Early Literacy with a Smile

Early literacy is a prelude to reading and writing as children gradually become aware that:

Pictures and squiggles on a page are different
Written words on each page have meaning
Letters join up to form words
Letters have names and sounds that go with them.

There are many different skills that make up early literacy. They all develop gradually as the child develops and are finely connected to developing language, speech and communication skills.

“The brain’s reading systems are intricately connected to its system for learning language with both ideally developing together.” – Dr. J. Richard Gentry

Nurturing Early Literacy

Early literacy skills are also called “emergent”, “foundational” or “precursor” literacy skills. In the future, they will help children learn to read easily in the early grades of school. We nurture early literacy in young children, when we encourage:

Good speaking skills and language acquisition
Auditory perception skills
Visual perception skills
Children’s drawings and early writing

Happy Experiences Shape Early Literacy

The best way to help children develop early literacy skills is to create opportunities to promote them in children’s daily activities, interactions and experiences:

Talking, communicating, singing, rhyming and learning through play
Reading to children and encouraging them to tell their own stories
Engaging in active, exploratory and imaginative play.

Fun learning activities in a joyful, balanced day develop early literacy knowledge while children are happily unaware of the pressure to learn.

Enhancing Literacy Development

Literacy Development begins at birth. Ages 0-3 are an important window for language acquisition and hearing the sounds of speech. During this time children refine many skills, they will use in the future in their reading and writing.

Promoting Early Literacy Skills

Early literacy skills begin to emerge between the ages of 3-5 when children become experts at using language as their speech development progresses. During this time children gradually discover connections between spoken language and print.

Orienting Children to Steps in Literacy

It is important to always keep in mind that promoting literacy in early childhood is orienting children to all the steps in reading and writing:

Children are not expected to master any of the skills before the start of school, simply to be aware of them.
Happy memories with books and reading help children ‘file’ all the important information for future use.

There is more to early literacy and reading readiness than ABCs.

References

Bennet-Armistead, S. V., (2009). Literacy-Building Play in Preschool: Lit Kits, Prop boxes, and Other Easy-to-make Tools to Boost Emergent Reading and Writing Skills Through Dramatic Play. Scholastic.

Links

DLTK’s Educational Activities, Children’s Songs, Fairy Tales & Nursery Rhymes