Abstract:
How do children find their place as readers and writers in their classrooms? A place where they can give voice to their ideas and bring to the fore their resources that they continue to accumulate across their home, school and community settings? These questions form the focus of this paper, as it explores observational and interview data of children's literacy experiences and teachers' classroom practices in the early school years. This exploration is framed by a Social Model of Reading and Writing (Harris, McKenzie, Fitzsimmons & Turbill, 2001 & 2003) that takes stock of practices involved in literacy and the contexts in which literacy is used. Classroom examples are included to highlight key issues, exemplary practices, and further implications for classroom teachers in building on children's diverse experiences.