Saving Literacy

An emphasis on scribbles and drawing as important brain-building behavior makes this book's Neuroconstructive theory of child development and Scribbling/Drawing/Writing practice unique. A child's brain builds itself in response to genetics, DNA codes, and the environment. One of the pre-determined ways a child's brain naturally builds itself is by scribbling and drawing. Seemingly formless scribbles both indicate and organize a very special kind of brain activity called symbolic reasoning, or the ability to think using marks. This activity called scribbling prepares the child to "do" mathematics, compose music, write books, create art, and conduct and record scientific experiments. I coined the term "Neuroconstructive" in my 1990 dissertation. Neuroconstructive theory proposes that the infant's and child's physical, emotional and mental life influence brain growth. Activities can be constructive or destructive. This book proposes that toddlers' scribbles are especially constructive, accessing and organizing special brain patterns for speech and literacy. (Contains 115 footnotes, a list of the children appearing in the book, and a list of resources.).