Engaging Boys with Literacy Some ideas from EYPs that really work Early Years Practitioners in 54 settings around Highland tried all kinds of different ideas to increase boys’ engagement with literacy activities. They measured the impact to be sure of what worked. Here is what they found worked really well, along with some examples in their own words: Bringing literacy into what the children were already doing Provided paper/notepads with Put pens on floor with paper to draw builders’ pictures on in construction while playing with cars and wild corner animals Books at construction area, trains, Provided literacy resources in all areas cars, etc of the nursery number books in – Added catalogues, magazines maths areas, nature books on natural containing pictures and texts to house table, cook books in home corner area Mini clipboards to home corner Adding tables and recipes and Added an old computer keyboard to notepads into the home corner our doctors’ role play area Adding books on vehicles to Added farm books, farm question construction area cards and tractor magazines to the Provided materials in 3 separate farm box tractors, dinosaurs and playdough – Giving a wide choice of materials, and changing these from time to time Drawing on smart board Outdoor story sacks Adding new materials and resources Envelopes, pads and diaries added to daily to the literacy table foam, writing table – glitter, gloop, etc Roll cars in paint to make patterns on Made a den in the story corner with big pieces of paper torches and props for a specific book Brightened up the library, made it Added coloured sand to tray more inviting and comfortable Children suggested moving the Sounds system including headphones bookcase (on wheels) to different introduced into library areas of the nursery Whiteboards and pens under table Added chubbie markers at paint easel Rolls of paper under table Added shape punchers Added magnetic boards to the writing Introduced a choice of paint table techniques cars/sticks –
Engaging Boys with Literacy Some ideas from EYPs that really work Early Years Practitioners in 54 settings around Highland tried all kinds of different ideas to increase boys’ engagement with literacy activities. They measured the impact to be sure of what worked. Here is what they found worked really well, along with some examples in their own words: Bringing literacy into what the children were already doing Provided paper/notepads with builders’ pictures on in construction corner Books at construction area, trains, cars, etc Added catalogues, magazines containing pictures and texts to house area Adding tables and recipes and notepads into the home corner Adding books on vehicles to construction area Provided materials in 3 separate – tractors, dinosaurs and playdough Put pens on floor with paper to draw while playing with cars and wild animals Provided literacy resources in all areas of the nursery – number books in maths areas, nature books on natural table, cook books in home corner Mini clipboards to home corner Added an old computer keyboard to our doctors’ role play area Added farm books, farm question cards and tractor magazines to the farm box Giving a wide choice of materials, and changing these from time to time Drawing on smart board Adding new materials and resources daily to the literacy table – foam, glitter, gloop, etc Made a den in the story corner with torches and props for a specific book Added coloured sand to tray Children suggested moving the bookcase (on wheels) to different areas of the nursery Added chubbie markers at paint easel Added shape punchers Introduced a choice of paint techniques – cars/sticks Outdoor story sacks Envelopes, pads and diaries added to writing table Roll cars in paint to make patterns on big pieces of paper Brightened up the library, made it more inviting and comfortable Sounds system including headphones introduced into library Whiteboards and pens under table Rolls of paper under table Added magnetic boards to the writing table
engaging-boys-with-literacy.docx