Bradley

Literacy Through Movement and Play

Bradley appears uninterested in literacy at first glance, preferring movement and numbers. However, he shows a strong connection to letters, sounds, and rhythm.

He explores the alphabet independently, engages with songs, and demonstrates recall through rhythm and intonation. Bradley is non-verbal and very reluctant to access any of our literacy or phonics activities. Bradley loves to be on the go, usually with trains as he creates his own obstacle courses and tunnels. He loves numbers – lining them up, playing with a calculator, saying numbers out loud.

On the surface it seems like Bradley has no interest in literacy. But look closer and there it is. Bradley loves the letters of the alphabet. If letters are out on a table he will drift over, pick up a letter, study it closer, then say the letter sound or name. He will do a little tour of the classroom with the letter then bring it back and choose another one and repeat the game.

He likes to take letter cards and line them up in a long line across the classroom floor. He loves to run around the classroom pretending to be a train when we listen to a song about a train. He plays with toy horses and takes them on adventures (obviously with some storyline going on in his head). He enjoys Bucket Time sessions when we explore literacy that way. He loves the Tonie Box and will listen to each story on his own or with a friend and understands how to make the Tonie Box work. For Bradley, literacy is all about play and adventure.