Learning opportunities

The production and practice of kindergarten literacy curricula in an era of change

Bibliographic Data

ID5820941
AuthorsRachel Heydon (0000-0002-5902-7342, corresponding author)
Year2012
Volume45
Issue4
Pages481-510
Publication date2012-09-24
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Curriculum Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-0272 • E-ISSN: 1366-5839
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00220272.2012.704946
OpenAlexW2005062695
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited29

This case study using ethnographic tools was designed to identify and gain analytic insight into the dimensions and dynamics of kindergarten literacy curricula during an era of early childhood education and care reform. Focal questions concerned how literacy curricula were produced and the ways in which children and their linguistic and multi-modal funds of knowledge may have been implicated in curricular production and practice. Focusing on one public school kindergarten in Ontario, Canada, and drawing on curriculum theory, actor-network theory, and multi-literacies, the study found curricula to be plural and dynamic and produced through networks that included the provincial government, school district, commerce, teachers, children, and discourses of early childhood education. Findings suggested that children's funds of knowledge were not part of the official curriculum, yet children translated the curricular effects of other actors in the network or created alternate assemblages to enact literacy practices that more reflected their interests and knowledge. The study contributes to the dialogue on literacy curricula in early childhood education and care and hopes to provide information that can help policy-makers and educators (re)consider how networks might promote expansive literacy learning opportunities for children. Keywords: early-years curriculumearly childhood educationearly literacyfunds of knowledge. Notes 1. These last two questions are similar to those posed by Latour (2005 Latour, B. 2005. Reassembling the social: An introduction to actor-network theory, Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. [Google Scholar]) about power and networks in general. 2. All names have been changed. 3. The study was not privy to which participants' costs might have been subsidized. 4. Mary was a study participant. I observed and audio-taped planning sessions between her and Judy. 5. These are novels by Beverly Cleary which have been labelled according to the publisher's level. Judy had been taught by the district to ascertain which publisher's level children should read by administering the DRA and then correlating that score with the publisher's level

Critical literacy · Innovative Education and Learning Practices · Literacy, Media, and Education · Multilingual Education and Policy

Tools

Open DOISci-Hub