Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Use of Writing with Symbols 2000 Software to Facilitate Emergent Literacy Development

  • Published:
Early Childhood Education Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper outlines the use of the Writing with Symbols 2000 software to facilitate emergent literacy development. The program’s use of pictures incorporated with text has great potential to help young children with and without disabilities acquire fundamental literacy concepts about print, phonemic awareness, alphabetic principle, vocabulary development, and comprehension. The flexibility and features of the software allow early childhood professionals to create a variety of early literacy tools for the classroom, including worksheets, storybooks, and interactive activities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbot, C., & Lucey, H. (2005). Symbol communication in special schools in England: The current position and some key issues. British Journal of Special Education, 32, 196–201. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8578.2005.00397.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abbott, M., Walton, C., & Greenwood, C. R. (2002). Phonemic awareness in kindergarten and first grade. Teaching Exceptional Children, 34(4), 20–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, R. S., Grant, M. M., & Speck, B. W. (2008). Technology to teach literacy. A resource for K-8 teachers (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowes, K. A., & Wepner, S. B. (2004). Issues in technology. Using assistive technology for literacy development. Reading and Writing Quarterly, 20, 219–223. doi:10.1080/10573560490272694.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, P. H., Milbourne, S., Dugan, L. M., & Wilcox, M. J. (2006). A review of evidence on practices for teaching young children to use assistive technology. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 26(1), 3–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crick Software. (2007). About Clicker 5. Retrieved February 10, 2008, from http://www.cricksoft.com/uk/products/clicker/.

  • Dugan, L., Milbourne, S., Campbell, P. H., & Wilcox, M. (2004). Evidence based practice in assistive technology. TNT Reports, 1(5), 1–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edyburn, D. L., & Smith, R. O. (2004). Creating an assistive technology outcomes measurement system: Validating the components. Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits, 1, 8–15. Retrieved February 23, 2008, from http://www.atia.org/atob/ATOBWeb/ATOBV1N1/index.htm

  • Fossett, B., & Mirenda, P. (2006). Sight word reading in children with developmental disabilities: A comparison of paired associate and picture-to-text matching instruction. Research in Developmental Disabilities: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 27, 411–429.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gately, S. E. (2004). Developing concept of word. Teaching Exceptional Children, 36(6), 16–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill, L. (1995). An exploratory study to investigate different methods for teaching sight vocabulary to people with learning disabilities of differing aetiologies. Down Syndrome Research and Practice, 3(1), 23–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hutinger, P., Bell, C., Dayter, G., & Johanson, J. (2005). Disseminating and replicating an effective emerging literacy technology curriculum: A final report. Retrieved March 3, 2008, from http://www.wiu.edu/thecenter/finalreports/ELiTeCFinalRpt2.pdf

  • Jewitt, C. (2008). Multimodality and literacy in school classrooms. Review of Research in Education, 32, 241–267. doi:10.3102/0091732X07310586.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Judge, S. (2006). Constructing an assistive technology toolkit for young children: Views from the field. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 21(4), 17–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Justice, L. M., & Kaderavek, J. (2002). Using shared storybook reading to promote emergent literacy. Teaching Exceptional Children, 34(4), 8–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Justice, L. M., & Pullen, P. C. (2003). Promising interventions for promoting emergent literacy skills: Three evidence-based approaches. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 23, 99–113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karchmer, R. A., Mallette, M. H., & Leu, D. J. (2003). Early literacy in a digital age. Moving from a singular book literacy to the multiple literacies of networked information and communication technologies. In D. M. Barone & L. M. Morrow (Eds.), Literacy and young children. Research-based practices (pp. 175–194). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurzweil, R. (2008, February). Acceleration of technology in the 21st century: The impact on business, the economy, and society. Presentation to the Illinois State University Sesquicentennial Guest Lecture Series, Normal, IL. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from http://www.ilstu.edu/home/anniversary/kurzweil.shtml

  • Mayer-Johnson. (2003). Boardmaker™ with speaking dynamically™ Pro [computer software]. Solana Beach, CA: Mayer-Johnson.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGee, L. M., & Richgels, D. J. (2008). Literacy’s beginnings: Supporting young readers and writers (5th ed.). Boston: Pearson Allyn and Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meadan, H., Stoner, J. B., & Parette, H. P. Sight word recognition among young children at-risk: Picture-supported vs. word-only. Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits. in press.

  • Mistrett, S. G., Lane, S. J., & Ruffino, A. G. (2005). Growing and learning through technology: Birth to five. In D. Edyburn, K. Higgins, & R. Boone (Eds.), Handbook of special education technology research and practice (pp. 273–308). Whitefish Bay, WI: Knowledge by Design National Reading Panel. (2000). Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. Retrieved October 8, 2007, from http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/nrp/upload/smallbook_pdf.pdf

  • NICHD Early Child Care Research Network. (2005). Pathways to reading: The role of oral language in the transition to reading. Developmental Psychology, 41, 428–442. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.41.2.428.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Otto, B. (2008). Literacy development in early childhood: Reflective teaching for birth to age eight. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parette, H. P., & Stoner, J. B. (2008). Benefits of assistive technology user groups for early childhood education professionals. Early Childhood Education Journal, 35, 313–319. doi:10.1007/s10643-007-0211-6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parette, H. P., Peterson-Karlan, G. R., & Wojcik, B. W. (2005). The state of assistive technology services nationally and implications for future development. Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits, 2(1), 13–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rust, K. L., & Smith, R. O. (2006). Perspectives of outcome data from assistive technology developers. Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits, 3:34–52. Retrieved March 3, 2008, from http://www.atia.org/files/public/atobv3n1articleTHREE.pdf

  • SEAT Center, National Center for Technology Innovation, and University of Kansas. (2005). Assistive technology & educational Progress…Charting a new direction. Executive summary. Retrieved February 17, 2006, from http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/default.asp

  • Sheehy, K. (2002). The effective use of symbols in teaching word recognition to children with severe learning difficulties: A comparison of word alone, integrated picture cueing and the handle technique. Journal of Disability Development in Education, 49(1), 47–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Siraj-Blatchford, J. (Ed.). (2004). Developing new technologies for young children. London: Trentham Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siraj-Blatchford, J., & Whitebread, D. (2003). Supporting ICT in the early years. Buckingham, England: Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stahl, S. A., & Yaden, D. B, Jr. (2004). The development of literacy in preschool and primary grades: Work by the Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement. Elementary School Journal, 105, 141–165. doi:10.1086/428862.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stoner, J. B., Meadan, H., & Parette, H. P. (2008). Effects of a word/picture processing program on the oral composition of children at-risk. Unpublished manuscript.

  • Vukelich, C. (2004). In search of highly qualified early childhood classroom literacy teachers. Reading Teacher, 58(1), 96–100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Widget Software Ltd (n.d.). Writing with symbols 2000. Retrieved March 3, 2008, from http://www.widgit.com/products/wws2000/index.htm

Download references

Acknowledgement

This article is supported through a grant from the Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation to the Special Education Assistive Technology (SEAT) Center at Illinois State University.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Howard P. Parette.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Parette, H.P., Boeckmann, N.M. & Hourcade, J.J. Use of Writing with Symbols 2000 Software to Facilitate Emergent Literacy Development. Early Childhood Educ J 36, 161–170 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-008-0270-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-008-0270-3

Keywords

Navigation