By Eliane Leao
Yes, babies can write as well as they can read!
In this article we will discuss writing and the baby. The baby has to discover that s/he not only draws objects, but also that s/he can draw what s/he speaks! Furthermore, language and the representation of objects and action in writing can be taught -- and not just in the writing and/or combination of letters.
It is observed that, in general, the baby starts to draw and/or is stimulated when spoken language is already in progress and is already habitual for him/her. However, nowadays, speech seems predominant in the current early childhood dealings, modeling, as such, great part of one’s inner life, submitting it to its laws. However, if we observe the way in which the baby draws, we learn there are further possibilities. The baby may know what composes a doll and draw it. Initially, s/he draws from memory and does not need to look at a model doll to draw. Therefore, the baby does not draw what s/he sees; instead, s/he draws what s/he knows. But if you lead him/her into knowing other shapes, s/he adds more elements to his/her observation and really starts to draw what s/he knows aided by the shapes s/he already masters.
The baby may start to look at models to improve what s/he draws. S/he does this before totally mastering speech, which demonstrates that s/he can free him/herself from the imposition of speech to demonstrate s/he has an inner world. S/he observes and knows, before s/he speaks.
How to discover these elements?
At just 12 months we can show the baby samples of shapes, i.e., circles, rectangles, and squares, among others. We show samples utilizing hand movements, following the shape the pictures have, using a finger (or a crayon), and we have the baby imitate the movement and the sample and s/he will discover s/he can look and make what is shown, also reproducing the movement which will lead to construction of the shape.
Another way to develop observation is to teach the drawing of body parts. It begins with the learning of the parts of the body, pointing each one out when asked. If the baby knows which is which, s/he perceives a part is missing when s/he draws a body. S/he looks at what s/he drew and perceives the imbalance, acting very provoked, looking to add to the drawing what is missing. The baby has a vision of the whole for s/he knows the whole. The drawing reflects what the baby knows.
If drawing, as it’s defined today, is a graphic language which appears having verbal language as its basis, the baby has to draw what s/he knows how to express. And we see that even without speaking much s/he already draws what s/he knows, changing our concept of what is his/her drawing. Therefore, the drawing may be stimulated well before speech.
There is an agreement amongst psychologists that the baby discovers the strokes made on paper may mean something. It is as if s/he made magic. The baby feels s/he can represent on paper that which s/he knows and perpetuates the sensation of seeing the object. S/he loves that! We think that s/he knows s/he is representing because s/he says s/he will make a frog, a baby crying, or any other thing, and tries to produce what s/he thinks s/he’s producing. S/he sees the drawing fulfilled as an object and not as a symbol of the object represented on paper.
Based on what’s been said until now, every time the baby writes a phrase it is best that we ask him/her to draw the equivalent, or vice-versa. This practice helps him/her to perceive the content of both actions. When we do this, we are educating for reflection and learning, and we help in the development of his/her capability for abstraction.
At another phase, when s/he has an extensive vocabulary, the baby discovers s/he can draw beyond the things of which s/he speaks. Therefore, the problem with writing is already overcome as a starting point. In other words, s/he will not have problems with writing; s/he will love the game of writing what s/he speaks.
A Pedagogical Viewpoint
From a pedagogical viewpoint, this transition should be provided by the dislocation of the baby’s activity of drawing things to drawing speech. It is possible to observe how this dislocation occurs when we are teaching the babies to draw what they know to later draw what they speak. It’s important to take into account that they draw what they know before drawing what they speak, because speech occurs later.
Up until recently, the teaching of writing came too late. At the same time, we know that it is not just the teaching of writing that came too late; that of reading too. Truth is, great part of children is already reading at four years of age, and the parents perceive this; the teachers, however, do not. At any rate, the teaching must be organized so that reading and writing become necessary to babies, for they add to what they learn every day, to what they know. It is not in any way an abstract activity, neither painstaking nor difficult.
Writing is not just a motor ability that is taught to the baby at a predetermined moment. It is a complex cultural activity! It must be taught naturally; it must be cultivated, not imposed. It must be a pleasure, a result of play as is the activity of drawing. Writing is the drawing of the meaning of what is spoken in the mother tongue.
In the same way and at the same time the babies learn to listen and speak, they learn to read and write. To read and to write while playing. It is a revolution, a paradigm shift.
The environment should provide, should be favorable to the baby so that the necessity to read and write may happen in daily play. It is necessary to play reading and writing with the baby for we are the intermediates between the baby and the world. It is up to us to make them happy!
Dr. Eliane Leao is a native of Brazil, South America. She has a background in Education from Purdue University (Masters) and a PhD in the Department of Educational Psychology from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP)/Purdue University (Ph.D.). Dr. Leao has also three Bachelor’s degrees, one in Piano, another in Musical Education, and a third in Voice. Dr. Leao is currently a professor of Music Education and Music Therapy conducting research on the influence of Music in Early Childhood Learning.
Her ‘babies’ have grown to become productive members of their communities. Dr. Leao hopes that the trials and successes of her family may inspire and convince other parents to stimulate their children during early childhood so that they may enjoy a rich, stimulating, integrated, and happy life always.
Yes, babies can write as well as they can read!
In this article we will discuss writing and the baby. The baby has to discover that s/he not only draws objects, but also that s/he can draw what s/he speaks! Furthermore, language and the representation of objects and action in writing can be taught -- and not just in the writing and/or combination of letters.
It is observed that, in general, the baby starts to draw and/or is stimulated when spoken language is already in progress and is already habitual for him/her. However, nowadays, speech seems predominant in the current early childhood dealings, modeling, as such, great part of one’s inner life, submitting it to its laws. However, if we observe the way in which the baby draws, we learn there are further possibilities. The baby may know what composes a doll and draw it. Initially, s/he draws from memory and does not need to look at a model doll to draw. Therefore, the baby does not draw what s/he sees; instead, s/he draws what s/he knows. But if you lead him/her into knowing other shapes, s/he adds more elements to his/her observation and really starts to draw what s/he knows aided by the shapes s/he already masters.
The baby may start to look at models to improve what s/he draws. S/he does this before totally mastering speech, which demonstrates that s/he can free him/herself from the imposition of speech to demonstrate s/he has an inner world. S/he observes and knows, before s/he speaks.
How to discover these elements?
At just 12 months we can show the baby samples of shapes, i.e., circles, rectangles, and squares, among others. We show samples utilizing hand movements, following the shape the pictures have, using a finger (or a crayon), and we have the baby imitate the movement and the sample and s/he will discover s/he can look and make what is shown, also reproducing the movement which will lead to construction of the shape.
Another way to develop observation is to teach the drawing of body parts. It begins with the learning of the parts of the body, pointing each one out when asked. If the baby knows which is which, s/he perceives a part is missing when s/he draws a body. S/he looks at what s/he drew and perceives the imbalance, acting very provoked, looking to add to the drawing what is missing. The baby has a vision of the whole for s/he knows the whole. The drawing reflects what the baby knows.
If drawing, as it’s defined today, is a graphic language which appears having verbal language as its basis, the baby has to draw what s/he knows how to express. And we see that even without speaking much s/he already draws what s/he knows, changing our concept of what is his/her drawing. Therefore, the drawing may be stimulated well before speech.
There is an agreement amongst psychologists that the baby discovers the strokes made on paper may mean something. It is as if s/he made magic. The baby feels s/he can represent on paper that which s/he knows and perpetuates the sensation of seeing the object. S/he loves that! We think that s/he knows s/he is representing because s/he says s/he will make a frog, a baby crying, or any other thing, and tries to produce what s/he thinks s/he’s producing. S/he sees the drawing fulfilled as an object and not as a symbol of the object represented on paper.
Based on what’s been said until now, every time the baby writes a phrase it is best that we ask him/her to draw the equivalent, or vice-versa. This practice helps him/her to perceive the content of both actions. When we do this, we are educating for reflection and learning, and we help in the development of his/her capability for abstraction.
At another phase, when s/he has an extensive vocabulary, the baby discovers s/he can draw beyond the things of which s/he speaks. Therefore, the problem with writing is already overcome as a starting point. In other words, s/he will not have problems with writing; s/he will love the game of writing what s/he speaks.
A Pedagogical Viewpoint
From a pedagogical viewpoint, this transition should be provided by the dislocation of the baby’s activity of drawing things to drawing speech. It is possible to observe how this dislocation occurs when we are teaching the babies to draw what they know to later draw what they speak. It’s important to take into account that they draw what they know before drawing what they speak, because speech occurs later.
Up until recently, the teaching of writing came too late. At the same time, we know that it is not just the teaching of writing that came too late; that of reading too. Truth is, great part of children is already reading at four years of age, and the parents perceive this; the teachers, however, do not. At any rate, the teaching must be organized so that reading and writing become necessary to babies, for they add to what they learn every day, to what they know. It is not in any way an abstract activity, neither painstaking nor difficult.
Writing is not just a motor ability that is taught to the baby at a predetermined moment. It is a complex cultural activity! It must be taught naturally; it must be cultivated, not imposed. It must be a pleasure, a result of play as is the activity of drawing. Writing is the drawing of the meaning of what is spoken in the mother tongue.
In the same way and at the same time the babies learn to listen and speak, they learn to read and write. To read and to write while playing. It is a revolution, a paradigm shift.
The environment should provide, should be favorable to the baby so that the necessity to read and write may happen in daily play. It is necessary to play reading and writing with the baby for we are the intermediates between the baby and the world. It is up to us to make them happy!
Dr. Eliane Leao is a native of Brazil, South America. She has a background in Education from Purdue University (Masters) and a PhD in the Department of Educational Psychology from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP)/Purdue University (Ph.D.). Dr. Leao has also three Bachelor’s degrees, one in Piano, another in Musical Education, and a third in Voice. Dr. Leao is currently a professor of Music Education and Music Therapy conducting research on the influence of Music in Early Childhood Learning.
Her ‘babies’ have grown to become productive members of their communities. Dr. Leao hopes that the trials and successes of her family may inspire and convince other parents to stimulate their children during early childhood so that they may enjoy a rich, stimulating, integrated, and happy life always.
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