In this article, we "think with" theories of affect and transmedial storytelling to explore the cruel optimism that standardised reading pedagogies (e.g. read alouds; leveled readers/independent reading) can produce for readers. We draw on particular moments in a first grade classroom to argue that such pedagogies transmit…

This study was an investigation into the ways in which two classes of six- and seven-year-old children in Hawaii talked about the media. The children were shown video clips from a variety of media and asked to respond both orally and in writing. The qualitative data gathered in this study were researcher notes, video and audio-taped focus group…

In this article, the author describes an exciting project, written for first-graders, wherein students got to put themselves into their art using a camera and just one computer. In this project, students were challenged to invent their own fantasy place where anything could happen. Using the camera, the author took their picture in their chosen…

This arts-based research illustrates how young children engage in "graphic-narrative play"--a personal fantasy-based experience depicted on paper--while representing imaginary worlds centered on the topic, "what the future will be like". The descriptions show how the children not only made representations, but also manipulated…

Existing theories of early career development among elementary-aged children consistently describe a process during which the career aspirations of children become increasingly reality-based and specific. The theories differ, however, regarding the specific nature of the process and the age at which children progress through various stages.…