‘ Third spaces’ are interesting places; applying ‘third space theory’ to young children’s constructions of themselves as readers Rachael Levy University of Cambridge This work is funded by a studentship from the ESRC

Outline of study Focus on young children’s perceptions of themselves as readers Understand how children’s perceptions are influenced by reading in home and school settings Recognise shifting landscape of reading – eg. regular use of screen texts Particular emphasis on the place of print within multi-media texts

Becoming a reader in a digital age; children’s perceptions of themselves as readers as they enter the formal education system PhaseData Collection 1 Summer 2005 (Nursery and Reception) Children - Two-part interview (school) Small world play activity (school) Unstructured interview (home) Teachers –Interview Parents – Interview in home 2 Spring 2006 (N – Reception R – Year 1) Children – Interview (school) Computer assisted interview (school) Observation (school) Teachers – Interview (new teacher) 3 Summer 2006 Children – Interview (school) Unstructured interview (home) Parents - Interview in home

What is ‘third space’ theory? Third space theory (or hybridity theory) examines “how being “in between” (Bhabha, 1994, p.1) several different funds of knowledge and Discourse can be both productive and constraining in terms of one’s literate, social, and cultural practices – and ultimately ones identity development” (Moje et al, 2004, p42) First space Second space Third space

First space Second space Third space First space Second space Third space First spaceSecond space Third space Build bridges between knowledges and Discourses A navigational space, to cross and succeed in different discourse communities A space of cultural, social and epistemological change, where competing knowledges ‘converse’ and are challenged

The Nursery Children Third spaces in their constructions of reading ShaunLetters, words and digital literacies CaitlynBooks DavidPopular culture

Home Discourse Enjoys phonics Enjoys reading scheme books Fluent user of digital technology School Discourse Greater emphasis on decoding skills ‘Reading’, perceived as reading scheme books Computer texts available Third space Enjoys using phonics at home and at school Enjoys reading his scheme books at home and at school Able to transfer digital literacy skills between home and school contexts Shaun: Third space in between discourses of home and school

Home Discourse Expressive creator of narrative based on pictures in books. Enjoys books. Fluent user of computer technology School Discourse Sees ‘reading’ as decoding print – sees self as unable to decode ‘Reading’ is related to scheme books Rarely uses computer Third space Devalues own reading abilities Views ‘schooled reading’ as ‘hard work’ Digital literacy skills largely confined to home Caitlyn: Third space in between discourses of home and school

The Nursery Children Third spaces in their constructions of reading ShaunLetters, words and digital literacies CaitlynBooks DavidPopular culture

Implications The individuality of the children’s constructions of reading Building on children’s constructions Challenge the Rose Report – greater emphasis on synthetic phonics

Full Paper Levy (in press),’Third spaces are interesting places, applying ‘third space theory’ to nursery-aged children’s constructions of themselves as readers’, Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, (Forthcoming 2008)

Thank you Rachael Levy

Synthetic Phonics Synthetic phonics is often described as a "back to basics" system of teaching children to read. It is a sounds-based approach that first teaches children the sounds of letters and how they blend into words, before moving to letter combinations that make up words. Phonics was the dominant teaching system until the 1960s when more fashionable methods were developed, like teaching children to learn whole words "by rote" without mastering the alphabet.

Synthetic phonics cont. Jim Rose, a former Ofsted inspector, was recently asked by the education secretary to conduct a review into the way children in England are taught to read and write following the impressive results of a trial using synthetic phonics in Scotland. His research drew on evidence from practitioners, researchers, published reports and data, and submissions. An interim report, published in December, concluded that there should be a bigger and more systematic role for phonics in schools. His final recommendations - that synthetic phonics teaching should be enforced in the national curriculum – have now been published.