The early stages of literacy development begin long before a child walks into a classroom. When children are enrolled into a childcare center, preschool, or school, they have already begun to develop communication skills and make connections between concepts and language. So what role does a parent, caregiver, or educator have in the literacy development of young children? One way in which we can support this development is discussed in an article titled, "“Why do you like this page so much?” Exploring the Potential of Talk during Preschool Reading Activities," written by Efleda Preclaro Tolentino, an early childhood assistant professor at the University of Vermont. In this article, she discusses the potential of talk and conversation in preschool reading activities. One of the main points of the article is that children communicate their knowledge through talking, which allows them to share ideas and make meaning. If we wish to foster and support literacy development, along with many other areas of development, then we should provide an environment which lends opportunities for children to engage in talking and conversation.
How do we provide such an environment? The key aspects of this environment include physical space, materials, and context. When deciding these aspects, it is important to keep in mind the atmosphere you desire to create for the children. In order to encourage communication and interaction, the children need to be free to explore their interests and make personal connections. This can be supported by setting up an appropriate space, providing varied literature, allowing the children to choose the literature in which they will interact with, and contexts that children can relate to. An environment such as this will promote not only interaction with the literature, but also interaction with others. As a result, children are free to explore literature, share their knowledge, and communicate with others to construct meanings that are inspired by the literature.
Link to the article mentioned:
“Why do you like this page so much?” Exploring the Potential of Talk during Preschool Reading Activities" written by Efleda Preclaro Tolentino
More ideas for supporting your child(ren)'s early literacy development:
Supporting young children's early literacy development
Department of Human Services — Koorie Early Childhood Education Program
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