Teachers can use a digital camera with a computer and printer to create relevant materials, assess children’s literacy development, plan appropriate instruction, and build literacy connections between home and school. Digital cameras can be used to capture and re-visit first-hand experiences such as class projects, special activities, field trips, family outings, and cultural events in the community (Entz & Galarza, 2000; Labbo, Eakle, & Montero, 2002). Books created with digital images can be used to focus on specific literacy skills such as sequencing, phonemic awareness, vocabulary development, sentence structure, and reading. Other digitally created materials might include photo cards, thematic dictionaries, classroom language experience stories, concept books, drama activities, student-made books, class-made big books, games, newsletters, and take-home literacy activities. Instructional materials can also be distributed electronically to families at home via the school website or take-home CDs or DVDs (Lilly & Lilly, 2005).
Recently literacy and technology have received much attention in education. Teachers are expected to provide effective literacy instruction and to use innovative technologies across the curriculum. Digital photography can provide teachers with new and exciting ways to engage children in reading and writing and to incorporate technology into the curriculum (Starr, 2002). The purpose of this website is to demonstrate how teachers and families can use digital photography as a tool to support literacy at home and at school.
References
Entz, S., & Galarza, S. (2000). Picture this: Digital and instant photography activities for early childhood learning. Corwin Press, Inc: Thousand Oaks, CA.
Labbo, L.D., Eakle, A.J., & Montero, M.K. (2002, May). Digital Language Experience Approach: Using digital photographs and software as Language Experience Approach innovation.Reading Online, 5(8). Available: http://www.readingonline.org/electronic/elec_index.asp?HREF=labbo2/index.html
Lilly, D., & Lilly, J. (2005). Using digital photography to zoom in on literacy. Focus (Georgia Reading Association Newsletter), 1(6), 3-4.
Starr, L. (2002). Technology integration made easy. Education World. Available: http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech146.shtml