TEACHING A TODDLER TO READ USING FLASHCARDS ELIZABETH BREWER ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY TWC/421 – SPRING 2010 I Can Read!

Project Background Description  The goal of the “I Can Read” project was to learn a software program of my choosing.  I chose Adobe InDesign, a desktop publishing program.  I used online tutorials through Lynda.com to learn the program. Output  I created a series of flashcards using InDesign to help teach my daughter to read. Assistance  Professor Michael Moore and fellow TWC/421 classmates assisted in project development throughout the semester.

Project Goals To learn the basic features and functions of Adobe InDesign, including:  Creating new documents  Setting guidelines  Adding text and images  Creating color palettes  Formatting text  Typing on a path  Exporting to PDF

Project Goals To learn key information about early childhood psychology and development  What colors are young children attracted to?colors  What fonts are easiest for new readers to read?fonts  What size should the flashcards be?size  What types of images should be included?images To create a series of flashcards that can be used to help teach a toddler to read

Project Progression The project progressed in a series of steps and phases:  Research Research  Audience Analysis Audience Analysis  Software Tutorials Software Tutorials  Creation of Flashcards Creation of Flashcards  Review and Revision Review and Revision

Research What colors are young children attracted to?  At 1-4 months, children are unable to distinguish between similar shades; high-contrast colors are best.  At five months, children are able to easily distinguish between similar bold colors.  By eight months, a child’s eyesight is near that of an adults and they are able to distinguish pastels.  Children are still attracted to bold colors until age four. Result: I chose to use bold, bright colors for the flashcards. Sources:

Research What fonts are easiest for new readers to read?  In general, no particular font is better than any other font.  However, many publications aimed at lower-level readers have certain things in common:  Sans-serif font for large headlines  Fonts with strong ascenders and descenders, e.g. t, h, f, g, p, q  Fonts with clearly identifiable letter shapes, e.g. a vs. a  Spare use of “ fancy ” fonts Result: I chose Century Gothic as the only font I would use. Sources:

Research What size should the flashcards be?  I was unable to find a lot of information about this topic.  For my own uses, I prefer “pocket-sized” cards that could be used away from home easily.  I received feedback from a sample audience, that larger-sized cards would be more beneficial. Result: The cards I designed can be scaled up or down and printed at a range of sizes.

Research What types of images should be included?  Baby Einstein, an award-winning baby product company, incorporates a blend of illustration and real-world images.  When using images/illustration it is important to consider copyright law. Result: I chose to use both images and illustrations taken from stock photo sites and Wikimedia Commons. Sources:

Audience Analysis One of the first steps in any technical communication project is to analyze the audience. AudienceAgeReading LevelNeedsConcerns Primary: Zoë 1 yearZeroBright, exciting things to look at and inspect Few Secondary: Zoë’s parents Older than 1 year AdvancedSimple, easy to use, easy to read Usability, readability

Software Tutorials The tutorials for Adobe InDesign CS4 on Lynda.com are taught by David Blatner, a veteran InDesign user and teacher.  The tutorials are video-based and are accompanied by sets of exercise files. The first set of tutorials, InDesign CS4 Essential Training, contained all topics in my list of goals.goals Using this tutorial set alone, I was able to create my flashcards.

Software Tutorials I have mixed feelings on using the software tutorials on Lynda.com.  The tutorials are informative, well-organized, and easy to relate to actual projects.  The instructor, David Blatner, is proficient and able to teach concepts well.  However, my learning style is not suited for tutorials.  I found it was easier to experiment on my own.  If I came to a problem, I used the tutorials for reference.

Creation of Flashcards After learning the basics of InDesign, I began creating two sets of flashcards. AnimalsAlphabet

Review and Revision After creating the first set of flashcards, classmates reviewed and provided feedback. I continued to revise the flashcards with review of each new version. Additionally, I conducted a readability/usability survey of a sample audience of parents and children to gain more insight. I improved upon each version of the flashcards based on the feedback received.

Review and Revision Iteration 2 AnimalsAlphabet Changed colors and position of words to enhance readability. Added images to create more visual interest.

Review and Revision Iteration 3 AnimalsAlphabet Changed image to something more recognizable to children. Added stroke around letters to further enhance readability.

Review and Revision Final Result AnimalsAlphabet No further changes. Added colored border and changed letter color to match to increase visual interest.

Conclusion I am happy with the success of the project.  I feel comfortable using InDesign; I even used it to create a brochure for another course and had no problems.  I am thrilled with the beautiful flashcards I was able to create.  I am confident that the flashcards will help my daughter learn to read.  I feel that I will also be able to apply the knowledge I gained about InDesign and a project lifecycle to my future courses and to my job.

Looking Forward If I had more time…  I would continue to learn more advanced skills through InDesign.  I would like to create a children’s book that could accompany the flashcards.  Perhaps one day I could go into business and market my product! Thanks to everyone for a great semester and your help in creating a successful project!