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Early Literacy - Essential Components
The following components of early or emergent literacy are based in research.
Parents/Adults/Caregivers talk and sing to infants and children - The quantity of words is as important as the richness of language. Children who have been spoken to more often than other children show a broader vocabulary, less restricted grammar and better overall school performance including reading. Song picture books help to build literacy familiarity and enjoyment, provide repetition and predictability, expand vocabulary and knowledge of story structure while promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills. 1, 7, 8
Adults read aloud to children in a positive social environment - Early literacy happens in interaction and in relationships.1, 4, 6, 8
An early exposure to positive literacy experiences and opportunities - Early readers generally come from environments where reading can be observed. Children are more likely to imitate models who are similar to them and are respected members of their community. Responsiveness to young children´s initial efforts builds language and literacy skills.1, 2, 4, 5, 8
A physical environment that supports literacy learning - Authentic reading and writing materials surround young children wherever they go with many opportunities and encouragement to manipulate these objects. A loft, tent, corner with pillows, rocking chair, or another designated "reading place" can indicate the importance of reading as a very special activitiy.1, 8
Development of early literacy skills, including opportunities to build skills in the child´s own language - 3, 5, 8
Early Literacy Skills Cited by Zero to Three:
- Book Handling Behaviors
- Behaviors related to a child´s physical manipulation or handling of books, such as page turning and chewing.
- Looking and Recognizing
- Behaviors related to how children pay attention to and interact with pictures in books, such as gazing at pictures or laughing at a favorite picture.
- Behaviors that show recognition of and beginning understanding of pictures in books, such as pointing to pictures of familiar objects.
- Picture and Story Comprehension
- Behaviors that show a child´s understanding of pictures and events in a book, such as imitating an action seen in a picture or talking about the events in a story.
- Story-Reading Behaviors
- Behaviors that include children´s verbal interactions with books and their increasing understanding of print in books, such as babbling in imitation of reading or running fingers along printed words.
Early Literacy Skills cited by Starting Out Right, A Guide to Promoting Reading Success:
- Extended Vocabulary and Language Development
- Phonological Awareness
- Speech Discrimination
- Knowledge of Narrative
- Book and Print Awareness
- Functions of Print
- Print Concepts
- Letter and Early Word Recognition
- Comprehension
- Literacy as a Source of Enjoyment
Opportunities for children to have access to books and other print materials - Children´s early experiences with children´s books are among the most significant correlates with their success in learning to read in school. 4, 9
Literacy experiences that build on children´s interests and active participation - Learning is facilitated when children have opportunities which enable the child to be an active participant, regardless of whether the activity is listening, looking or speaking. 4, 8
Literacy experiences that respond to each child as an individual, while supporting and respecting gender, culture, language, ethnicity, and family composition - 4, 5, 8
Early Literacy
1 Effective Strategies for Emergent Literacy, Sharon Rosenkoetter, Ph.D., Associate Professor, OSU Human Development & Family Sciences
2 A Toddler´s Life: Becoming a Person, Marilyn Schatz (1994). New York: Oxford University Press
3 What is Early Literacy?, from BrainWonders, a collaborative project of ZERO TO THREE, Erikson Institute and Boston University School of Medicine.
4 Preschool Education Through Public Libraries, Steven Herb, PhD, Penn State University, University Park, PA
5 Training Guides for the Head Start Learning Community: Emerging Literacy: Linking Social Competence to Learning, Head Start Information & Publication Center,
6 Phonics and Word Accuracy, Topic 3, F. Hiebert, P.D. Pearson, B.M. Taylor, V. Richardson, and S. Paris, Ann Arbor, MI: Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement
7 Using song Picture books to support emergent literacy, M.R. Jalongo and D. Ribblett (1997), Childhood Education, 74 (1), 15-22.
8 Starting Out Right: A Guide to Promoting Children´s Reading Success, National Research Council, National Academy Press, National Academy Press, 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20418
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