1. Emergent Literacy
Rachel Ostrye
July 14, 2011

2. Overview What is Emergent Literacy?
Reading Readiness vs. Emergent Literacy
Elements of Emergent Literacy
Language Acquisition & ELLs
Ideas & Resources for the Classroom

3. What is Emergent Literacy?
“Emergent literacy assumes that the child acquires some knowledge about language, reading, and writing before coming to school” (Morrow, 2009, p.24).
Literacy development is a process which starts at birth and progresses in stages
Emergent (Pre-K – K)
Beginner (K-1)
Transitional (2, early 3)
Intermediate (3-5)
Child-centered, Vygotsky, more exploration through experiences vs drills
Synchrony of development: reading, writing, spelling, language develop together, therefore instruction of each should be woven together
Sociolinguistic in that language learning affected by social interactions, models, surroundings
Focus on Emergent and Beginner today
(Morrow, 2009 & Ward, 2011)

4. What is Reading Readiness?
“wait and see”
Began in 1920s with developmental psychologist Gesell
Maturation is the most important factor in learning to read (Gesell)
Term “reading readiness” became popular in 1930s, 40s
Does not allow for differences in children
1 - Children mature at certain age, are not ready to read before
3- Delay teaching reading until specific skills (mason and sinha)
Focused on social, emotional physical dev
4 – popularity of testing increased
tested for specific skills that meant ready to read, teacher taught specific skills
one prepares for literacy by acquiring set of prescribed skills needed for learning to read
(Morrow, 2009)

5. The difference between…
Reading Readiness
Emergent Literacy
teacher driven
child-centered
behaviorism
sociolinguistic
Gesell
Vygotsky
pre-requisite skills - maturation
developmental
skill and drill
authentic, meaningful
focus on individual
focus on social context
mainly decoding
more than decoding
Briefly touch on
(Ward, 2011)

6. Elements of Emergent Literacy
Phonological awareness
Phonemic awareness
Phonics
Fluency
Vocabulary
Comprehension
Oral Language
Writing
Engagement and Motivation
Give a few moments to think about what you think these may be…take answers

7. Elements of Emergent Literacy
Phonological Awareness
Ability to attend to sound structure
Awareness of words, syllables, phonemes l
Emergent
Beginner
Phonological
Awareness
Rhyme & Alliteration
Phonemic Awareness
“awareness that the speech stream consists of a sequence of sounds” (Yopp & Yopp, 2000).
Phonemes in words
Word, Syllable
Both deal with sound – phonological includes phonemic
Phonological awareness of any size sound, phonemic specific to awareness of phonemes
Phonemic:
Type of phonological awareness, metalinguistic awareness
“one of most important foundations of reading success” Yopp
Should be focus on pre-K and K classrooms b/c necessary to read!
Poor PA core cause of poor reading, research says PA best predictor of achievement (Juel, 1988, class notes)
Onset Rime
Concept of Word
(Ward, 2011; Yopp & Yopp, 2000)

8. Elements of Emergent Literacy
Phonics
when letter names are attached to individual sounds
Alphabetic principle
Fluency
Involves rate, accuracy*, expression, phrasing, prosody
Related to concept of word
Comprehension
Tied to fluency
Ability to read or listen and understand text
Vocabulary
Words that can be defined
NOT sight words
Phonics: Depends on letter-sound recognition
Different types of instruction: Explicit, Analytic, Embedded, Analogy
Mention what these teachers use (Words Their Way, analytic)
Fluency: for emergent's/beginners, related to understanding of COW and CAP
Reading the spaces; involves decoding
SYNCHRONY (COW & fluency) development of one leads to the other
National Reading Panel Report 2000 says crucial for literacy development (Morrow p221)
Comprehension: Involves understanding the literal, interpreting meaning, evaluating and applying
continuously complex, difficult to asses
Vocabulary:
depth of understanding determine by ability to use
Should be flexible and accessible, 5 levels (don’t know  use in sentence)
Early # of vocab predicts future
(Flanigan, 2007; Morrow, 2009; Ward, 2011)

9. Elements of Emergent Literacy
Oral Language
Social experiences
Conversation is the primary learning vehicle for non-readers (Ward, 2011, class notes)
Engagement and Motivation
Engaged learning is purposeful learning
Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation
Writing
Develops in stages
Invented spelling is a “window” into child’s word knowledge (Flanigan, 2007)
Oral Lang: behaviorist (models) constructivist (through exploration in social experiences)
Morrow p.110
Writing: continuum, pretend, scribbles  invented spelling, etc.
Need time to explore
Important that they connect it with reading, not a stand-alone
Process over product!
Flanigan: spelling requires phonemic awareness, letter sound relationships, ability to put phonemes in order with letters on paper
Motivation: engaged learning is purposeful learning
(Flanigan, 2007; Ward, 2011)

10. Language Acquisition First Language Early years critical
Develops in stages
Fast mapping
Both
Develops in stages
Affected by need and motivation
Learn through:
Copying models
Exploration
Social interactions
Scaffolding
Positive interactions, reinforcement
Second Language
After age 3
Transfer from first
Code-switching
Combination of theories: behaviorist (model, reinforce)
Piaget/Vygotsky (experiences, extensions by models)
Constructivist (child constructs lang, doesn’t just copy; social context)
2nd Lang:
Transfer: this house is bigger vs. this house is more bigger - literal translation
Vocabulary struggles in both lang
Transfer of knowledge, just need to learn labels, not concepts
New should be meaningful
Social
(Barone & Morrow, 2003; Morrow, 2009, Ruddell & Ruddell, 1994)

11. Language Acquisition
“Children learn any language best within a rich and meaningful context in which (1) reading, writing, listening, and speaking are integrated and (2) learners use language for real communicative purposes rather than for doing language exercises” (Hong Zu, 2003, p.64).
Really, lang. acquisition process is similar for beginning learners, native speakers and ELL
In classroom, explicit teaching appropriate for all
May be little different, but overall similar strategies

12. Important Practices Balanced literacy approach
Read alouds & think alouds
Shared reading and writing
Time with books
Explicit phonics (Word Study)
Vocabulary instruction
Opportunities to talk and share
Whole group, small group, one-on-one
Model, model, model!
Formal and informal assessments that drive instruction
General overview of balance approached with emergent lit theory implemented
Relate to motivation and engagement also (mentioned before)
(Barone & Morrow, 2003; Mason & Sinha, 1993; Ward, 2011)

13. Ideas for the Classroom
Classroom library
Word Wall
Functional print around the room
Student work displayed
Experiences with books!
Listening to books
Writing about books
Conversations about books
Library – ABC, 123, wordless, pictures, read alouds, leveled
Word Wall – manipulative, dynamic, ongoing
Print – posters, labels, charts (I-charts, etc)
Experiences build understanding, comp, fluency
(Barone & Morrow, 2003; Morrow, 2009)

14. Ideas for the Classroom
Variety of meaningful phonological awareness, phonics, writing activities
Time for constructive conversation and interaction with peers
Content-based centers
Meaningful, authentic – not just worksheets, whole group, skill and drill
Conversation – builds oral lang which is key for other literacy skills
Content based – exploration, fun, experiences, CONVERSATION, teacher model
(Morrow 2009; Yopp & Yopp, 2000)

15. Ideas for English Language Learners
Value their culture
Understand their culture
Use visuals
Differentiate
Connect new to familiar
Use other languages in:
Classroom labels
Print resources
Read alouds
Allow “creation” in first language
Multidimensional vocabulary instruction
Responsive classroom
Teach, model, reinforce
Morning Meeting
Guided Discovery
Academic Choice
Classroom Organization
Working with Families
Important for all students – more comfortable = more successful, caring environment = more risks, teaching skills= less interruption, more learning
RC has many different components- all good ideas for all learners (not just ELLs)
These particular for ELLs though (don’t need to do RC specifically)
(Morrow, 2009; Northeast Foundation for Children, 2011)

16. Resources Starfall and More Starfall “Reading Matters” ReadWriteThink
“Reading Matters”
ReadWriteThink
WETA’s Reading Rockets
Miss Renee’s Kindergarten Pad
1) Letter sounds, easy to read books, songs, rhymes
2)Reading coach from Phoenix, great info on principles of Emergent, storytown, smartboard
3) International Reading Association; lesson plans, GO’s, interactive (ABC match, rhyme, beginning sound sorts etc)
4) articles, videos etc on elements of EL, also good lists of kids books by theme, topic
5) K teacher Renee Glashow, classroom setup, centers, thematic units

17. to read and write (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
References
Barone, D.M & Morrow, L.M. (Eds.). (2003). Literacy and young children. New
York, NY: Macmillan.
Flanigan, K. (2007). A concept of word in text. Journal of Literacy Research,
39,
Hong Xu, Shelley. (2003). The learner, the teacher, the text, and the context:
sociocultural approaches to early literacy instruction for English
Language Learners. In D.M. Barone & L.M. Morrow (Eds.), Literacy
and young children (pp ). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
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 ). New York, NY: Macmillan.
Morrow, L.M. (2009). Literacy development in the early years: Helping children
to read and write (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

18. References
Northeast Foundation for Children, Inc. (2011). The responsive classroom
approach. Retrieved from
Ruddell, R.B. & Ruddell, M.R. (1994). Language acquisition and literacy
processes. In R.B. Ruddell, M.R. Ruddell, & H. Singer (Eds.),
Theoretical models and processes in reading (4th edition) (pp ). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Ward, A. (2011). Class notes [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from
Blackboard site:
Yopp, H.K. & Yopp, R.H. (2000). Supporting phonemic awareness
development in the classroom. The Reading Teacher, 54,