Young Children and Literacy Development

Learning to read and write is a social as well as a cognitive undertaking, and children are literally driven to learn language because of their need to communicate. Just as children go though stages in learning to talk, they go through similar stages when learning to read and write. Literacy learning is also rooted in the culture of the child and in the family. Today, educators talk about emergent literacy curricula which focus on meaningful experiences with print. Children as writers learn about the recurring, generative, and flexibility principles and pass through "sign and message" and constructive stages of writing development. Reading aloud to children, independent reading on a daily basis, and literature study groups are some of the many ways to involve children in literacy experiences. There are many opportunities at home and at school for parents and teachers to promote literacy. Dramatization is another way to expand children's use of language. Parents and teachers need to know that children understand a lot about literacy through daily interaction with people around them. Parents and educators can build on children's desire to learn and encourage them as they learn to be effective communicators. (Contains 12 references.) (RS)