What is Emergent Literacy? Sarah Brewer EDRD 630

What is Emergent Literacy? Literacy learning begins at birth. Children learn and are influenced through the modeling and scaffolding provided by those who surround the learner. *Literacy learning begins at birth; before formal literacy instruction is even presented. *Social context of literacy learning is significant. Children learn and are influenced through the modeling and scaffolding provided by those who surround the learner. Mason, J.M., & Sinha, S. (1993). Emerging literacy in the early childhood years: Applying a Vygotskian model of learning and development. In B. Spodek (Eds.), Handbook of research on the education of young children (pp. 137-150). New York, NY: Macmillan

What is Emergent Literacy? Students are active constructivists and participants in their own learning. Literacy experiences should be meaningful, language rich and child-centered. *Students are active constructivists and participants in their own learning. *To foster literacy learning and development, literacy experiences should be meaningful, language rich and child-centered. Mason, J.M., & Sinha, S. (1993). Emerging literacy in the early childhood years: Applying a Vygotskian model of learning and development. In B. Spodek (Eds.), Handbook of research on the education of young children (pp. 137-150). New York, NY: Macmillan

All aspects of literacy such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening are interconnected. *All aspects of literacy such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening are interconnected and are essential in the development of one another. Mason, J.M., & Sinha, S. (1993). Emerging literacy in the early childhood years: Applying a Vygotskian model of learning and development. In B. Spodek (Eds.), Handbook of research on the education of young children (pp. 137-150). New York, NY: Macmillan

How is literacy developed before formal instruction? Parents and caregivers influence literacy development by modeling how to read, write, speak and listen as soon as they are born. In addition, children acquire certain attitudes and beliefs about literacy based on their models’ examples. *Parents and caregivers begin influencing children’s literacy development by modeling how to read, write, speak and listen as soon as they are born. *In addition, children acquire certain attitudes and beliefs about literacy based on their models’ examples. This can have both positive and negative effects on their literacy development depending on the attitudes and beliefs transferred. Snow, C., Burns, S., & Griffin, P. (1998). Preventing reading difficulties before kindergarten. In C. Snow, S. Burns, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Preventing reading difficulties in young children (pp. 137-171). National Research Council.

How is literacy developed before formal instruction? Positive literacy practices, beliefs and attitudes that parents and caregivers model include: reading aloud various forms of text and discussing aspects of the text making lists writing and/or saying directions reading/writing for enjoyment print rich environment with presence of magnetic refrigerator letters, posters, newspapers, magazines, books and other kinds of environmental print mealtime conversations singing songs or chanting rhymes that are familiar performing a variety of purposeful literacy acts that show its functionality Snow, C., Burns, S., & Griffin, P. (1998). Preventing reading difficulties before kindergarten. In C. Snow, S. Burns, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Preventing reading difficulties in young children (pp. 137-171). National Research Council.

What can emergent literacy look like? Babies make sounds that imitate talking, read gestures and facial expressions Begin to associate frequently heard words with their referents (mommy, daddy, doll, bottle) Begin to recognize symbol systems and their uses Reading from memorization Knowledge that print has meaning Mama! National Association for the Education of Young Children (1998). Learning to read and write: Developmentally appropriate practices for young children. A joint position statement of the International Reading Association (IRA) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Young children, 30-46.

What can emergent literacy look like? Drawing Scribbling Letterlike forms Letter strings Inventive spelling Conventional spelling Development of Writing Writing is developmental: drawing to scribbling to letter like forms to letter strings to invented spelling to conventional spelling May not necessarily develop in above sequential order. May not necessarily develop in above sequential order. Morrow, L.M. (2005). Chapter 7: Writing, Spelling, and Literacy Development. In L.M. Morrow (Ed.) Literacy development in the early years: Helping children read and write. New York: Pearson.

How can you foster emergent literacy in your classroom? Provide a meaningful print rich environment in which to learn: word wall, posters, student work, labeling, letters Promote phonemic awareness: ability to hear the individual sounds or phonemes in a word Provide a meaningful print rich environment in which to learn: word wall, posters, student work, labeling, letters Promote phonemic awareness: ability to hear the individual sounds or phonemes in a word National Association for the Education of Young Children (1998). Learning to read and write: Developmentally appropriate practices for young children. A joint position statement of the International Reading Association (IRA) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Young children, 30-46.

How can you foster emergent literacy in your classroom? Reading aloud various genres of text and discussing literary elements Shared/repeated readings Buddy reading Choral reading Individual reading Reading workshop Reading aloud various genres of text and discussing literary elements Shared/repeated readings Buddy reading Choral reading Individual reading Reading workshop National Association for the Education of Young Children (1998). Learning to read and write: Developmentally appropriate practices for young children. A joint position statement of the International Reading Association (IRA) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Young children, 30-46.

How can you foster emergent literacy in your classroom? Shared writing Dictated/transcribed writing: concept of word Daily writing Journaling Writing workshop Shared writing Dictated/transcribed writing: concept of word Daily writing Journaling Writing workshop National Association for the Education of Young Children (1998). Learning to read and write: Developmentally appropriate practices for young children. A joint position statement of the International Reading Association (IRA) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Young children, 30-46.

How can you foster emergent literacy in your classroom? Phonics instruction (singing songs, rhyming, word play, word sorts) Vocabulary development through previewing and listening to stories Oral language development Listening and computer stations Dramatic play Phonics instruction (singing songs, rhyming, word play, word sorts) Vocabulary development through previewing and listening to stories Oral language development Listening and computer stations Dramatic play National Association for the Education of Young Children (1998). Learning to read and write: Developmentally appropriate practices for young children. A joint position statement of the International Reading Association (IRA) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Young children, 30-46.

References Mason, J.M., & Sinha, S. (1993). Emerging literacy in the early childhood years: Applying a Vygotskian model of learning and development. In B. Spodek (Eds.), Handbook of research on the education of young children (pp. 137-150). New York, NY: Macmillan Morrow, L.M. (2005). Chapter 7: Writing, Spelling, and Literacy Development. In L.M. Morrow (Ed.) Literacy development in the early years: Helping children read and write. New York: Pearson. National Association for the Education of Young Children (1998). Learning to read and write: Developmentally appropriate practices for young children. A joint position statement of the International Reading Association (IRA) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Young children, 30-46. Snow, C., Burns, S., & Griffin, P. (1998). Preventing reading difficulties before kindergarten. In C. Snow, S. Burns, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Preventing reading difficulties in young children (pp. 137-171). National Research Council.