Language and Literacy Chapter 6

By: Sonia Motta, Jocelyn Espinoza, Cindy Renderos

Young Children’s Development in Language and Literacy

Language and Literacy are connected from infancy onward. Speaking, listening, reading, and writing develop concurrently rather than sequentially.

Children differ from learning. Some pick up literacy skills easily and quickly; others need more explicit help and time.

Children acquire language and literacy as they interact with others. Young children learn to talk, read, and write because they are social beings. They want to communicate with adults and peers at home, school, and other familiar places.

Language and literacy learning happens through activities children might initiate, such as role playing, exploring print

materials, etc. as well as through instruction

such as book reading, composing songs and

poems using alliteration and rhyming.

Phonological Awareness- the general ability to attend to the sounds of language as distinct from its meaning. Initial awareness of speech sounds and rhythms, rhyme awareness, recognition of sound similarities, and phonemic awareness are all elements of this ability.

Comprehension- understanding the meaning of spoken and written language. Comprehension is “intentional thinking during which meaning is constructed.”

Print awareness- understanding how print is organized and used in reading and writing. Children learn that speech and written language carry messages and that words convey ideas.

Alphabet knowledge- understanding that there is a systematic relationship between letters and sounds. Whole words have a structure made up of individual sounds and of sound patterns or groupings

Language

Sound Awareness and production

Early and frequent exposure to sounds, especially the sounds of language, is crucial for a young child’s development of language and literacy skills.

Ask children to identify the sounds they hear. At group time have them close their eyes as you or a child make different sounds with tools and materials and ask the children to guess the source of the sound.

Conversational skills

Model active listening as well as talking with children. Remind yourself not to take over conversation.

Speak Clearly.

Create natural opportunities for conversations throughout the day.

Dual language learning Stage one-Children attempt to use their home language but

gradually realize they are not being understood and must adapt their communication strategies.

Stage two-Children actively listen, observe, and process the features of the new language.

Stage three- Children have mastered the rhythm and intonation of English, plus key phrases.

Stage four- Children express themselves in their own words using

the English rules but may still make errors.

Visual Discrimination skills Children must recognize types of

marks between lines, straight, curved, vertical and horizontal. For Example: To draw letter P, it would be a straight line with half a circle.

Use vocabulary words that relate to print’s visual

Feature straight, curved, circle, long, tall, blank, empty space and line.

Play games and plan art activities that focus on visual characteristics.

Textbook example: Hide an object and have the children look for the object and once they found it asked what characteristics or descriptions helped them find the object.

Have a library on the classroom setting, with books on display and easy for children’s eye level.

Label everything around the classroom. Ex: Label chair, chalk board, Library etc.

Environmental Print Knowledge

Children and adults come across different environmental print context on a everyday life. For instances, logos, company names, advertising copies, product labels, billboards, invitations, and letterhead.

Set up on your classroom setting, with large letters of the alphabet, incorporate reading and writing materials in learning centers such as the dramatic plays, for instance in the kitchen area, include empty product box such as cereal, cookies empty cans, a play menu and wall signs.

Include printed materials that reflect on children’s home language and cultures.

Support dual language learners by translating between non-English and English words and phrases commonly found in your community.

Print awareness

Is the general knowledge about conventions of print, and how books work. We teach children that the books have a cover, beginning and end, an author or illustrator or both.

Be sure to provide a variety of books for children to hold, look, listen to, and talk about.

For example: Have book such as story books, emphasize vocabulary that encourage sight reading, picture dictionary and informational non fiction books.

Ask children to hand you a book “so I can read it”

(Occasionally pick up a book the wrong way and see how the children react to it.)

Create books with children that include front cover, back cover and a title with their names as authors and illustrators.

Motivation to interact with printed materials

Interest in reading cannot be forced on children.

Children must have a positive reading experience with adults. Children will be naturally motivated to read themselves.

Encourage children to select which books to read

Let children see you reading for enjoyment and information

The relationship between spoken and

written language

This domain involves connecting with the people say with the same words when its written.

Us, as adult we must demonstrate visual, auditory and tactile connections.

Alphabet knowledge: Letter identification and letter-sound knowledge

Alphabet knowledge means knowing the names of the letters and letter sound matches.

Say the names of the letters and sound them out in words children read, write and dictate.

Connect sounds to the letters that children write to stand for whole words.

For instance, HB.

Identify initial letter sounds in children’s name and other familiar words. Often the first letter and sound that children learn is the one that begins their own name, or it’s a word they use often and find important, such as Mom their dog’s name, or favorite food. Pair a child’s written name and the sounds made by it’s first letter; transitions are a good time for this:

For example, here is Darren’s name and his name starts with the letter |D|

Writing Is the key of knowledge and

skills in the are of writing,

Important in acquiring fine motor skills.

Awareness of the purpose.

Function of written words.

Writing, like reading, is dependent on children having certain perceptual motor skills.

Awareness of the purposes and function of written words This area refers to knowing

all the ways and reasons people write. Like,

1. Writing is done for function reason

2. For pleasure

Teaching strategies:

Young children want to do things for themselves and share their idea and accomplishments with others.

Display children’s writing where children and families can see it.

Model the used of written language for different purpose and call it to children's attention.

Encourage journal writing. Have them write their own.

Letter and word writing

Literacy includes the ability to write letter and combine strings of letter into words.

Letter writing usually begins with writing one’s own name, starting with writing the initial letter. Kids are more highly to be motivated to master this feat because of the personal value they attach to their name.

Children between the age of 3-6, name writing progresses from continuous horizontal scribbles to separate and recognizable letter arranged in the correct order.

Awareness of the conventions of

spelling, grammars, syntax, and punctuation

“Young children’s motivation to learn to read and write comes from an intrinsic desire to communicate. But they need adult guidance and support to begin the journey toward full literacy with competence and enthusiasm.”

The conventions of print include a culture’s correct or accepted rules of written expression.

Our task is to build on what children know.

Spell words aloud as you write them.

Respond to children’s requests for help to spell words correctly.

Use punctuation while writing with children's.