Bradley students host St. Mark’s Primary School for Literacy Fiesta

11/03/2014 10:58 AM

By Danielle Fitch ‘15

Children from St. Mark’s Primary School in Peoria spent a day of active learning at Bradley. The Literacy Fiesta creates an environment in which children engage literature through discussion and activities directed by Bradley’s English Language Learners and Children’s Literature courses.

Students were able to test their skills in group management and reinforce skills needed for engaging young minds in educational material. Dr. Heljä Antola Crowe and Dr. Sherrie Pardieck direct the event.

“Many of our students are pre-service teachers in the fields of special education, elementary education, and early childhood education,” Pardieck said. “This event gives them an opportunity to lead guided discussions about literature much like they would be doing in the professional world.”

Students in kindergarten through fourth grade were given opportunities to explore a variety of topics and works and authors from Curious George and Dr. Seuss to Judy Blume and Harry Potter. Each station invited children to perform a creative activity that coincided with topics or themes present in a specific book or story. At the Harry Potter table, groups learned through technology with a PowerPoint presentation about the author, J.K. Rowling, and sparked their creativity by coming up with names and powers for their very own mythical pets.

Children identified with familiar books and learned about books they have yet to read as they traveled through an afternoon of activities focused on their understanding of popular literature. Bradley students provided snacks and the children had a fun music group where they were even able to play instruments.

The Literacy Fiesta occurs biannually. During the spring semester, Bradley students will travel to present their knowledge of literature on a much larger scale.