As a grade one teacher, I found the following quote very interesting. From my observations of young learners, I completely agree. Text that children read is represented in so many different ways, such as Pokémon cards, and their interest must be hooked.
“Children’s literature today embodies cues for reading that extend beyond the letters and words on the page, demanding interpretation and interaction with the text beyond the de- coding of print. The computerization of type design and the photomechanical printing technologies available today make it easier for words to look like anything, appearing anywhere on the page in any color, size, or shape. Graphics add to the meaning or even are the meaning, causing readers to focus on symbols and signs and visual designs, cues often unrelated to the alphabetic writing system of language placed in print” (Hammerberg, 2001, p. 207).
"Sending a message beyond the words that not all is black and white" (Hammerberg, 2001, p.207).
Reference:
Hammerberg, D. (2001). Reading and writing “Hypertextually”: Children’s literature, technology, and early writing instruction. Language Arts, 78(3), 207-216. Retrieved from ERIC database. (EJ619540)
The notion of “font” cannot be underestimated. The way text is represented can intrigue and interest a young reader. It can also change the way one expresses themselves to others. The idea of “font” for me gained important in school when we were allowed to work with Word to represent our ideas. It later became much more important in school when we we were writing papers and creating resumes. Different styles of text can change the message one is trying to portray.
Hi Iris,
Thank you for your comment. I would argue that the quote above could be applied to adults as well in this day and age. I believe that Graphic Design plays an important role in text. Last night I was at Chapters and was noticing some classic books (Dracula, To Kill a Mockingbird) that have been re-released with redesigned and eye-catching covers.
Camille