INTRODUCTION A literacy-rich environment in a pre-school should emphasize the importance of speaking, reading, and writing in the learning of all

the students. This involves the selection of materials that will facilitate language and literacy opportunities; reflection and thought regarding classroom design; and intentional instruction and facilitation by teachers and students. In this paper I have designed a classroom to allow my students to explore the elements of literacy. The literacy rich environment emphasizes the importance of speaking, reading, and writing in the learning of all students. This involves the selection of materials that will facilitate language and literacy opportunities, because literacy-rich environments can be individualized to meet student's needs, I am able to create both independent and directed activities to enhance understanding of concept of print and word, linguistic and phonemic awareness, and vocabulary development. All of this occurs in a concrete setting giving students multiple opportunities to gain the skills necessary to participate in the general education curriculum. For example, books, technology, manipulative materials, art projects, and explorative activities which can be used around a central theme.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Reading in the EFL classroom takes many forms, but is often used as a way of introducing grammar or vocabulary items. The teaching of reading has found its way into many classes, but often just in terms of teaching (or practicing) techniques such as skimming and scanning. In some classes students are asked to read out loud, turning what is fundamentally a private receptive activity into a more public and productionorientated activity. This type of reading is often decried as not being realistic. However, that isnt really the case as there are often instances in real life when we read things out to each other (bedtime reading to children, reading a short article out at the breakfast table, reading a menu at a restaurant for example, when we find something interesting or when we want to discuss what we might eat or drink). Another thing we must remember is that many people claim that they do not read much in their own language. In fact this isnt really the case. Its simply that most people equate reading with reading novels and long texts, whereas we spend a lot of time reading in our L1 (first language) we read instructions, recipes, messages (especially text messages), emails, information about whats on TV, etc. So, for whatever reason and in whatever way we do reading in the class, reading is not uncommon. But what exactly is reading At the most basic level reading is the recognition of words. From simple recognition of the individual letters and how these letters form a particular word to what each word means not just on an individual level, but as part of a text. In English, as in many other languages, different combinations of the same letters can be used to form different words with completely different meanings. Recognition of the actual word is not enough on its own to constitute reading. Understanding what we are reading is the key and is certainly the main point of teaching reading in a class. Its not much good if our students simply stare at a text. Understanding a text is quite a complex issue. There are a number of reasons why we read and this will often influence what we read and how we read it. We might read for pleasure. In this case it is most likely that

we will be reading a book of some sort, maybe a novel, or perhaps a poem. We could also be reading the lyrics to a song and our reasons for reading it may be slightly more complex than simply for pleasure. We could be reading it because we have heard the song, but didnt quite catch the words. In other words, there might be multiple reasons why someone might read a text. But working out the purpose is a key factor when it comes to teaching reading. Why we are reading something will make a difference to how we read it, and in what depth. We must also bear in mind the purpose of the text from the writers point of view. Somebody wrote the text and they had a reason for doing so. It could be that the writers and the readers reasons are the same, or similar. But it is equally possible that the two have different purposes. The writer has a message they want to convey and they encode this message in the words and style they choose. The reader then tries to decode the message by reading the same words. This encoding and decoding doesnt simply exist on the level of meaning, but also on the level of why the text was written. At first glance the question seems rather silly. Of course reading isnt different, whatever language you are reading in. The text might be written using a different alphabet or characters, it might be written from right to left, or bottom to top, but fundamentally the same processes are going on. Well, at one level this is certainly true, but it may well be that we are not really conscious or aware of how we are reading in our own language. Reading was a skill we developed as we grew up and as we became acquainted with different types of text. Once we start seeing these texts in a foreign language we are unable to decode the message. The problem is probably not that we are not using the correct techniques, but that we are unable to recognize the words and meaning. This causes us a big problem. The problem is that we begin to panic. We start to try and use different techniques and strategies to understand the text. We start to read every word in a way that we wouldnt if the text was in our L1. We start to focus on aspects of the text, such as grammatical construction, something we probably wouldnt do if it was in our L1.

By doing this we find reading difficult and we become frustrated. So, it might not be that reading is inherently different between L1 and L2, but that doesnt negate the fact that we probably have to teach (and relearn) all the strategies we already employ when reading a text in L1. When we are teaching reading in class we have to begin by asking ourselves a series of questions in order to make the lesson as effective as possible. It is not good enough to just hand the students a text with a set of questions, ask them to read the text and answer the questions and think that we are actually teaching them something. Any learning that takes place in such a lesson will be incidental and not because of the teaching. So, planning our reading lesson is essential, and we need to make sure that our aims are clear and that the text and tasks are appropriate. In many cases we can relate our questions to what we do in real life with the type of text we choose. In other words, what do we read in real-life situations? Why do we read these texts? What is the purpose of the writer and of the reader (us in this case)? How do we read the text in order to get what we need from it? So when we teach how to read the text in class we want to try and replicate as much of the real situation as possible. Firstly we need to give the students information as to where they are, what their destination is, etc. We may also want to focus their attention on the context and we could use a short listening text where someone is doing exactly what they will do trying to find their train. Finally, we can give them a copy of the timetable and a short time limit in which to find the relevant information. The way we read the texts is different because the purpose is different. The strategies we employ are designed to get the information we want from the text in the most effective way. It is not simply a matter of skimming or scanning, but a set of far more complex things.

Therefore, in the classroom, we need to mirror these real-life texts and strategies. We need to help our students use the right approaches to reading even if the language is new or difficult. To do this we need to ask questions and promote awareness, and not simply employ basic comprehension questions that often focus on language rather than on the skill of reading.

IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A LITERACY RICH ENVIRONMENT Some students who begin pre-school struggle with literacy experiences. Creating a literacy rich environment in school enriches literacy experiences of students who may have limited exposure to literacy. Making literacy a part of the environment and ensuring that all children have access to the general education curriculum. Teachers assess the abilities and challenges of students, then problem solve to determine what opportunities will best meet the needs of these students. Specific recommendations for alterations in the environment are best made on an individual basis and with consultation of special educators and related service providers. As teachers design their learning environment, it is essential that they consider the diverse needs and skills of the students they teach. As they integrate the skills and background of their diverse students, teachers should ensure that each student is represented in their classroom design and instruction. They can individualize the environment to meet the needs of students and ensure appropriate opportunities to participate in literacy activities are consistently available. Literacy activities provide them with opportunities to create connections between oral and written language, thereby gaining access to the general education curriculum.

As a whole, having a literacy rich environment benefits students because they learn by what is all around them and a Literacy rich classroom inspires and teaches. A

stimulating environment is therefore one of the key elements in the successful development of literacy- talking & listening, reading and writing. The literacy rich classroom serves as a means to build the basic skills necessary for literacy development by demonstrating to students the function and utility of language in an intentional, purposeful, and intensive way. While many students come to school with exposure to literacy in their everyday lives, students who may not have access or exposure benefit from the instruction and intensity provided by teachers in this setting. Given the support of this environment, students are better prepared to work on other literacy skills including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

MY DESIGN AND IMPLICATIONS In the pre-school class, I have created a literacy rich environment that can meet the needs of my students learning. Literacy corners that I have set up, helps my students to improve skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing.

(A) Fantasy World The Fantasy World Corner has teaching aids such as puppets, props, flash cards and story books which pupils can access for their role play. My students are insecure, full of passionate energy and have a need to let the creative images racing through their minds out. Often times the wild play that preschoolers can engage in comes from the need to externalize their imagination. As a teacherI have found the best way to help a child reach their full creative self is to guide them through different theatre plays. Age appropriate plays help the child to explore the depths of their own creations as well as open themselves up to the ideas and thoughts of others. Theatre plays work for all types of children. Introverted children find that it's okay to express their voice in role playing while active children learn to focus their thoughts

and urges in a refined manner. The great thing about theatre play is that they are simply fun for all, even the teacher. The children have absolutely no idea what is happening to them. It is a wonderful thing to watch a child "come out of their shell" so to speak or to be able to express an image that they see in their head or just simply feel understood.

(B) Phonetic Factory Phonetic world is a corner where pupils have access to phonetic learning materials such as vowel cards, consonant cards, grammar worksheets, rhymes and chants.

Talking, listening, singing, rhythm and rhyme are all important for children's language development. Learning phonics will encourage mystudents to talk and use more and more relevant language. Bywaiting a little bit for my students to learn phonicsand reply allows them to think about what has been said, gather their thoughts and frame their replies.I can use phoneme cards to introduce the letters and their sounds. I can show a card to my students and say the sound. They can say it as well. This will help to build a link between a letter and its associated sound. And, of course, most children enjoy listening to nursery rhymes, either sung or spoken.

Getting my students to distinguish between different types of sounds is also helpful. Doing these activities with my students will also help to increase their attention span another important step in preparing to learn phonics.

(C) Big Book Corner Big Book Corner is a corner where pupils can read big books which are

hanging and they canread the big books using magic pen. The big book approach will able my students to read English before they have complete oral control of the language" and that "even children who speak no or very little English can read some of the print in their environment and are using that reading to increase their English". Since each of the language processes support and inform each other, my idea is to immerse the child in a literacy-rich environment so that learning can occur naturally. There is no better way to motivate a child to want to learn another language than through an approach that makes reading functional and therefore irresistible - all children love a good story. Through this method, my students are able learn about the conventions of the written language through appreciation of the stories, songs, nursery rhymes and poems which can be found in the big book. The learners of English in my classroom come from homes which are not rich in 'English' print and thus these children have seldom experienced the benefits of shared reading. Using the Big Book approach in the classroom is an excellent way of making up for this 'lost' experience. Another attractive feature of the Big Book is that it lends itself more readily to being self-produced by children. This is a bonus in my classroom because it overcomes the problems of availability of suitable material as well as the cost factor. In addition, stories which are written in English can be adapted to suit local conditions - 'The Three Little Pigs" can become "The Three Little Goats" in an Islamic environment or the Little Red Hen can make "roti canai" (a kind of bread cooked on the griddle) out of the wheat flour instead of bread! Another source can be the children's favourite stories in their first language. These stories which can be easily translated into simple English by the teacher give the children a sense of familiarity with the otherwise 'foreign' material. Finally, some adaptations in the actual use of' the Big Book are necessary in my classroom. In the early stages, children who are not very fluent in English should not be prevented from using their first language for asking questions, making predictions or engaging in general discussions. By the same token, accuracy need not be overemphasized at this stage. Eventually the exposure afforded by the Big Book

approach enables the students to acquire enough fluency to use the English language confidently.

(D)Electrical Iron Flower pots Electrical Iron Flower Pots is a section where small plastic flower pots are hanged with flash cards and pictures which helps students to learn literature. Howard Gardner's multiple intelligence theory reminds teachers that there are many types of learners within any one class. Gardner's research indicates that teachers should aim to appeal to all the different learner types at some point during the course. It is particularly important to appeal to visual learners, as a very high proportion of learners have this type of intelligence. Flash cards can be bright and colourful and make a real impact on visual learners. For children at reading age, I use flash cards which are cards that display the written word. The word cards on the flower potsare introduced well after the pictorial cards.These flash cards are really handy resource materials which improve my students literacy level. They are a great way to present, practise and recycle vocabulary. I can use these flash cards for memory, drilling and identification activities. Flashcards exercise the mental process of my students learning ability. Flashcards are a great learning tool to build their English vocabulary because they play with the students visual memory. It is often easier for my students to memorize vocabulary words by connecting a picture with a meaning. Electrical Iron Flower pot is an effective way of teaching literacy.

(E)Audio Visual Corner

Audio Visual corner is a corner which provides the teacher and children the access to OHP, DVD and Screen.

In my classroom, the audio visual corner plays an important role in creating the literacy rich environment. They are the best motivators. My students learn with more interest and are more attentive. They help to reduce verbalism which is a major weakness of my students. audio visual aids convey the same meaning as words mean. They give clear concepts and thus help to bring accuracy in learning. Clear images are formed when my students see, hear, touch, taste and smell as our experiences are direct, concrete and more or less permanent. Learning through the senses becomes the most natural and consequently the easiest. Everyone agrees to the fact that the first hand experience is the best type of educative experience but such an experience cannot always be provided to the pupils an so in some situations certain substitutes have to be provided. For this I find a large number of inaccessible objects and phenomenon. For example not all my students have the experience of visiting Kuala Lumpur . In such cases audio-visual aids provide them the best substitutes. Audio-Visual aids provide variety and provide different tool s in the hands of the teacher.The use of audio-visual aids provide various occasions for the students to move about, talk, laugh and comment upon. Under such an atmosphere the students work because they want to work and not because I (the teacher) want them to work. The use of audio-visual aids provides immense opportunities to the pupils to see, handle and manipulate things thus becoming an important part of my literacy rich classroom.

(F) Touch Screen Computer Table

The touch screen computer table in my literacy rich classroom provides the Students with easy internet access any time during the lesson. The touch screen provide them easy handling when they access the internet. This makes teaching literacy learning process more interesting and fun for the students. The effective use of ICT in English literacy lessons in my classroom offers thepotential to transform teaching and learning.Computers can make teaching more effective and more fun for the pupils. It providesmy students with unique opportunities to assist and progress literacy and allow me to access a wide range of information in various formats. Using ICT to teach literacy in my classroom allows students to access to a wide range of information in different formats. The pupils can engage directly with the area of literacy they are focusing on.Some software is able to assess the children's work and provide useful information.Using a large screen or overhead projector I can focus the children's attention on different aspects of the text. The number of activities and resources related to literacy which students can access is enormous. My students can also engage with text in ways not possible with paper based materials. Pupils can experience the interrelated nature of differentareas of language - speaking and listening, writing and reading.Pupils can focus on the contentsat different levels - word, sentence and text level. The development of reading and writing can be enhanced through simulations, email, fax, the Internet, interactive books etc.