Emergent Literacy Unit 2

Stages of Literacy Student Entry Characteristics Major Goals

Emergent Reading (typical Has oral language facility Seek out and enjoy experiences with
of preschool-kindergarten) Shows interest in print books and print
Become familiar with the language
and literature patterns of stories
Understand and follow the sequence
of stories read to them
See themselves as developing
readers and writers

Initial Literacy Read some words Understand that reading is a

(typical of Grades 1-2) Has developed some specific meaning-making process
print concepts Acquire sight vocabulary
Matches some speech sounds Make use of the cueing systems in
with letters written language (syntax, semantics
and grapho-phonemics) to identify
words not known at sight
See themselves as readers and
writers
Stages of Literacy Student Entry Characteristics Major Goals

Transitional (typical of Recognises mand words at Increase fluency in reading and writing
Grades 2-4) sight Increase motivation to read and write
Successfully applies word Focus on meaning in reading and writing
identification strategies
Reads independently

Basic (typical of Grades 4- Reads a variety of materials Expand breadth of experience in reading
6) independently Comprehend increasingly complex
Has an extensive sight reading material
vocabulary (reads fluently) Extend meaning vocabulary
Develop awareness and use of study
strategies

Refinement (typical of Has acquired functional Extend goals undertaken at preceding

grade 6 on) literacy stage with increasingly advanced and
Reads for a variety of abstract materials
purposes
EMERGENT Literacy

 Reflecton your personal knowledge

of emergent literacy.
Emergent Literacy

 “Emergent literacy is a term first used by Marie

Clay to describe how young children interact
with books and when reading and writing, even
though they could not read or write in the
conventional sense. A key to the term literacy
is the interrelatedness of all parts of language:
speaking, listening, reading, writing, and
viewing. It is never too early to begin reading
to a child” (Dostal & Hanley, 2011).
EMERGENT LITERACY Cont’d

 The word literacy encompasses

both writing and reading;
emergent indicates that the
child has been engaged in
reading and writing activities
long before coming to school.
(Gunning, 2010)
 “Emergent literacy is based on the assumption that
language learning occurs naturally in the home and
community as children see print and understand its function
in their environment.” (Burns, Roe & Smith 2002)

“Emergent literacy is a concept that supports

learning to read in a positive home environment
where children are in the process of becoming
literate from birth.” (Vacca, Vacca, Gove,
Burkey, Lenhart & McKeon 2003)
 One of the most effective approaches to helping young
children develop literacy skills is to have a home
environment that supports literacy. Research clearly
shows that instructional environments "have a powerful
impact on children's growth in reading." (Morrow &
Weinstein, 1986)
 “Having reading and writing materials in the home, being read to,
and talking to their caregivers about reading and writing foster
children’s formation of the ‘big picture’. The more reading and
writing they are exposed to, the more complete and detailed their
big pictures become (Purcell-Gates, 1997).
 Reinforce the concepts of print and print conventions
whenever the opportunity presents itself. When
reading, emphasize that you are reading from left to
right, top to bottom. Tasks such as running fingers as
you read to children can help establish this progression.

 “The rate of children’s literacy development varies, as
does the richness of home environments. A few children
will be able to read words or even whole sentences
when they enter kindergarten. However, most will still
be developing in kindergarten and a few in first grade”
Gunning , 2003.
 “The family plays a critical role because the
foundations of literacy are built in the home. Through
interactions with their world and the people in it,
children learn the many purposes for reading and
writing by becoming involved in these activities on a
daily basis.” (Vacca, et.al 2003)
 “Regardless of where children are in
terms of literacy, an essential step in
further development is to create and
environment that promotes active
reading, writing, listening and speaking.”
 At the age of 2 days, Leslie Anne began her journey to literacy.
Her parents developed the habit of reading to her daily. At 6
months, Leslie Ann was sitting on her grandmother’s lap, helping
to hold a book, when she began “reading” in a voice distinctly
different from her usual cooing and babbling…”A baa baa, a baa
baa,” and turned the page…The love for books naturally blossomed
for Leslie Anne in a family environment that supported and
nurtured literacy learning.

 Irma lives in a housing project with her mother and four younger
siblings. Her mother can’t read. Neither she nor her brothers and
sisters have ever heard a nursery rhyme or story.
What are some of the
behaviours that may be
classified as emergent literacy
behaviours?
The child ‘plays around’ with words.
The child
 shows an interest in books and pictures

 shows “phonemic awareness,” or the ability to identify, isolate and blend

sounds in spoken language

 is developing an interest in writing his/her name

 likes to reread favourite books

 looks at books and names pictures

 Wants to read and write

 Willing to share writing

 Selects books to sit and look at alone or to ‘read’ to dolls or toys

With what do you associate
each of the following?
Behaviours that Demonstrate
Emergent Literacy Cont’d

The child
 knows environmental prints and makes connections,
such as associating McDonald’s with french fries and
Pampers with being dry.
 knows names of letters, especially those in his/her
name
 Is learning and recognizing book language and uses it in
play and retelling
 remembers and uses known words and phrases from
books in writing
At this stage the child
 understands top-to-bottom, left-to-right order of reading. In English,
reading goes from left to right and from top to bottom.
 “reads” by looking at pictures
 often memorizes stories that have been listened to repeatedly.
 chimes in while listening to a familiar story
 begins to supply missing words in familiar texts
 First reading may be his/her own writing
 Voice, finger and print match develops and oral reading is slow, word for
word, often in a monotone
 The child begins to have a sight vocabulary in different contexts.
 All reading is oral in order to hear self reads
 Listening vocabulary and comprehension is far above level
Behaviours that Demonstrate
Emergent Literacy Cont’d
 After a fairly predictable sequence of writing
development of scribbles, letter-like forms and
strings of letters, some sound/symbol
correspondence develops while writing, mainly
beginning consonants
Behaviours that Demonstrate
Emergent Literacy Cont’d
 The child may use knowledge of environmental print in
the grocery store, at fast-food restaurants
 He/she may use his/her own writing to leave messages
for family members
 Components of Early/Emergent

Literacy
a. Oral Language Development
 b. Directionality – left to right
 c. Print awareness – Noticing print, knowing how to handle a book,
knowing how to follow words on a page.
 d. Scribbling
 e. visual auditory discrimination
 f. top to bottom orientation
 g. eye-hand coordination
 h. Print motivation – being interested in and enjoying books
 i. vocabulary – knowing the names of things
 j. narrative skills – being able to describe things and events and to tell
stories.
Emergent Literacy
vs Reading
Readiness
Discuss the differences
 What is Emergent Literacy vs Reading Readiness?

 Reading readiness suggests that there is a point in time when a

child is ready to begin to learn to read and write.
 In contrast, emergent literacy suggests that the
development of literacy is taking place within the child. It
also suggests that it is a gradual process and will take place
over time. For something to emerge it needs to be there at
the beginning (the child’s own natural learning ability), and
things usually only emerge under the right conditions (Hall,
1987). Literacy refers to the interrelatedness of language--
speaking, listening, reading, writing, and viewing.

“Reading readiness evolved from the
belief that readiness is largely the
result of maturation…children
benefit from instructional
experiences before engaging in
reading.” Vacca, et.al 2003
Reading Readiness Emergent Literacy
Literacy begins with Children are in the
formal instruction. process of becoming
Therefore, the school is literate from birth.
the most important Therefore, the family
source of literacy early in life becomes the
development. This view foundation for the
stresses maturation and development
advocates a mental age of literacy skills.
of readiness – 6 to 6 ½.
Children must master a
set of basic principles
before they can learn to
read.
Assessing Readiness
Why do we Assess Readiness?

 Assessment is an essential element of education used to

inform instruction (Wren, 2004). The first step in
implementing good reading instruction is to determine
student baseline performance. Students enter the
classroom with diverse backgrounds and skills in
literacy. Some students may enter the classroom with
special needs that require review of basic skills in
reading, while other students may have mastered the
content a teacher intends to cover. Due to these various
student levels, it is necessary to design literacy
instruction to meet the individual needs of each
student. (readingrocket.org)
How do we Assess Readiness?

 In 2008, the Grade One Individual Learning Profile

(GOILP) and the Grade One Individual Learning
Environment Profile (GOILEP) replaced the Grade One
Readiness Inventory. The GOILP assesses the proficiency
level of students in six subsets, namely: General
Knowledge, Number Concepts, Oral Language, Reading,
Writing and drawing, Work Habits and Classroom
Behaviour. This assessment was developed to assist
teachers in determining the level at which the children
entering Grade One are performing in all areas of their
development.
Task

 List four activities that can enhance emergent literacy

at home.
 Activities that promote early
literacy ( in the home)

 Read aloud to children

- Listen to children read aloud and read along with them.
- Making time for children to read books independently a priority
- Providing books and other materials in the home
- Talking to children about books they are reading
 Asking children what they are learning at school

 Providing materials and opportunities for children to write at

home

 Taking children to the library to check out books

 Monitoring children as they complete homework assignments

 Emphasizing the value of literacy and importance of school

success
 Parents read newspaper
 Write messages

 Children help to write grocery list

 Family reading/writing nights (book talk)

 Read wordless pictures/illustrations

 Tell stories

 Play games (word)

Activities for Building Emergent Literacy

 The National Reading Panel (Strickland & Shanahan, 2004)

recommended activities to foster development in the following
areas: language, alphabetical and phonological knowledge and
print knowledge.
 Language
 Listening to and discussing stories, rhymes
and songs
 Engaging in small-group and one-on-one
conversation with adults, especially
conversations that elicit elaborated talk
 Retelling stories and events
 Listening in order to follow directions and
gain information
 Alphabetical and Phonological
Knowledge
Phonological awareness allows one to discriminate, remember, and
manipulate sounds at the sentence, word, syllable, and phoneme (sound)
level.
 Engaging in drawing and writing

 Listening to rhymes and tongue twisters and playing word games

 Exploring alphabet books

 Exploring letter names and sounds

 Print Knowledge

 Exploring environmental signs (Environmental print is the print of

everyday life. It's the name given to the print that appears in signs,
labels, and logos. Street signs, candy wrappers, labels on peanut butter
and the K in KFC are other examples of environmental print)

 Observing as adults read and write

 Dictating stories for adults to write down

 Exploring picture books

Tasks for next class

 What is oral language development?

 The physical factors that influence oral language
development-4
 Keria Powell
 N. Larmond
 Ramoya Williams
 Moya Thompson-Lewis
 Sherith Murray
 Deneil Williams
2. Social and psychosocial factors that influence oral
language development- Gr5
Richards, Daniel Williams, Michalia Wilson, Sabrina Clarke
3. Brainstorm strategies to promote oral language
development-home(group 2- Harriott)
4. Strategies to promote oral development in school-3
K. Dixon, Nicole Johnson, Tesha Graydon, Veronie Mullings
5. Benefits of oral language development. Panel discussion
Group 1. Entire class will research benefits to participate in
the discussion