Storytelling and Writing in Kindergarten STEAM Curriculum

pi_name

Christine Lee

pi_department

Education

other_key_personnel

Kelly Peters
Eric Varela
Arlen Vidal-Castro
Megan Franke

abstract

This research is a collaborative project led by EC2 demonstration teachers Kelly Peters, Eric Varela, and Arlen Vidal-Castro and UCLA SEIS researchers Dr. Megan Franke and Dr. Christine Lee. This year, the EC2 teachers plan to implement wordless picture books throughout the 2023-2024 academic year to support Kindergarten students in developing literacy, language, and storytelling skills. Our study aims to document this practice by collecting students' oral and written stories.

project_summary

This academic year, Kindergarten demonstration teachers Kelly Peters, Eric Varela, and Arlen Vidal-Castro are collaborating with researchers Megan Franke and Christine Lee in investigating how wordless books can support students' learning and development of complex and rich storytelling and writing skills. Wordless picture books are books with little to no text. The three demonstration teachers have planned to introduce and include literacy activities that engage students in reading and playing with stories by using wordless books as a tool for engaging in oral storytelling. Our research aims to document the literacy curriculum on wordless books and explore how wordless books can support students’ skills and identities as dynamic storytellers. The research will include: video recordings of classroom activities on storytelling, oral stories, and oral narrations; and photographs of students’ written stories.

goals

Wordless picture books have rich and detailed illustrations that students can use to interpret meaning from illustrations, notice and articulate details, and learn how to use and read books. While wordless books are not a new form of children’s literature, how wordless books are used in instructional practices and curriculum are not well documented, researched, or understood. Our research aims to address this gap in the literature by exploring how wordless books can contribute to students’ skills and identities as developing readers and storytellers.

benefits_of_research

This research will inform how we can support complex and rich storytelling and literacy skills through our Kindergarten literacy curriculum.

dissemination/publications

As a teacher-led research study, Dr. Megan Franke and Dr. Christine Lee will support teachers in disseminating findings in conferences and research papers. The team will also write a research brief or blog through CONNECT research.

numer_of_subjects

75

selection_criteria

The selection criteria will be students in the EC2 (Kindergarten) classrooms of demonstration teachers Kelly Peters, Eric Varela, and Arlen Vidal-Castro (rooms 13, 14, and 15).

methods

Our research aims to document the literacy curriculum on wordless books and explore how wordless books can support students’ literacy skills and identities as dynamic storytellers. The data sources for this study will come from classroom activities and practices that Kindergarten teachers have planned as part of their literacy curriculum: video recordings of classroom activities on storytelling; and photographs of students’ written stories. These data sources will capture interactions and student work in ways that showcase students' developing literacy skills and identities as storytellers.

instruments

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instruments_other

Photographs of students' written stories.

instrument_explanations

The video data of classroom activities will capture classroom interactions on oral storytelling. We will collect video data during key timepoints in the literacy curriculum as identified by the teachers. We anticipate collecting video data 2-3 times to capture the development of students' oral storytelling over the academic year. At the end of the school year, we will take photographs of students' written stories to provide evidence of how the complex and rich oral storytelling and language skills can develop in writing.

justification_of_methods

As the goal of this study is to examine curriculum, our data sources are embedded in practice. Therefore, our video data and photographs of students' work will come from the Kindergarten teachers' curriculum.

separate_informed_consent

No

risk_minimization

None

deception_debriefing

None

confidentiality_data_storage

All data will be stored on UCLA BOX and backed up on an external hard drive that is password protected and only available to the research team.

relationship_prior_contact

This is a a project initiated by a team of researchers that consist of both UCLA researchers and Lab School demonstration teachers.

teachers_staff_consent

None.

ucla_lab_school_personnel_involved

This is a a project initiated by a team of researchers that consist of both UCLA researchers and Lab School demonstration teachers.

academic_topic

Kindergarten Literacy and Language Development.

information_from_ucla_lab_school_database

none

special_requirements_at_ucla_lab_school

none

estimated_start_date

20240205

estimated_end_date

20240614

irb

#23-007833

attachments

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