Why emergent literacy is important

A child can access literacy in many ways, such as using their vision, their hands, their hearing, and through assistive technology of many types, including low vision devices. Some children may have a clear preference for a particular format, while others may use a combination. All children with visual impairments need to be offered the opportunity to develop literacy skills to the best of their ability in a format that is right for them. Log In or Register.

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Language Experience Books. Story Boxes and Story Boards for Helping Young Children to Develop Developing Routines. Emergent Writing. Teaching Braille to Young Children. And while this may sound complex, many emergent literacy skills develop naturally! Reading aloud is the most effective way for a child to learn to love books and the power of stories. Loving to read begins with loving to listen to stories!

Our team at HOMER believes that investing in read-aloud sessions with your child substantially improves many of the skills they need on their lifelong reading journey.

For emergent readers, there are few things more wonderful or effective than sitting down with mom or dad and uncovering the worlds that live between the covers of a book. With you as their guide, your child will grow more confident and reassured as they gradually learn about the things they love like how many different types of dogs exist or how the sky makes rainbows.

Reading aloud to your child also helps strengthen their imagination and build their curiosity. Reading aloud is one of the easiest, most rewarding ways for you to bond with your child while helping them learn.

Consider that by reading aloud to them and encouraging their participation, you are empowering them as learners. Additionally, you will reap the benefits of understanding their interests more deeply, engaging with their budding imagination, and instilling confidence in their learning process. As your child grows, their sense of independence and autonomy continues to develop. Allowing your child to assert their unique personality and independence every now and then can be beneficial in engaging their emergent literacy skills.

For example, instead of you turning the pages during your reading time together, allow your child to dictate when the pages should be turned. This may take some getting used to for them as they learn the pace of reading aloud in conjunction with the words they see printed. Two additional emergent literacy skills that are important for children to learn to read are the concepts of letter knowledge and alphabetical principle.

Letter knowledge is knowing the letters of the alphabet and recognizing them in print. These skills are critical for children to be able to learn to decipher the text on the page. Children will often begin to notice letters that are familiar to them first, such as the letters in their name, or other letters they frequently see around them such as the S on stop signs.

Talking with children, reading to them, signing, playing games, saying nursery rhymes, playing word games, having access to writing materials and books, and taking them to the library will support their literacy.

Michigan State University Extension recommends engaging in 30 minutes a day of literacy activities with your child. This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. Children who enter school with these skills have an advantage that carries with them throughout their school years.

However, more than 1 in 3 American children enter Kindergarten without the skills they need to learn to read American Academy of Pediatrics. Reading is an essential skill for success in school and later in life.