It

Central subjectCentral subject

Key discursive Key discursive practicepractice

Parent roleParent role

Representational Representational motifsmotifs

Claimed benefitsClaimed benefits

Major sponsorsMajor sponsors



Central subjectCentral subject ChildChild










Object-assisted playObject-assisted play










Parent roleParent role Consumer/providerConsumer/provider











Child with toy in white Child with toy in white spacespace











Claimed benefitsClaimed benefits Fun while learningFun while learning











Major sponsorsMajor sponsors Toy producers & Toy producers & retailersretailers











Early Learning World Website: A Early Learning World Website: A commercial entity defines commercial entity defines

children's learning and parentingchildren's learning and parenting List of parenting articlesList of parenting articles Your own relationship: A father’s Your own relationship: A father’s

perspectiveperspective Play and your child’s developmentPlay and your child’s development How your child can develop by How your child can develop by

having good toyshaving good toys Learning to talkLearning to talk Learning to readLearning to read Handwriting … the basicsHandwriting … the basics Should your children learn the 3Rs Should your children learn the 3Rs

before school? Science says yes!before school? Science says yes! Discipline – what approach? Discipline – what approach?

Instead of spankingInstead of spanking Hitting/biting – what do you do? Hitting/biting – what do you do?

Turning a hitter into a hugger Turning a hitter into a hugger

“How your child can develop by having good toys”

The child develops according to a ‘strictly unchangeable sequence’.

Parent is assumed to ‘worry’ about development when it ‘may seem very slow’.

Parent may ‘influence the pace of your child’s development by giving them the right stimulation at the right time’.

Young children need to acquire ‘basic skills’ including ‘reading, writing and counting proficiency’. They can acquire these skills by playing with educational toys.

Parents as consumers & providersParents as consumers & providers

Much of the work of caring for very young children “gets Much of the work of caring for very young children “gets accomplished through the marketplace in the purchasing, accomplished through the marketplace in the purchasing, preparing, gifting and provisioning of goods and services” preparing, gifting and provisioning of goods and services” (Cook 2008, p. 232). Much consumption in these contexts is (Cook 2008, p. 232). Much consumption in these contexts is ‘co-consumption’ in that the shopper “looks, desires, ‘co-consumption’ in that the shopper “looks, desires, considers and reflects upon purchases” (p. 232) as part of a considers and reflects upon purchases” (p. 232) as part of a practice of care for the child for whom the product is practice of care for the child for whom the product is intended, or with whom it will be shared. intended, or with whom it will be shared.

Cook, D.T. (2008). The missing child in consumption theory. Cook, D.T. (2008). The missing child in consumption theory. Journal of Consumer Culture. Journal of Consumer Culture. 8(2). 219-243.8(2). 219-243.

Images of book readingImages of book reading


Toys are ItToys are It Books are ItBooks are It











Central subjectCentral subject ChildChild FamilyFamily












Object-assisted playObject-assisted play Story readingStory reading











Parent roleParent role Consumer/providerConsumer/provider Participant/learnerParticipant/learner













Child with mother Child with mother and/or father & book and/or father & book in domestic settingin domestic setting












Claimed benefitsClaimed benefits Fun while learningFun while learning Attachment while Attachment while being socialised into being socialised into literacyliteracy











Claimed benefitsClaimed benefits Fun while learningFun while learning Attachment while Attachment while being socialised into being socialised into literacyliteracy


State institutionsState institutionsBook producers & Book producers & retailersretailers

Why stories are important Parenting SA Parent Easy Guide 57

Stories help children to cope with a lot of the feelings and problems that they experience in their day. Story time can be a special caring time with you that your children will remember all their lives. Whether they are the stories you tell, or stories in books, stories are one of the ways that children learn to enjoy reading. Books, and the people they read about in books can become their friends.

Reading and/or story time can be special time for both parents and children. If it’s a relaxed and happy time, it helps build good relationships between you and your child and helps your child develop a sense of security and good self-esteem.

You can also learn to understand how your child feels when you see him respond to the feelings in the story, eg if he really likes a book it may bebecause it has special meaning for him and is helping him with his feelings.

When you read a story to your child it can show that you understand how he feels. For example if you are reading a story about another child (oranimal) who is frightened of the dark, it helps your child to know that you understand that it is easy to be frightened of the dark when you arevery young.

Reading and telling stories to your child can become a very special sharing time which helps your children to learn to love books and to develop a sense of being a lovable person. Many children remember their story times for the rest of their lives.

Nostalgia & securityNostalgia & security

Mother Goose? Run-of-the-mill as it might seem Mother Goose? Run-of-the-mill as it might seem to some, there are more kids than you'd expect to some, there are more kids than you'd expect growing up these days without the benefit of growing up these days without the benefit of exposure to wholesome children's literatureexposure to wholesome children's literature. This . This attractive collection is the "standard" edition that attractive collection is the "standard" edition that has been delighting millions for 75 years. has been delighting millions for 75 years.

Mother Goose is a vital part of childhood. So sit Mother Goose is a vital part of childhood. So sit down, down, take your one- or two-year-old on your laptake your one- or two-year-old on your lap, , and begin. Your child will learn much more than and begin. Your child will learn much more than the verses: rhyme, rhythm, new words, and the the verses: rhyme, rhythm, new words, and the security of your attentionsecurity of your attention..

Research & the production of the problem Research & the production of the problem nexus: Attachment & literacynexus: Attachment & literacy

Bus (2003) compared ‘the book reading Bus (2003) compared ‘the book reading experiences of parent-child pairs how had a secure experiences of parent-child pairs how had a secure attachment relationship with those of pairs having attachment relationship with those of pairs having an insecure one’ (4) Attachment was judged by the an insecure one’ (4) Attachment was judged by the child’s reaction after experiencing a ‘strange child’s reaction after experiencing a ‘strange situation’ (7). situation’ (7).

‘‘Insecurely attached children appeared to be more Insecurely attached children appeared to be more often disengaged from their mothers or the book often disengaged from their mothers or the book reading … as shown by measures of child reading … as shown by measures of child attentiveness, maternal interventions to control attentiveness, maternal interventions to control the child’s behaviour and child responsiveness’ (5)the child’s behaviour and child responsiveness’ (5)

““Insecurely attached” children could also be Insecurely attached” children could also be described as independent. This then becomes a described as independent. This then becomes a different problem – how to attract independent and different problem – how to attract independent and physically active children to books.physically active children to books.

HybridsHybrids

Books are toysBooks are toys

Toys are peopleToys are people

This innovative board book with special 'jumping' mechanism that allows Peter Rabbit to pop up from all his favourite places This will delight your young ones !

Books are toys

Toys are people

Calcubot is a “playful friend” who “teaches” numeracy skills

“A friendly set of pals with genuine magnetic appeal”; “encourages role-playing”

Commercial toys supposedly respond, talk, grow with children, become friends, provide fun, teach skills

Alternative messages also connect toys and Alternative messages also connect toys and peoplepeople

You are the toyYou are the toy that your newborn most enjoys. that your newborn most enjoys. Your Your touch, the sound of your voice, being rocked in your arms touch, the sound of your voice, being rocked in your arms and staring at your face is more than enough entertainment and staring at your face is more than enough entertainment for a new baby.for a new baby.

Once your baby is starting to Once your baby is starting to move aroundmove around and is more and is more robust, robust, more active playmore active play will be a winner – and will be a winner – and you’re you’re still the best toystill the best toy he has! Your baby will love to clamber he has! Your baby will love to clamber over you, exploring and trying out new movement skills.over you, exploring and trying out new movement skills.

Raising Children Network Australia (2006-2008), ‘Play and Learning: How Raising Children Network Australia (2006-2008), ‘Play and Learning: How to play without paying’to play without paying’http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/play_without_paying.html/context/249

The story continued …The story continued …

This presentation reports a work in This presentation reports a work in progress. Stay tuned for more from progress. Stay tuned for more from the authors. We have papers coming the authors. We have papers coming out in forthcoming issues of the out in forthcoming issues of the journals journals Early YearsEarly Years and and LiteracyLiteracy. .

Our symposium papers and ppts for Our symposium papers and ppts for AERA 2008 can be downloaded fromAERA 2008 can be downloaded from

http://www.unisa.edu.au/hawkeinstitute/cslplc/past.asp#AERA%20Conference%202008

Snuggles, stories and parent power

Documents

literacy education

literacy events

literacy programs

literacy research

definition of literacy

white spaceclaimed benefitsfun

intertextual network

parents networks