Importance of Picture books on vocabulary development of toddlers

Dr. BabasahebAmbedkar

Marathwada University, Aurangabad

Department of Fine Art

Dissertation on

Importance of Picture books on vocabulary development of toddlers

Submitted by

MAMTA VILAS CHORGHE

M.F.A. By Research (Applied Art)

Under the guidance of

Dr. Avadhut Atre

Declaration

I hereby declare that the dissertation entitled ‘Importance of picture books on vocabulary development of toddlers’completed and written by me has not previously formed the basis for the award of any Degree or Diploma or other similar title of this or any other University or examining body.

Place : Aurangabad

Date : / /

Signature of student :

………………………………

Head of the Department

Department of Fine art

Dr. BabasahebAmbedkar

Marathwada University

Research Guide :

………………………………

…………………………… ….

Dr. BabasahebAmbedkar

Marathwada University, Aurangabad

Department of Fine Art

**********CERTIFICATE**********

This is to certify that Miss. Mamta Vilas Chorghe studying in M.F.A. by research, in Applied Art, Part II, has complied her dissertation in the manner stipulated by Dr. BabasahebAmbedkarMarathwada University. The dissertation may be accepted for the M.F.A. in Applied Art Examination, Year 2016-2018.

Dr. Avadhut Atre Guide,

M.F.A. by research

…………………………

Dr. Shirish S. Ambekar

Head of the Department, Department of Fine art Dr. BabasahebAmbedkarMarathwada University

……………………………….

Examiner

1. ……………..……….………..… 2. ………….………..………………

Place : Aurangabad

Date : / /

Abstract

This research examines how Picture books can support the acquisition of language skills in the very young learner (toddlers). Using pictures and illustrations can benefit a child’s literacy skills and promote reading and encourage creativity. Throughout this dissertation I researched Picture books that contained high-quality illustrative narratives and a lot of introductory words that can be used successfully for enhancing the toddlers vocabulary. I examined some books on children and their mental processes, numerous websites promoting the use of Picture books and art to foster literacy skills as well as essential information from the veterans of this industry.

I have conclude this research with final insights on the benefits of Picture books in enhancing toddlers vocabulary for their future language learning. I also recommend incorporating Picture books into the educational syllabus as an effective tool to stimulate and promote young children’s creativity.

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my profound gratitude to the Department of Fine Arts of BabasahebAmbedkarMarathwada University to give me the opportunity to complete my M.F.A. by Research in Applied Art. A gratitude towards Dr. Shirish S. Ambekar, Head of the Department, Fine Art for his constant support through out the course.

A warm thank you to my supervisor and guide Dr. Avadhut Atre for his guidance and useful suggestions throughout this research and the course.

During the course and this dissertation many professors from BAMU gave their insights. I whole heartedly thank Dr. Subhash Pawar, Dr. Govind Pawar, Dr. Suhas Pathak, Dr. Gajanan Peherkar for their constant support. I thank the secretarial staff Mr. Sanjay Raut and supporters Mr. Kapil and Mr. Manish for their generous help.

I’m grateful to Mr. Ramesh K., Proprietor of ‘Zebra Crossing Inc.’for allowing me to pursue my further education in spite of demanding professional situations.

This research would not be possible without the support of Principle, ‘The VIVA Institute of Applied Art’, all my colleagues from VIVA as well as Zebra Crossing.

A warm gratitude to Dr. Anjali Gokarn and Mrs. Sheetal Koradkar for their valuable thoughts. I acknowledge my friend Hiten, Netra, Rushi, Ravi, Sandesh, Harsh and Pradeep.

I won’t be able to thank my family in words. It is only because of their unconditional support and love that I’m able to complete my Masters. Still a special thanks to my husband, Sanket; both of my parents and in-laws; my brother, sister and my best friend Kshitija for her constant partnership in this venture.

At last but not the list a “gigantic" thank to my son, Shivam for being patient with me inspite of being a toddler. And being the key reason for this research.

Content

1. Introduction........................................................................................................ 1 1. 1. Introduction ................................................................................................... 1 1. 2. Purpose of the study....................................................................................... 2 1. 3. Objective and Aim......................................................................................... 3 1. 4. Identifying the Gap for research..................................................................... 3

2. Literature Review.................................................................................................. 4 2. 1. Introduction ................................................................................................... 4 2. 2. Study of the Picture books............................................................................. 5 2. 3. Exploration of vocabulary.............................................................................. 8 2. 4. Discovering stages of Toddler’s development .............................................. 10

3. Research Methodology ........................................................................................ 13 3. 1. Introduction of Type and Method................................................................. 13 3. 2. Tool of Research.......................................................................................... 13

4. The Picture Books............................................................................................... 29 4. 1. What is a picture book?................................................................................ 29 4. 2. The history of picture books......................................................................... 30 4. 3. Advantages of Picture Book........................................................................ 32

5. Toddler’s vocabulary and development................................................................ 35 5. 1. Decoding toddlers........................................................................................ 35 5. 2. Beginning early an advantage ...................................................................... 37 5. 3. Understanding of words............................................................................... 38 5. 4. Learn to read and read to learn..................................................................... 39

6. Role of Parents and Teachers............................................................................... 42 6. 1. Role of Parents ............................................................................................ 42 6. 2. Role of Teachers.......................................................................................... 44

7. Scope of Improvement......................................................................................... 47 7. 1. Improvement in engagement techniques (Interactive books) ........................ 47 7. 2. Bilingual books............................................................................................ 48

8. Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 50 9. Table of Figures .................................................................................................. 51 10. Bibliography...................................................................................................... 52

1. Introduction

1. 1. Introduction

A child is sensitive to pictures even before he or she learns to speak. A baby easily distinguishes between it’s mother face and other familiar faces on one side and strangers on the other side. Faces the child notice can all be associate as living and moving pictures. In the same way, a child can recognise his favourite toy, different shapes and bright colours.

Child’s recognition of this sensitivity to visual inspiration led to the publications towards pictorial material such as picture books, flash cards, wall charts with pictures on it, mostly with paper, hard board or sometimes plastic material. As the likings towards these pictorial contains grew up, the publication houses showed their interest in publishing picture books. These picture books combines visual and verbal narratives in a book format, most often aimed at young children. For children between age 1 to 3 years (toddler) the pictorial code is more direct in context of communication than the verbal code. Toddlers who can not read can look at these picture books and tell the story in their own words. This helps in developing their imaginations. Even when words are used in picture books for toddlers and beginning readers, these children understand the language and the message better when there are relevant pictures.

“Picture books are the first window a child looks through to see the world beyond its tiny world of family”great words by Doug Cushman. The communicative aspects of

picture book plays a significant role in children’s development. Children have different ways of expressing themselves. With the help of picture book children can learn everything from education to emotions and all aspects of real world.

Children learn through exploration of the surroundings, interaction & communication with adults. Storytelling is a basic element to human communication. We tell stories to preserve a moment, capture interest or teach morality. To develop children’s communication skills and potential for expression they need stories. Illustrated

storybooks or Picture books provide an ideal resource for helping children learn. This is because children love listening to stories. Picture books present language in familiar and memorable contexts and pictures help children interpret the sounds they hear & visuals they see.

A child depends on learning from pictures rather than reading from book because they use the colourful things to remember. Picture books help them visualise what they are reading and make sense of the content. Cartoon in books can have even more meaning that the words themselves. The pictures in the books emphasis the importance of words. Since toddlers (children in early years) have little vocabulary, picture is a very useful tool to enhance their communication skills through enhancing their vocabulary.

Off recently, my interest in picture books got developed because of my son. Based on my personal experiences with him, I decided to explore picture books for toddlers. Now why picture books and not any other media such as TV, mobile apps or tablet apps? For children younger than 2 years of age, the AAP (American Academy of Paediatrics)1 recommends that it’s best if toddlers not watch any screen media.

1. 2. Purpose of the study

I never realised the importance of picture books until I became a mother. As a child I have been read stories by my parents and I guess that’s the reason of my immense interest in books. But when I had my own child and I began reading to him too, I realised how important picture books are for the development of a human being.

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the role of picture books in the vocabulary development of toddlers. This research is also to explore the effects of picture books in children’s communication skills, behaviour, interest and mental growth.

1https://www.aap.org/en-us/Pages/Default.aspx

‘Art (pictures) is the universal language’(James Jackson Jarves) 2 specially of childhood, is a valuable tool that allows children to express their experiences and understandings. Therefore there is a need to examine the factors of picture books that

contribute towards enhancement of toddler’s vocabulary.

1. 3. Objective and Aim

The Objective of this study is to investigate the usefulness of picture books in vocabulary development of toddlers. How Picture book fascinates children through its content which includes art and literature? How pictures (the important part of these books) helps nourishing toddlers understanding for words? How it helps the children to enhance their interest in learning? these are some of the questions of which I would like to get answers.

The aim of this research is to find out the status of applying picture books in enhancing the vocabulary of toddlers. Other side this research can help in understanding and implementing the phrase ‘Learn to Read and Read to Learn’.

1. 4. Identifying the Gap for research

As I started to figure out which topic should I choose for my research keeping illustration as elective area, my son’s Picture books hold my attention. Further when I started studying ‘why picture books are important?’ I noticed the topic of ‘Vocabulary’ has not explored entirely. And I realised that the need of exploration on

‘Vocabulary Development’ could be the key for my research.

2James Jackson Jarves (1818–1888) was an American newspaper editor, and art critic who is remembered above all as the first American art collector to buy Italian primitives and Old Masters.

2. Literature Review

2. 1. Introduction

Development of language is the main point of difference between the human species and all others. Language (words) lies at the root of that transformation of the environment of civilisation. The power to think is not enough. However intelligent human alone could not produce the thoughts between them which are necessary for achievement. Language is an instrument of collective thought.

A language is a kind of wall which encloses a given human company and separates it from all others. And this perhaps is why ‘the word’has always had a mystical value for men’s mind. Words are bonds between men and the language they use, develops and ramifies according to the needs of their minds(Montessori, 2012, p. 119).

While reading a book to your child, you can help facilitate specific language concepts such as expanding vocabulary, modelling appropriate social language, improving auditory comprehension, developing literacy concepts, and targeting sequencing. (Shari Butler, 2010, pp. 1-19).

Reading the book over and over again has proved to help improve a child’s language and literacy development. In the article, Repeated Book Reading and Preschoolers Early Literacy Development (2012),3 the effects of repeated book reading on a child’s early literacy and language development were analyzed. 4

Before starting a study of picture book it is necessary to understand how visual literacy works for understanding of a picture.

Visual literacy is the ability to interpret, negotiate, and make meaning from information presented in the form of an image, extending the meaning of literacy, which commonly signifies interpretation of a written or printed text. Visual literacy is based on the idea that pictures can be "read" and that meaning can be through a

3http://www.earlyliteracylearning.org/cellreviews/cellreviews_v5_n5.pdf

4http://gravitybread.com/books-and-mealtime/read-it-again-why-repeated-book-readings-can-help your-child/

process of reading5. Basically visual literacy is based on the idea that pictures can be “read” and that meaning can be communicated through a process of reading itself.

Susan Stephenson says, Visual literacy means being able to read, understand, and create visual texts. She explains further that, Children's picture books give parents and teachers wonderful opportunities to help their children become visually literate.

Before children start school, they often want to talk about picture book illustrations. Sometimes this might be pointing and naming, perhaps followed by a little anecdote about what that picture reminds them of. Some children will ask questions about the picture, wanting perhaps to be sure they understand what we understand about that page. Parents naturally contribute to these discussions, and we love seeing our little ones involved with the story.

2. 2. Study of the Picture books

It is often said that we live in an increasingly visual, image-based culture. The digital age has brought with it a growing expectation of pictorial instruction, signs and symbols. Images, moving or static, now seem to accompany most forms of information and entertainment. The art of illustration is traditionally defined as one of decorating textual information by augmenting it with visual representation. But in many contexts the image has begun to replace the word. The picture book as it is today is a relatively new form. We may debate its true origins but it is only 130 years or so since Randolph Caldecott began to elevate the role of the image in the narrative says, Martin Salisbury and Morag Styles in their book ‘Children’s Picture books’. (Martin Salisbury, 2012)

The picture book is defined by its particular use of sequential imagery, usually with a small number of words, to convey meaning. In contrast to the illustrated book, where pictures enhance, decorate and amplify, in the picture book the visual text will often carry much of the narrative responsibility. (Martin Salisbury, 2012)

5en.wikipedia.org

Although there are many debates over the phrase. The phrase "picture book" is commonly used to describe a book, most often written for children, in which the content is conveyed through the use of words and pictures in combination or through pictures alone. A picture book differs from an illustrated book in that the pictures it contains form an essential part of the structure of the book. Due to physical factors in the bookbinding process, picture books are conventionally 32 pages long.

Martin & Morag has mentioned that, the word ‘picture book’is usually preceded by the word ‘children’s’. But once again, this assumption about the form is being challenged. Traditionally, it has been regarded as a stepping stone to accepted notions of literacy for three-to seven-year-olds. There is no doubt that this is indeed one important role of the picture book. However, as its audience and its reach widen, and we see the art of picture book-making increasingly crossing over with the book arts, a new understanding of this hybrid art form will perhaps begin to emerge. (Martin Salisbury, 2012, p. 7)

Types of Picture Books :

Picture books have an extensive range of categories and writing styles. Visibly, many of the topics overlap, and the list could extend to other numerous approaches.

Prime categories

Board Books : are meant for the youngest readers. Board books have cardboard pages to withstand wear and tear from little fingers and mouths. (age 1 to 3 yrs.) Figure 1 : Board Books

Concept Books : introduce children to a theme such as the alphabet, counting, colors or shapes. Some can be as simple as “A is for Apple.”Others are more complex like the "Miss Bindergarten" series, where each sentence uses a letter of the alphabet to tell a Kindergarten story. (age 2 to 8 yrs.)

Figure 2 : Concept Books

Easy Reader Books : also known as Beginning Readers or Early Readers, use a limited vocabulary and are structured as chapter books. Text blocks are bigger and the included images function more as illustrations than as essential elements in the story. Some books imprints Ready to Read, and Easy-to-Read. (age 4 to 8 yrs.)

Figure 3 : Easy Reader Books

Non-Fiction Books : incorporate the written work based on real events. In this way, literature that is nonfiction can help us understand our world. Non-fiction books introduce children to new subjects in a simple way. (age 3 to 12 yrs.)

Figure 4 : N0n-Fiction Books

Wordless Books : In these types of books, the stories are told completely by the pictures. Making up stories to go with the pictures is a perfect pre-literacy activity. Children learn to interpret by themselves. (age 2 to 12 yrs.)6

Figure 5 : Wordless Book

2. 3. Exploration of vocabulary

Vocabulary learning is an essential part in language learning as the meanings of new words are very often emphasised, whether in books or in conversation. It is also central to language teaching and is of paramount importance to a language learner (Blachowicz, 2008).

6(http://www.prattlibrary.org/research/tools/index.aspx?cat=99&id=4554)

Vocabulary can be defined as ''words we must know to communicate effectively; words in speaking (expressive vocabulary) and words in listening (receptive vocabulary)”(Neuman&Dwyer, 2009, p. 385). Hornby (1995) defines vocabulary as ''the total number ofwords in a language; vocabulary is a list of words with their meanings”. However, a new item of vocabulary may be more than just a single word: for example, post office, and mother-in-law, which are made up of two or three words but express a single idea. A useful convention is to cover all such cases by talking about vocabulary “items"rather than “words”. According to Zimmerman cited in Coady and Huckin (1998)‘vocabulary is central to language & of critical importance to the typical language learning.’

Haycraft, quoted by Hatch and Brown (1995), indicate two kinds of vocabulary:

a. Receptive Vocabulary is words that learners recognise and understand when they are used in context, but which they cannot produce. It is vocabulary that learners recognise when they see or meet in reading text but do not use it in speaking and writing (Stuart Webb, 2008).

b. Productive Vocabulary is the words that the learners understand and can pronounce correctly and use constructively in speaking and writing. It involves what is needed for receptive vocabulary plus the ability to speak or write at the appropriate time. Therefore, productive vocabulary can be addressed as an active process, because the learners can produce the words to express their thoughts to others (Stuart Webb, 2005).

According to Susan B. Neuman& Julie Dwyer in their Knowledge of vocabulary used in the playgroup or kindergarten curriculum helps young children to build pre-reading and early mathematical skills, strengthen their existing word knowledge, and develop their self-esteem. The use of language is basic to all communication and is at the foundation of all early curriculum that is presented in pre-school and kindergarten classrooms. If children do not learn the meaning of words and use them, they will struggle to interact with others and to understand subject matter in all areas of learning.

Vocabulary is used daily for many purposes including conversation, classroom instruction, reading stories, giving directions, and playing games. The daily school routine can be overwhelming for children who struggle with understanding language, processing what is being said, formulating their ideas into words and sentences, and making verbal connections. Especially appropriate strategies for developing language, as well as instruction materials (e.g. picture books, flash cards, wall carts etc.) for enhancing young children’s vocabulary, are necessary.

Vocabulary development is identified nationally as an essential component of all available language programs that teach young children literacy skills to learn how to read. Research confirms the importance of vocabulary development and the critical need for comprehension. Students who come to school with limited vocabularies have difficulties in learning new words, since the size of one’s vocabulary determines readingcomprehension. (Dwyer, 2009, pp. 384-389)

2. 4. Discovering stages of Toddler’s development

A child's experiences in the early months and years of life affect their health, well being, and coping skills for the rest of their life. Caring, Nurturing, and Safe Parenting help ensure a child’s optimal development. During the toddler years, a child will grow and learn rapidly. So it is necessary to perceive the development chart of toddlers.

Child development doctors always make a point that, ‘children do not develop at the same rate.’ There is a wide range of what is considered "normal." Your child may be ahead in some areas and slightly behind in others. The chart or milestones works just as guideline.

Experts divide child development into following areas: physical, social &emotional, cognitive, and language.

Physical development : is the process that starts in human infancy and continues into late adolescent concentrating on gross and fine motor skills as well as puberty. Physical development involves developing control over the body, particularly muscles and physical coordination. The peak of physical development happens in childhood

and is therefore a crucial time for neurological brain development and body coordination to encourage specific activities such as grasping, writing, crawling, and walking. As a child learns what their bodies can do, they gain self-confidence, promoting social and emotional development. Physical activities geared toward aiding in physical development contribute significantly to a person’s health and well-being, according to the Surgeon General’s report(Thomas, June 13, 2017)

a. Gross Motor Control : Moving the large muscles in the body, specifically the arms and legs consciously and deliberately, increases gross motor skills. Gross motor control involves balance and stability with such movement as kicking, running, jumping, hopping, skipping, throwing, catching and galloping.

b. Fine Motor Control : Achieving fine motor control involves using and coordinating the small muscles in the hand and wrists with mastery. During the development process, children have the ability to self-help and manipulate small objects such as scissors and writing tools. Fine motor skills generally follow gross motor development.

Social and Emotional development : The social development of a baby is what happens when a baby responds to human faces and voices. According to the American Pregnancy Association, a child may learn to smile back at you when you hold a baby or a baby may even begin babbling as if trying to speak to you. Social development affects how achild plays with other children and adults as they grows. (Hughes, Nov 1, 2015)

The first 12 months of an infant’s life are full of social development milestones. They go from being a helpless little creature to a vocal one-year-old with their own personality. They rapidly become more communicative and expressive with their face and body. 7

Social and Emotional development involves learning to interact with other people, and to understand and control your own emotions. Babies start to develop relationships with the people around them right from birth, but the process of learning to communicate, share, and interact with others takes many years to develop. Children

7www.care.com/c/stories/3370/social-development-in-infancy/en-gb/

continue to develop their social & emotional skills well into their teenage years, or even young adulthood. 8

Cognitive development : is not easily observed during the initial year, but may be apparent in the child’s behaviour. Cognitive skills include the ability to process information, reason, remember and relate. These are gained by exposure to new stimuli & new experiences which in turn stimulate brain. Cognitive skills aid the sensory development and strengthen the baby’s interaction with his surroundings and people.9 For years, adults assumed that infants and children did not have intellectual skills but recently researchers and thinkers have found that they are actually constantly exploring, thinking and learning. Even when a baby is newborn, they will actively learn new things by taking in their surroundings. 10

Cognitive development is a unique process and is specific to each infant, toddler, and family. Many factors influence cognitive development including genes, prenatal events (i.e., before or during birth), and aspects of the child's environment.

Language development : in a child is how he/she is starting to make sounds, learn words and understanding what people say. In the second month of life, a baby will begin to make sounds other than crying, a sign that his language is developing. By three months, a child will squeal, coo and babble. At the end of six months, a baby will be able to say one-syllable words such as “ma”and “pa.”At the end of 12 months, a baby will say two or three words and imitate sounds. He/she will also understand many words(Hughes, Nov 1, 2015)11

While every child develops at his own pace, yet there are some milestones that need to be watched for when it comes to speech development of an infant. Although the stages that children exhibit the speech milestones are consistent largely, the exact age when they reach them can vary. Thus, it makes difficult to say whether a child will speak in 6 months, or in 2 years. One must make a note that every child develops

differently, and no two children are alike. 12

8www.kamloopschildrenstherapy.org/social-emotional-toddler-milestones.

9www.beingtheparent.com/motor-cognitive-skills-development

10www.med-health.net/Cognitive-Developmental-Milestones

11https://www.livestrong.com/article/148320-the-social-emotional-physical-development-of-infants/ 12www.beingtheparent.com/speech-and-language-developmental-milestones

3. Research Methodology

3. 1. Introduction of Type and Method

Central aim of this research was to investigate the importance of picture books in aiding toddler’s vocabulary expansion.Secondary to identify the parent’s role and mainly teacher’s role in facilitating communication with the help of picture book in expanding children’s vocabulary.

Type of Research : Fundamental Research which outlines the research methods used in seeking the answersto the research question.As well as exploring the research design, research tools, and the social considerations of the study.

Method of Research : Survey method has been used for this research primarily. This research is a study that seeks how a parent or a teacher can use picture books to enhance children’s vocabulary. A qualitative research approach was adopted throughout this study. It involves the use of questionnaires for teachers and parents, interviews with teachers and child development doctors, as well as a specially created series of picture books in the course of the study.

3. 2. Tool of Research

Tool no. 1 - Questionnaire

One questionnaire was created for playgroup teachers and another for the parents of toddlers. Format of the questionnaire was mixed type, it included objective as well as descriptive questions.

Topic : A picture says thousand words!

Objective : Understanding the importance of picture books from the parents and teachers point of view in the development of toddlers.

Tool : Online survey (Google form) & Physical survey

Geographical Location :Taluka - Vasai (Suburbs of Mumbai)

Summary of questions for Parents :

Q1. Does your child like picture books?

Q2. Approximately how many books you have?

Q3. How often you read books to your child?

Q4. Is it possible to teach them words without any visual reference? Q5. Which language you use often to communicate with your child? Q6. Are there any regional books?

Q7. Do you think Picture Books are Important?

Q8. According to you what role Picture book plays in the Vocabulary development for your child?

For the charts of constructive statistics of questionnaire for parents see ‘Figure 6’.

Figure 6 : Charts of constructive statistics of Parents

Parents take on the importance of picture books :

Most of the parents have mentioned that picture books are very important as, What we see is easy to remember than what we hear. At times books are helpful tool to make kids sit at one place.

Few key answers :

* It's very effective for quick grasping.

* Visual last long in the mind than words.

* Picture books help children grow their visualisation, imagination and curiosity. * Books can keep children away from gadgets as they are harmful at times.

Parents take on the role of Picture Books in the vocabulary development :

One parent mention that even if no one is reading or talking to them, they are perceiving the information just by looking at the picture.

Few key answers :

* I have seen my child using visual references and developing hisown stories. This definitely speaks about the way visuals help develop analytical ability in children at a young age.

* After looking at the picture, children put a question ‘what is this?’and indirectly there vocabulary skills develop when we answer there query.

* They can’t read the words easily butPicture is easy to identify things. * It generates interest faster…alphabets, words, lines and then finally story. * Picture books are great as long as the pictures are those the child can relate to. * Visuals helps to remember words.

* Children are interested in attractive pictures, they become curious and try to read, to understand what the picture is all about. This helps them learn new words & phrases.

* Pictures give them a visual reminder of a word. And they develop their vocabulary by relating words to the pictures.

* I feel that with picture, child can able to relate easily and understand the outside world what he sees. It also develops the vocabulary as we explain the picture by giving it a name (word). eye and ear coordination helps what we see and listen.

And the most important is Picture Book builds vocabulary while having fun. Summary of questions for playgroup Teachers :

Q1. Approximately how many books you have in your playgroup? Q2. Does book reading sessions happen in the class?

Q3. How often you read them the books?

Q4. Is it possible to teach them words without any visual reference? Q5. Are there any regional books?

Q6. Which language you use often to communicate with children? Q7. How important picture books are?

Q8. What role Picture book plays in the Vocabulary development for toddlers? For the charts of constructive statistics of questionnaire for teachers see ‘Figure 7’.

Figure 7 : Charts of constructive statistics of Teachers

Teachers take on the role of Picture Books :

All most for all of us after our mother, its only our teacher whom we trust and believe what the say. All teachers has agreed that Picture books are very important for children in all age group but for toddlers they are momentous. As picture is the universal language with gestures. Also its easy to understand and learn words for kids. Like the way they learn looking at our face when we are angry, happy or sad.

Few key answers :

* Picture books are important at early age and also books on geography, science, flora fauna, animals and all need pictures. Only literature is boring. Even stories need pictures as it makes it colourful and they can relate the story to the picture. So picture books are quite important at early age. Students from elder class like 5th grade even does not like only literature books.

* Picture books are very important in a child’s developing years as they easily grasp their attention being colourful.

* Picture books initiate an imaginative approach for children’s understanding. * Visual learning has better impact.

* Picture speaks a thousand words. Pictures are attention grabbing. SoI think picture books are very important.

* They are very important. As in urban life we can hardly afford to see live samples of many creatures as well other things.

* It is a fun way of helping to grasp, assimilate and reproduce the information.

* It’s possible to teach your kid without a picture book but with picture they understand it better and relate things really well.

Teachers take on the role of Picture books in the Vocabulary development of toddlers :

Many teachers agreed to this hypothesis, on their experiences with toddlers. Self learning is the key going through picture books. When kids looks at a picture he or she tries to read the first letter of the recognised picture. Like TO...for tomato.

Few key answers:

* The mosteasiest way to introduce them new words.

* Words associated with picture last longer in children’s memories and are very easy to recall.

* A picture says louder than words so true.

* Sight reading is practicable and toddles grasp the words very quickly.

* Picture books help build vocabulary. Children will often be introduced to words in picture books that they would not find in simpler early readers.

* For all age groups Picture books plays an important role.

* It helps to get an idea if the new word has to be taught.

Tool no. 2 - Focus group method (comparative study)

Approach to the learning center : In this experimental survey to present my book in the playgroup & nursery classes, I approached a learning center located in Vasai-Virar region. ‘The Tree House’is one of the leading providers of early educational services in India operating maximum number of self-operated preschools.

After a discussion of my experimental program briefly with the center head Mr. Rakesh Mhatre, he agreed to proceed with the sessions. I requested the participation of a teacher and Miss. Aarti enthusiastically showed her interest in this survey. Together we planed 3 reading sessions for children in their class itself.

Execution of the Sessions : February 2018, Three Saturdays I spent in the learning centre. I did a comparative study of Playgroup & Nursery class. We divided 20 children in 2 groups ‘Red’&‘Yellow’. In ‘Red’groupwe decided to take reading sessions with the help ofAlphabetical Chart, which emphasis on words more. And in ‘Yellow’groupMiss. Aartitook reading sessions of picture book, ‘Alphabet Jungle’created as my research tool. We spent 2 Saturdays on reading sessions with half-n-hr duration in each class.

At the End of the session in 3rd week of February, We conducted a small quiz competition between group‘Red’&‘Yellow’. The Quiz was to identify the picture and express it with a word. Miss. Aarti showed a picture to both the groups and asked the children to identify the picture. The child who recognised the picture and answered correctly got a Star Mark on their wrist along with a big round of applause. The children were delighted with this gesture and were raising hands to get the appreciation. We concluded the session awarding a gift to a child who achieved the most stars.

Figure 8 : Book presentation

Figure 9 : Picture Book created practically as study

Figure 10 : Alphabets Book

Figure 11 : Numbers Book

Figure 12 : Picture Book created practically as study

Figure 13 : Book Jacket for set of books

Article, ‘So You Want to Write a Picture Book?’ by Margot Finke published in "Musings" Archive for May 2002 has helped me to write, illustrate, design and print this picture book. Simple instructions by Margot : Story in single line or two, within a full-page illustrationfor toddlers and younger. Iillustrationsshouldbe interesting and imaginative. Artwork has to be of professional quality. Use short simple sentences.

Word count has to be low, fewer than 150 words.

Tool no. 3 - Interviews

Dr. Anjali Gokarn

Paediatrician, Child development specialist

Vikas Children Hospital, Vasai

January 20, 2018 | 4.30pm | Location: Clinic, vasai

I often visit Paediatrician,Dr. Suhas Gokarn for my son Shivam. As I was sure that he will provide me a contact of a Child Development Doctor. He introduced me to his wife who is a Paediatrician as well as have specialised in Child Development sector. When we had a discussion on this topic she started with how important is reading to your toddler.

Reach out and read.

Q. How important it is to start reading out to kids in their early age?

Learning to read is much more than a set of skills that you get in school. There’s a whole foundation that kids built over the 1st year of life. Laying that foundation starts from mom and dad, all it takes is some quality time. Only 12% of parents in India read out to their kids everyday.

Q. What role does a parent plays in teaching a language to a toddler?

Its proven by a medical study that the parents who read out to their children, they are actually teaching language and language is very important in toddlers emotional development and also to their ability to succeed in school. The children who are not read to often starts school at a dis-advantage.That's because early language development and later reading skills are immediately connected. The more you talk with a baby the bigger that child's vocabulary would be by age 3. So even if parents are not reading with their kids they should be taking with them all the time. How children would do in school is how much they know before they get there.

Q. What is the role of picture book in toddlers vocabulary development?

A national organisation that works with health care providers like to offer early literacy training as a part of regular paediatric care. In this training a toddler and their parents are taken to a session room. Later when we bring the picture book into room

and we actually seehow child responds to the book. We observe how the parent responds to the child who is responding to the books. This gives us an inn to talk with the parent on the very important topic which is, ‘what can you do to help your child to grow up intellectually alive’.

In further discussion Dr. Anjali mentioned one very important aspect of a Picture book on the children suffering from autism.

Picture book helps children suffering from autism.

Disability and difference have always been dealt with picture books, and interest has beenincreasing especially in recent years: stories without any kind of commiseration, where theprotagonists are children with autism, deafness, or Down syndrome who deal with everyday life. These picture books do not have a didactic tone, nor any form of pity, they do not teach orexplain, but they show situations and events in order to make the readers become aware of dis-abilityand make them think. The picture books can be an interesting teaching tool, used for a specificdidactic purpose with a specific instructional strategy to tackle the topic of disability, soliciting andbuilding moments of dialogue and reflection with which children can compare their own imagesand ideas of disability. These books reflect everyday life and amplify children’s knowledge byoffering new narrative experiences of disability.

Mrs. Sheetal Koradkar

Centre Head & Teacher, The Learning Curve

Vasai, west

February 03, 2018 | 11.30am | Location: The Learning Curve, Vasai

My son goes in the Playgroup centre named, The Learning Curve; where I interact with Mrs. Sheetal many a times, who is a centre head and teacher. She is in this profession since last 20 years. When I shared my research topic with her enthusiastically she took up the conversation. According to her experience with kindergarten children picture books plays a significant role.

Q. How does a picture book plays a major role for toddlers?

Picture books are very important. In today's scenario nuclear family provides very less space for exposure to every child. At the same time nuclear family with a single child creates more problem for kids because the kid does not have any people around him. The people he knows are always those who might not be eager to talk to him, to expose his thinking or teach him anything. So here's where the playgroups and the picture books plays a major role.

Q. How picture books gives toddlers an exposure to new things?

Picture books are going to open new word and open new world for the kid which he has never seen, unless and until the parents take their child out. So new colours, new shapes, new sizes everything creates interest for the child and the child desires to see more of it. So the child will always be attracted towards that book. Like an A, B, C, D book with a picture will attract the child every time unless and until he has time for another book which is creating a similar interest for him. So picture books are very important.

Q. How the vocabulary gets built? And what is teacher’s role in that?

Once a teacher introduced the class with two Marathi letters, ‘CH’ and ‘L’. Word ‘L’ is

for what and then the child remembers where is L used so the child goes and places there and like this new word is formed. E.g. ChaL, ChaaL, ChaLaa she makes three different words out of the word ‘CH’. A kindergarten teacher has a major role to play because she is the one who develops the child’s initial stages and the memory of any child is going to remain stronger because in his childhood itself he has been empowered with so many ideas because of picture books and kindergarten.

Q. How children learn about alphabets as well as words?

With picture books what happens is,almost every information is given in one tool. He has to choose anything, just select it and when he starts seeing and the teacher helps him with the new sounds. Why the sounds are new to him is because he tries to connect it with what he has heard earlier. And That creates an impact like an

‘A’sound is already heard somewhere at the home-front, amongst the friend, with the maid, with the teacher and when the teacher shows the word ‘A’and she says this is pronounced as ‘A’the sound becomes more clear for the child. And that is how with a picture, you visualise and more strong becomes your idea. So you see, you hear and this makes a greater impact and hence the picture books creates a greater impact on the child.

Kids see, hear, then tries to remember that and then tries to implement it. A child will always mimic a grown up. For teacher these picture books are great support. It is the best teaching aid that they can have. For a toddler picture books are a new world because some things that the child have never seen for e.g. in picture book a pig is shown staying in a ‘Sty’. A child doesn't know the word ‘Sty’ unless and untilthe teacher points at the picture and says that this is a ‘Sty’, where pig stays. The moment the child sees the sty, the spelling is not important but the words sounds similar.

Q. What do you think about learning in a different language than your home language? And what is your opinion on using bilingual books?

An English book was been read in the class about a fool donkey the story went on and on. The child remembered the word ‘fool’ was used in his local vocabulary for a flower,this is trans-language, its code mixing. That's how a child mix the words and that's how his vocabulary develops in terms of language too. A toddler learns numerous languages. For example kids of age 1 to 3 in the Play School will talk fluent English will talk Marathi, Hindi and so on. The moment kids cross the age limit there is a fear that they will go wrong people will laugh at them and then they will stop doing it so picture books are conveniently friends. Ultimately love for reading helps kids in their future schooling.

In further discussion Mrs. Sheetal mentioned, ‘Books are always man's Best Friend’, because books will not tell you to stop, books will not criticise you. It will simply open up many ways and you just have to select one. What a toddler chooses is going to be the first impression and that's going to remain for long. Hence the books are going to create an impression that books are man's Best Friend. A child will start relating the information or knowledge in the little phasewhich will move towards books for any Collection of data or Idea.

We are in the phase of losing everything what the environment or the natural world gives. So what can show out kids the beauty of the nature are the picture books. Every beautiful aspect that is extinct or towards the verge of extinction can be shown to the kids through the Picture books. For example, the jaguar, alligator or rhino, kids might not be able to see them personally, or the species which has gone forever like dinosaurs and mammoths; but Picture books can make them alive. Similarly rare flowers, places, scientific things will create an impact through Picture books.

4. The Picture Books

A book is the map of one’s life and the life in nature. In a library we all meet the mightiest minds of the whole world. Picture books are a little stepping stones towards this in the little one’s life.

Picture books represent a unique literary form that blends stories with art. In a picture book, the illustrations are as important as the text, and both work together to tell the story. Picture books means exploring the art as well. Picture book illustrations engages children and enhance their reading experience.

4. 1. What is a picture book?

A picture book combines visual and verbal narratives in a book format, most often aimed at young children. The images in picture books use a range of media such as oil paints, acrylics, watercolor, and pencil, among others.13

A picture book is a book, typically for children, in which the illustrations are as important as (or even more important than) the words in telling the story. designed to help children develop their reading skills, most are written with vocabulary a child can understand but not necessarily read.

It is recommended to begin sharing picture books with your children when they are babies and continue to share them with your kids as they get older. Besides, being fun and visually appealing, learning to "read pictures" is an important literacy skill and picture books can play an important part in a child's becoming visually literate.

13https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picture_book

4. 2. The history of picture books

History of Picture Books has mainly divided in 3 parts :

Early picture books : ‘Orbis Pictus',

1658 by John Amos Comenius, was the

earliest illustrated book specifically for

children. The Orbis holds not just the

status of the first children's book, but the

first megahit in children's publishing,

receiving translations in a great many

languages and becoming the most popular elementary textbook in Europe.

Figure 15 : Illustration from First Picture Book

Figure 14 : First Picture Book

And like that the journey of picture book started with so many record breaking and famous books like :‘A Little Pretty Pocket-Book’ 1744 by John Newbery. Collections of Fairy tales from early 19th century, by the Brothers Grimm. Lewis

Carroll's ‘Alice's Adventures in Wonderland’, illustrated by John Tenniel in 1866 was one of the first highly successful entertainment books for children.

Toy books were introduced in the latter half of the 19th century, small paper bound books with art dominating the text. These had a larger proportion of pictures to words than earlier books, and many of their pictures were in color.‘The Tale of Peter Rabbit’, 1902…in series with ‘The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin’, ‘The Tale of Benjamin Bunny’up to 1910. ‘Little Black Sambo' was part of a series of small-format books called ‘The Dumpy Books’, published by Grant Richards between 1897-1904.

Early to mid 20th century : L. Frank Baum's ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’, illustrated by W. W. Denslow was published in May,1900. Baum created a number of other successful Oz-oriented books in the period from 1904 to 1920.

Few to name on : ‘The Kewpie and Dottie

Darling’and the series in 1910 by, Rose O’Neill.

In 1913, Cupples & Leon published a series of

15 All About books: All About Peter Rabbit, All

About The Three Bears, All About Mother

Goose, All About Little Red Hen etc. Walt

Disney produced an animated feature film along

with corresponding merchandising materials in

1920. Wanda Gág's ‘Millions of Cats’, 1928

became the first picture book to receive a

Figure 16 : Early mid 20th century

Newbery Medal. In 1931, Jean de Brunhoff's,

‘The Story of Babar’, followed by ‘The Travels of Babar’ then ‘Babar, The King’. In 1938, Dorothy Lathrop was awarded the first Caldecott Medal for her illustrations in Animals of the ‘Bible’, written by Helen Dean Fish.

In 1937, Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel), at the time a successful graphic artist and humorist, published his first book, ‘And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street’. From 1947 to 1956,‘The Cat in the Hat’was the biggest success. Seuss rigidly limited himself to a small set of words from an elementary school vocabulary list, then crafted a story based upon two randomly selected words - Cat &Hat.

Up until the mid-1950s, there was a degree of separation between illustrated educational books and illustrated picture books.

Mid to late 20th century : In 1949 writer and illustrator Richard Scarry began his career working on the ‘Little Golden Books’ series. His ‘Best Word Book Ever’ from 1963 has sold 4 million copies.

Gyo Fujikawa, illustrator and author created more than 50 books between 1963 and 1990. Her work has been translated into 17 languages and published in 22 countries. Her most popular books, Babies and Baby Animals, have sold over 1.7 million copies.

‘The Snowman’1978 by Raymond Briggswas entirely wordless. It was made into an Oscar nominated animated cartoon that has been shown on British television. 14

There are some classic and biggest hits, which are most of parent’s favourite and worldwide known…1947’s ‘Goodnight Moon’ written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd, 1969's ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’illustrated, and written by Eric Carle, 1977's ‘Everyone Poops’ by Tarō Gomi. These famous books have been translated into several languages.

Now there are several sub-genres among picture books, including alphabet books, concept books, word books, action books, counting books, early readers, calendar books, nursery rhymes, and toy books etc. Picture books published on a hard cardboard - are often intended for small children to use and play with called as Board Books. Another category is movable books, such as pop-up books, which employ paper engineering to make parts of the page stand up when pages are opened.

Picture books are a relatively new form of book, originating in the early twentieth century. Wanda Gag is widely considered to be a pioneer in the development of the picture book form. The formula for illustrated books had been to show text on the left page and pictures on the right page, without combining them. In Millions of Cats, Gag mixed up the order of pictures and text, combined pictures and text, and stretched pictures onto more than one page. Her ideas paved the way for modern authors/illustrators like Maurice Sendak, Dr. Seuss, and Eric Carle.15

4. 3. Advantages of Picture Book

The happiness children can get from picture books has no limits. Children are attracted by the funny and colourful illustrations on each page that help to enhance the words of the story.It allows children to create further imagery in their minds, letting their imaginations explode. Children are delight by the funny narratives in stories and the repetition and rhymes, which they soon learn and repeat along with the story. Picture books go further than just a source of enjoyment for children, they can be a

14https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picture_book

15http://www.prattlibrary.org/research/tools/index.aspx?cat=99&id=4554

tool within creative development, inspiring a range of activities and all different areas of their development.

Picture books are especially useful for young children (Infants & Toddlers) who are taking their first steps into reading. Following are some of the advantages experts enlightens about Picture Books.16

* Introduces children to the concept of reading

Even before children learn to make meaning of text, they learn by seeing objects and pictures. Picture books are an unavoidable material to reading text for young learners. Children get interested in stories and reading on the whole. They are more likely to read text-based books if they have been exposed to picture books early in their life.

* Enhances comprehension skills

Since most of the story of picture book is conveyed through graphics or illustrations, it leaves plenty to be explained. Children have to make sense of the environment, characters and mood through pictures. When an adult reads a picture book with a child, it helps prompt conversations about the story and makes children enjoy the process all the more.

* Strengthens visual thinking skills

Picture books help children relate to what they observe and form a connectionbetween images and words. They learn to make meaning of the world around them. It is fascinating for young children to see their ever-expanding world has captured in picture books.

* Helps develop language skills& Vocabulary

The words and language used in picture books is precise as fewer words convey more. But when one word express lot of meaning, lot of words like that will increase the language skill. The text used in picture book is often rich and engaging. Hence, it is a

great tool to enhance the vocabulary and teach language to beginners.

16https://getfreadom.com/blog/the-importance-of-picture-books/

* Helps children become better listeners

Since picture books are largely a read-aloud experience, children learn to focus on what they hear. This prepares them for developing their listening skills later in life.

* Helps children make connections in real life

Some stories in picture books convey everyday feelings and challenges that a young child is likely to face. When a child reads about characters experiencing the same problems and emotions as him, he knows that he is not alone. Therefore, he becomes better equipped to deal with the situations in real life.

And above all, Picture books is intended as acelebration of an art form that we believe to be deserving ofgreater recognition, both as art and as literature (visual literature).

5. Toddler’s vocabulary and development

Vocabulary, as one of the knowledge areas in language, plays a great role for learners in acquiring a language. For toddler’s, vocabulary development is an important aspect of their language development.

5. 1. Decoding toddlers

Who are toddlers? In a way the wild and free creature who needs lot of guidance, little boundaries and occasional stern words, just to keep them safe and you calm & sane. All toddlers at some stage, at times regularly, will misbehave, do something naughty, test your patience or risk life through an action.

The term ‘Toddler’: There are several explanations available about the term as many researchers puts their contribution in the understanding of toddlers. There is a believe that this term has came from the way a child first walk, which is at primarily unsteady and more like a ‘toddle’than stable walking.

Age factor : Mostly, the term ‘baby’ might be used to refer to any child from birth to age 3. But more bifurcation makes this easy, like ‘Newborn’ usually refers to babies from birth to about 4 months of age. ‘Infants’ are babies from 4 months to 1 year old. And ‘Toddlers’ are babies from 1 year to 3 years of age. Experts have different, and sometimes contradictory, opinions about when toddlerhood actually begins and ends.

Toddler stage is distinguished by abundant growth and change with mood swings and some negativity, often frustration and misbehave.Sometimes they get frustrated because they do not have the language skills to express themselves. That could be the reason they face difficulty while separating from their parents. Child development specialist says, Toddlers are very concerned with their own needs and ideas. Soit becomes hard to teach them to share. Having so many troubles in nurturing a toddler may cause some adults call the toddler stage as ‘terrible two’ and ‘terrific three’.

Toddlers are full of energy and ideas they need to explore. It is important to make sure that they can explore in an environment that is safe for them. They want to be independent, when they are still very dependent. As they says, Toddlers are long on will and short on skill.Everything that happens to the toddler is meaningful. With each step or skill the child masters, a new stage. This growth is different for each child. Children have their own developmental timetable. During the toddler stage, most children learn to walk, talk, solve problems, relate to others, and more.

Figure 17 : Development Chart of Toddlers

5. 2. Beginning early an advantage

The most enjoyable stage for anyone is when their toddler becomes a complete chatterbox! By the age of one and half year a child learn about one new word a day. A child may even put two or three words together, such as ‘Mommy, come’, ‘Give, me’. Children’s constantly expanding vocabulary of words and phrases engage them in conversations. Sometimes it seems like they are talking non-stop!

Though one may not understand everything their toddler says, nodding and smiling encourage them. More the vocabulary more a child will be able to use it. To enlarge a child’s vocabulary one need to explore the other sources. It will help a toddler to grow their language skills more.

From the very first introduction to listening to any language, children can enjoy good picture books. Picture books are a rich source of vocabulary. Young learners soon pick up the short text of a picture book, if initially it is shared with a parent or any adult who brings the pages alive.

Children are already familiar with stories. From a very young age they talk in narrative style. It is through their stories of everyday experiences that they define themselves: expressing their ideasand emotions in language as well as in drawing.

Many children are already used to decoding stories and information from any video graphic medium such as TV or mobile in their home language, while others may have already enjoyed the interaction of sharing a picture book. Most children, with a guide, soon work out how to transfer their individual decoding skills to get meaning from pictures as well as words from books in their home language, says Opal Dunn (author & educational consultant).

For toddlers sharing picture books is not only about picking up another language, it is also about giving a wider window on the world, guided by their parents. The one-to one interaction of sharing picture books gives children added opportunities to develop at their own speed and level, knowing that their parents are encouraging them. As children share more and more books in their early learning phase, their self confidence develops.

5. 3. Understanding of words

Young children are busy decoding their own surroundings and making sense of their home language, which often includes a lot of new language, if they are not talking about daily routines. Children are very good at understanding the gist of what is said to them and responding to it. Unlike many adults learning another language, children do not wait to understand every word. They pick out words they understand and fill in the rest of the meaning from context clues and the speaker’s body language, eyes or facial expressions. In sharing picture books, the child can get additional clues from the picture.

Initially, in order to facilitate quicker understanding, parents may feel happier translating a word or phrase. However, it is better to translate once only, using a whisper that indicates it is a translation and not part of the text. Children easily understand from a quick translation. If they know that parents are going to continue giving translations each book time, they do not make the effort to acquire the other language.

Research has shown that we remember visual images much easier and better than words. Using imagery can make learning more fun and interesting. Like to teach alphabets we use pictures for better understanding. (e.g. A for Apple, M for Monkey and X for Xylophone etc.) Without these pictures or even without drawing/writing an A, it will be very difficult to teach roman alphabets or any other script.

“Words are learned when meanings are made clear.” - Lauren Lowry, Hanen Certified SLP and Clinical Staff Writer. It’s not enough to simply use new words during conversation or read them in a book. Children need to learn what words mean, and this will happen when a parent, teacher, guardian or any adult…

* explain what a word means

* points to pictures

* use their voice or gestures to explain the meaning of the word (e.g. using a quite voice when reading “he whispered in her ear…”)

* use a new word within a related context (e.g. talking about a “wrist”when having a conversation about hand)

To teach young children what ‘words’mean, Picture Books are the most helpful things. Parents or teachers or any adult can use the illustrations to explain the meaning of new words. The conversations that occur while looking at a picture book offers opportunities to pause the story and explain what a new word means. Some picture books often use the same new word on several pages. This provides opportunities to hear a new word used in a variety of sentences, and this helps children understand the word’s meaning repeatedly.

Laura Mize is a paediatric speech-language pathologist who specialised in treating young children, ages birth to three, gives approximate words count in expressive Vocabulary in typically developing toddlers.

* By 12 months a child says 2-6 words other than Mama or Dada? * By 15 months a child says 10 different words.

* At 18 months toddlers with typically developing language use 50 different words. * At 24 months a child with typically developing language says 200-300 words. * By 30 months a toddler says 450 words.

* At 36 months a child with typically developing language uses 1,000 different words.

5. 4. Learn to read and read to learn

If you need to read what you want to learn, how will you learn what you want to read?

Learning is the core for successful reading, and an Alphabet will be the obvious answer from where to start. ‘How to teach an alphabet?’will be the next question. And the obvious answer will be, by writing or drawing or by any visual reference (visual gesture). Teaching and Learning through visual references leads towards Picture books for early learners. Children’s silence, however, does not mean that they are not listening and learning. Children usually understand more than they can say in words and, if the book experience is focused and fun, they usually want to pick up the vocabulary at their own speed. Children are busy exploring their world and most are

keen to find out something new, particularly if it is presented in an encouraging and attractive way.It takes time to build up a child’s readiness to picture books, but once they are introduced to picture books their interest surly increases and lead them further towards the understanding for words.

Parents can underestimate their children’s ability to pick up more text each time a picture book is shared. Many are surprised to see how keen their children are to join in ‘reading’if they are encouraged to finish off a sentence or say a stressed word like ‘No’each time it occurs. Once children work out how to join in, they gradually extend their skills to pick up whole short sentences until, eventually, they can recite most of a text as they turn the pages to match it to the illustrations. Many a busy parent purposely skipping a little text has had their ‘mistake’pointed out by their child!

Mr. Opal Dunn who is an author and educational consultant says, “Young children’s boredom threshold differs from adults.” Many may ask for the same book to be read and re-read. Parents need to respond positively to these requests as re-readings provide the natural repetition children may need for making meaning or picking up new language as well as confirming and refining language they have already acquired.

Mr. Opal Dunn mentioned in his article further, Picture books, sometimes referred to as ‘real books’, to distinguish them from graded text books, expose children to a range of language structures and vocabulary familiar to native-speaker children.

Illustrations in picture books are not merely supporting understanding of language, as might be the case in many text books. The different styles of artwork naturally broaden children’s visual experiences. One of the delights of sharing picture books with children is that, on first viewing, children tend to look at an illustration as a whole but with repeated reading of the book, details and subtleties usually emerge.

The illustrations may be by well-known artists, pictures may be photographs or the books may contain 3D novelty paper sculptures. How exciting it is for children to hold art in their hands. There is no doubt that exposure to picture books increases visual decoding skills and over time influences creativity and the ability to appreciate design and illustration.

Picture books also help children find meaning within their own life. Children can pore over emotional situations contained within picture books that may help to relieve personal frustrations, or they can encounter exciting and imaginative experiences way beyond their own environment or even their dreams.

6. Role of Parents and Teachers

6. 1. Role of Parents

Children are made readers on the laps of their parents. - Emilie Buchwald. Parents play a critical role in a child's language development. Studies have shown that children who are read to and spoken with a great deal during early childhood will have larger vocabularies and better grammar than those who aren’t.17

Parents are the key teachers for their children. A child who is surrounded by speech and language all the time usually learns language skills faster. Talking to and reading to your child will have a big effect on how well your child is able to communicate. Talk about what you are doing, what you see, what your child is doing, and what your child sees. Take time to listen to your child. Children have a lot to share and require feedback from their caretakers. Respond to your child, children need to know that you are listening and care.18

New research from Stanford psychologists reveals that the amount parents speak directly to their toddler can make an incredible difference in the child's language proficiency and vocabulary.19

During the first five years, the brain’s synaptic networks are still in the process of forming. This is when children’s development is particularly receptive to human contact. How parents interact with their children and engage them in cognitive, social, and emotional developmental activities in these years defines their future selves.20

What type of parent are you?

‘It Takes Two to Talk’a book by Jan Pepper and Elaine Weitzman. This book has the most useful chapter confronts the sensitive issue of the parents communication style and how it can impact their child’s speech, vocabulary, language and communication

17https://www.parents.com/baby/development/talking/9-ways-to-help-your-childs-language development/

18http://www.njsteps.com/faq/parents-role-in-speech-and-language-development/ 19(Stanford Report, October 15, 2013, https://news.stanford.edu/news/2013/october/fernald-vocab development-101513.html).

20 (www.panworldeducation.com /2017/03/22/role-of-parents-in-early-childhood-development/).

development. The authors describe seven types of parent and explain that, through the day, Mothers and Fathers may dip in and out of all “seven types”, but usually have one dominant parenting style. Read the descriptions below, which have been adapted from ‘It Takes Two to Talk’, and see if you can spot yourself (Blake, 2014, p. 7).

The Director : This role has the parent leading and controlling a child’s daily interactions. The parent does most of the talking and tells the child what to do and how to do it. E.g. A child wants to find the page with monster in his favourite book but the parent is playing the Director role, insisting that they read the book page by page.

The Tester : In this role, the parent asks a lot of questions in order to see what the child has learned. But constant testing doesn’t help the child learn - a child learns best when he is having fun and his parents are tuned in to his interests.

The Entertainer : When the parent tends to take the lead, doing most of the talking and playing, and leaving little opportunity for the child to interact and be part of the fun. However, children need to be actively involved to learn.

The Helper : The Helper does everything for the child, from finishing his sentences to answering questions on his behalf. But when parents are too quick to help, they may not find out how much the child can communicate and what really interests him.

The Mover : This role may be adopted by busy parent who has 101 things to do that take priority over communicating with the child. These parents often do not notice when the child is trying to show or tell them something.

The Watcher : Sometimes, parents would like to interact with the child but aren't sure how to join in, so end up watching or commenting from a distance. But to learn language, children need to interact with their parents.

The Tuned-In Parent : This parent is tuned in to the child’s interests, needs and abilities. A Tuned-In parent gives children opportunities to start an interaction and then responds immediately, with interest.

Out of these seven types, the Tuned-In Parent is the one to aspire to. You can’t be a Tuned-In parent all the time, but try to play this role more often. Be honest and ask

yourself which role you play? You are your child’s most valuable resource when it comes to learning to communicate, so tune in to being a Tuned-In Parent.

6. 2. Role of Teachers

Most of us knows that being a teacher is a tough task and if it is about the early learners then it becomes more difficult. As an early childhood teacher requires to be willing to wear many masks. Teachers have to be prepared to be flexible and should remember that your job description may change on a daily basis.

In most cases, the role as a toddler’s teacher will be very similar to that of a guide. A guide leads others down new paths. A guide walks beside a person on a journey, not in front. A guide also keeps others safe from harm. Being early childhood teacher, it is challenging to find new experiences to share with children. As a guide, allow the child to choose their learning style while making safety as number one concern.

CCEI (Child Care Education Institute) has put the light on ‘Teachers Role and Responsibilities’in their Newsletter published in Aug, 2008. They have mentioned that, teachers play an important role in fostering the intellectual and social development of children during their formative years.“To nurture is to nourish.”Nurturing a child incorporate all aspects of development: social, emotional, cognitive, and physical. In every interaction, a teacher should nurture appropriate growth and development. Teachers must also take care to listen to a child including interpreting words and actions. Listening carefully helps teachers determine a child's needs and aids in furthering the child's development.21 Early childhood teachers need to know the value of one-to-one, extended, cognitively challenging conversations and how to engage in such communication, even with unenthusiastic talkers. They need to know how the ‘vocabulary list’ is acquired and what instructional practices support vocabulary acquisition. Teacher also need to know how to conduct story reading and other early literacy experiences that promote phonological awareness and prepare children for later success in reading.

21www.cceionline.com/newsletters/August_08.html

Teachers must know and be able to apply a variety of teachingtechniques to meet the individual needs of children. They must beable to identify children’s strengths and weaknesses and plan instructionalprograms that help them make progress.

Increasing toddler’s vocabulary will lead them towards better language understanding and to guide them properly their teacher should know more about language.

Why Do Early Childhood Teachers need to know more about language?

Lily Wong Fillmore and Catherine E. Snow identify five teacher roles that are relevant to working with young children. Some of these roles are particularly critical for language learning because the early years are the foundation for what occurs later.

Communicator : The role of conversational partner is especially important in the preschool years when children are just beginning to acquire language. Young children develop their language skills through interactions with more accomplished speakers of the language, such as parents, family members, and teachers, as well as other children. When children are served in groups, the teacher's role as interlocutor is very complex. Often children whose language is more advanced are spoken to more often by adults. Thus children whose language development is lagging receive less language interaction than they need, and those who need less actually get more.

Evaluator : This has always been a difficult role, because it involves attempting to identify children who may have developmental delays or disabilities. When young children are in the early stages of acquiring language, it is especially difficult to obtain valid and reliable data on their capabilities. Is performance variance attributable to normal, individual variation in rates of development, to experiential variation that is relatively easy to remediate, or to an actual delay? For teachers of students who speak different language other than English at home, teacher’s role is even morecomplex.

Educator and educated human being : Teachers of young children need to be generalists in their knowledge of the world, because children are interested in just about everything that goes on around them. This does not mean that early childhood teachers must have every fact at their disposal, but it does mean that they need to have the extended vocabulary, curiosity, and skills to find out what they want to know.

Agent of socialisation : By school entrance, the processes of socialisation and language development are well under way. When children are served in programs outside of the home beginning as babies, toddlers, and preschoolers, socialisation occurs simultaneously in two environments. It is especially important to respect students' home languages and cultures. (Snow, August 2000, p. 5)

Early childhood teachers need to know the value of one-to-one, extended, cognitively challenging conversations and how to engage in such communication, even with reluctant talkers. They need to know how the lexicon is acquired and what instructional practices support vocabulary acquisition. They also need to know how to conduct story reading and other early literacy experiences that promote phonological awareness and prepare children for later success in reading. (Catherine E. Snow, 199, p. 277)

The teachers should be concerned that teaching vocabulary is something newand different from student’s native language.The teachers have toknow the characteristics of learners. They moreoverneed to prepare goodtechniques and suitable material in order to gain the target of language teaching. (Alqahtani, 2015, p. 24)

Thus, teachers of young learners must obtain more education and greater respect. Though, their role in children's language achievement is the bare minimum of what they have to contribute to children's well-being and future potential.

7. Scope of Improvement

Those who think writing a children’s picture book might be easier than writing one for adults may be surprised to know it is not easy. Children’s books are treated differently in the publishing industry. The market is highly segmented by age, grade, and reading levels. The content of any children’s book needs to be age-appropriate. And to complicate things further, children don’t buy books. Adults do. This means the creator must serve the needs of two different audiences: children and the adults who buy them books.

A good children’s book has a long shelf-life. In other words, publishers look for books that will not go out of date and continue to sell year after year.

7. 1. Improvement in engagement techniques (Interactive books)

I love the improvisation in current trend for more interactive picture books for children. As the researchers have noticed the tremendous fast development in children, need of the variants have increased too. Though there won't be any comparison for the classic picture books or board books for the little readers, Interactive Book segment is very powerful with there engagement techniques in picture book category.

Interactive books are a subset of children's books that require participation and interaction by the reader. Participation can range from books with texture to those with special devices used to help teach children certain tools. Interactive children's books may also incorporate modern technology or be computerised books.22

22en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactive_children%27s_book

There are many genres in Interactive books such as…

* Volvelles (Paper wheels, fastened to a leaf so that the discs spin independently) * Pop-up Books

* Flap Books

* Trail Books

* Pull Tab Books

* Toy Books

* Touch & Feel Books

* Colouring Books (most famous and probably oldest of them all) Each of these books performs in a different manner.

Sure, there is a huge competition from Digital books to these Paper/Board books, but the marvelous books on this list require kids to participate in the act of reading in such a way that would put any iPad app book or Mobile app to aside. According to Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine found that use of interactive screen time under 30 months could also impair a child’s development of the skills needed for math and science.So turn off that electronic device and open an interactive picture book.

I think, ‘Interactive’ doesn’t just mean touching, although almost all of these books require touching. It means “participation required.” And this is why contribution in more interesting and attentive picture books for toddlers has a tremendous scope.

7. 2. Bilingual books

Children’s books play an important role in children’s literacy development because they offer opportunities to expand children’s awareness beyond their own places, to see reflections of themselves, their own culture and experiences, and invite them to build bridges to cultures unlike their own. Bilingual books, also known as dual language books, written for children can lead to cross-cultural understandings, and can foster empathy and new perspectives (Botelho& Rudman, 2009, USING BILINGUAL BOOKS TO ENHANCE LITERACY AROUND THE WORLD)

‘Tulika Books’ publication’s Radhika Menon (Publisher) and Sandhya Rao (writer) talks about ‘why bilingual books?’ in the article written for ‘Revive’magazine. Today, there is no getting away from the global power of the English language, its being promoted in top gear. As far as the status of literacy and empowerment among the majority population in India, instead of resisting the language we believe that it serves our children well to be brought right into its embrace. Bilingual learning / teaching / reading makes it possible to access the ‘foreign’language through one’s own mother or first language.

The most important thing to notice, that Indians are naturally multilingual. So, when we advocate bilingual books, we are only reinforcing and working upon our strengths.

* Bilingual books encourage parents to read in their home language. * Bilingual books build vocabulary in both languages.

* Bilingual books help children feel included in stories and illustrations. * Bilingual books highlight other cultures.

This is why bilingual texts for learning language, one from the other, works most effectively for the young learners. In India there is an immense scope for bilingual books as there could be a big number for translated books in different languages. Keeping the globalised language English as primary, translations in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam etc. has a future in this picture book category.

Besides, the reader has two books for the price of one! :-D

8. Conclusion

The Picture books used to fascinate me even before I started exploring this topic. The more I researched my involvement in picture books has turned into passion tremendously. I discovered utilising the picture books developtoddler’s vocabulary.

Research has found that reading pictures books to toddlers is one of the most important activities for developing the knowledge required for ultimate success in reading. Picture books reading to early learners has been found to be related to language growth, enhancing literacy and reading achievement. In addition, reading to toddlers also stimulates them to read books themselves and further develop their cognitive skills.Although studies have shown an association between picture book and reading outcomes, vocabulary development has much to explore.

This study examines the effect of parental reading to children in their earlylife on the child’s own reading and other developing skills. The research approach and analysis controls for a wide range of child, parent, household and childcare characteristics.

The study shows that there is an important role for parents in the development and educational performance of their children. Parental reading to children increases the child’s reading and other cognitive skills at least up to the age of 10-11 years. Book reading sessions develop the parent-child bond.

The research enlarges the very important role of teachers being guide to their early learners. The importance of reading over writing should not be neglected by any teacher. Study indicates reading to toddler’s effect on future schooling outcomes along with educational success, cultural awareness and environmental sensibilities.

As a parent we do so many things for our child’s betterment. I feel Picture books are an early-life investment that seems to be beneficial for the rest of ourtoddler’s life.

9. Table of Figures

Figure 1 : Board Books.............................................................................................. 6 Figure 2 : Concept Books.......................................................................................... 7 Figure 3 : Easy Reader Books.................................................................................... 7 Figure 4 : N0n-Fiction Books.................................................................................... 8 Figure 5 : Wordless Book.......................................................................................... 8 Figure 6 : Charts of constructive statistics of Parents............................................... 15 Figure 7 : Charts of constructive statistics of Teachers............................................. 18 Figure 8 : Book presentation.................................................................................... 21 Figure 9 : Picture Book created practically as study................................................. 22 Figure 10 : Alphabets Book..................................................................................... 22 Figure 11 : Numbers Book ...................................................................................... 22 Figure 12 : Picture Book created practically as study............................................... 23 Figure 13 : Book Jacket for set of books.................................................................. 23 Figure 14 : First Picture Book.................................................................................. 30 Figure 15 : Illustration from First Picture Book ....................................................... 30 Figure 16 : Early mid 20th century .......................................................................... 31 Figure 17 : Development Chart of Toddlers............................................................. 36

10. Bibliography

• Articles

• (2009). In S. B. Dwyer, ‘Missing in action: Vocabulary instruction in pre-K’. The Reading Teacher.

• Hughes, C. (Nov 1, 2015). ‘The Social, Emotional & Physical Development of Infants’.

• Neuman&Dwyer. (Feb , 2009). The Reading Teacher Vol. 62, No. 5. • Shari Butler, K. U. (2010). ‘A Review of the Current Research on Vocabulary Instruction’. National Reading Technical Assistance Center, 1-19. • Thomas, K. (June 13, 2017). Define Physical Development’.

• Books

• Alqahtani, M. (2015). ‘The Importance of Vocabulary in Language learning and how to be taught’ .

• (2008). In J. I. Blachowicz, ‘What Reading Teachers Say About Vocabular Instruction: Voices From the Classroom’.

• Blake, N. L. (2014). Small Talk. The experiment.

• Catherine E. Snow, M. S. (199). Preventing reading difficulties in young children. The agents of change.

• (2012). In M. S. Martin Salisbury, Children's Picturebooks: The Art of Visual Storytelling (p. 192). Laurence King Publishing .

• (2012). In M. Montessori, The Absorbent Mind.

• Snow, L. W. (August 2000). What teachers need to know about language. • Interview

• Dr. Anjali Gokarn. Paediatrician, Child development specialist, January 20, 2018 | 4.30pm | Location: Clinic, vasai

• Mrs. SheetalKoradkar. Centre Head & Teacher, The Learning Curve February 03, 2018 | 11.30am | Location: The Learning Curve, Vasai

• Websites

• https://www.aap.org/en-us/Pages/Default.aspx

• http://gravitybread.com/books-and-mealtime/read-it-again-why-repeated book-readings-can-help-your-child/

• http://www.earlyliteracylearning.org/cellreviews/cellreviews_v5_n5.pdf • en.wikipedia.org

• http://www.prattlibrary.org/research/tools/index.aspx?cat=99&id=4554) • www.care.com/c/stories/3370/social-development-in-infancy/en-gb/ • www.kamloopschildrenstherapy.org/social-emotional-toddler-milestones. • www.beingtheparent.com/motor-cognitive-skills-development • www.med-health.net/Cognitive-Developmental-Milestones

• https://www.livestrong.com/article/148320-the-social-emotional-physical development-of-infants/

• www.beingtheparent.com/speech-and-language-developmental-milestones • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picture_book

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picture_book

• http://www.prattlibrary.org/research/tools/index.aspx?cat=99&id=4554 • https://getfreadom.com/blog/the-importance-of-picture-books/

• https://www.parents.com/baby/development/talking/9-ways-to-help-your childs-language development/

• http://www.njsteps.com/faq/parents-role-in-speech-and-language development/

• (Stanford Report, October 15, 2013,

https://news.stanford.edu/news/2013/october/fernald-vocab-development 101513.html).

• (www.panworldeducation.com /2017/03/22/role-of-parents-in-early childhood-development/).

• www.cceionline.com/newsletters/August_08.html

• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactive_children%27s_book

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Importance of Picture books on vocabulary development of toddlers

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