Wohlwend K, Literacy playshop: new literacies, popular media, and play in the early childhood classroom

Abstract

Literacy Playshop: New literacies, popular media, and play in the early childhood classroom, by Karen Wohlwend, offers early childhood educators and early primary teachers a snapshot of how writing and play workshops could be altered to incorporate popular culture and digital media. The book is well organized and presents a clear rationale for incorporating popular culture in children's play. The book also identifies how the researchers and classroom teachers incorporated theories into practice in three preschool and kindergarten-grade 1 classrooms over one school year. The book is based on a research study conducted by Wohlwend and her research team, but the book is written as a guide for early childhood educators or primary teachers on how to implement a Literacy Playshop in their own classrooms. Curriculum models and activity examples are based on observations and/or interviews conducted during the study. Wohlwend embraces the use of licensed popular media franchises, what she terms 'transmedia', in classroom play centres because, she argues, these toys can level the literacy play field by giving children 'access to their cultural expertise and time to play the stories they know best' (p. 2). In addition, this inclusion signals to children that their home interests are valued by their teachers and classrooms. Wohlwend argues for literacy 'playshops' as an expansion of reading and writing workshops in an effort for teachers to begin thinking beyond 'print intensive literacy skills tasks' (p. 3) to 'play enriched new literacies curricula' (p. 3). Through careful 'kidwatching' teachers can choose to have a 'writing workshop and literacy playshop' (p. 9, emphasis in original) rather than one or the other. The book is separated into six parts: a preface, four chapters and a section outlining each component of a Literacy Playshop. In choosing to focus on play and filmmaking as 'collaborative literacies', Wohlwend provides examples of how children built on their literacy skills during play while also engaging with

Constructing (ad)ventures in Collaborative Composing: Examining a Case of (un)sanctioned Play in the Elementary Literacies Classroom

“…While the boys in Wohlwend's (2013) study initiated play under the radar of their teacher, the “Zombie Boys” engaged in playful composing in alignment with an assigned task. The boys' play coexisted within the curricular constraints of the literacy playshop (see Wohlwend, 2015). With an emphasis on storytelling, the structure of the literacy playshop facilitated opportunities for children to “intentionally manipulate other modes (e.g., gaze, posture, gesture, speech)” as they applied them to a collaborative storytelling project (Wessel‐Powell et al, 2018, p. 314).…”

Use of Children’s Popular Culture in Literacy Curricula: An Analysis of the Papers by Parry (2002) and Dickie and Shuker (2014) through the Lenses of “No Research Can Be Value-Laden”

“…Therefore, this engagement with their popular culture is extremely motivating and this motivation drives them to be more participative and creative in their classes. In this respect, as Teichert (2015) stated in her book review, listening to children's voices and valuing their out-of school interests can motivate them in the learning process and extends their critical thinking.…”

Students’ Approaches toward the Visual Arts Course Using Elements of Popular Culture

“…Animated series such as Pokemon which might have no significance to an adult viewer may have significance in multiple ways to children who have admiration for them. In this direction, as indicated in the book review by Teichert (2015), listening to children's voices and valuing their out-of-school interests may motivate them in the learning process and enhance their critical thinking. Thomas (2004, p. 593) referred to the importance of popular culture through the following statement addressed to instructors: "It seems that, for us as instructors, it is an irresponsible act to neglect popular culture and retain the conventional nature of our educational system as far as possible.…”