Emergent literacy refers to the early stages of emergent writing and reading development in young children. It encompasses the skills and knowledge that children acquire before they are formally taught to read and write. Understanding emergent literacy is crucial to support children’s early language and literacy development.
What is emergent literacy?
Emergent literacy is the concept of reading and writing skills that children develop from birth to around five years of age. Emergent literacy is defined as “those behaviors shown by very young children as they begin to respond to and approximate reading and writing acts.” (1) It includes various aspects such as speaking and listening, understanding print concepts, recognizing letters and their sounds, and exploring books and print materials. Below you will find multiple emergent literacy activities examples you can use at home.
During the emergent literacy stage, children start to understand that printed text carries meaning and that letters represent sounds in spoken language. They may begin to recognise familiar signs and logos in their environment, showing an early understanding of print concepts. This period is crucial for laying the groundwork for later reading and writing skills, as children build their vocabulary, phonological awareness, and print knowledge.
Emergent literacy development is directly linked to opportunity and experience. It is thus important for all children, especially children with disabilities such as those who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), to have exposure to adapted activities and build up the experiences for strong literacy foundations.
How to promote emerging writing? What are activities by age group?
Maximizing children’s emergent writing development involves creating a supportive and stimulating environment. Beyond boring you with the basics that are repeated everywhere like singing songs, lullabies or nursery rhymes as well as reading aloud, here are some actionable activities and strategies to promote emergent writing skills in your home :
Emergent writing activities for preschoolers:
- trace letters and learn to write their name or their friend’s name
- have them help you write (or draw) shopping lists
- have them write letters to Santa Claus, Sinterklaus, the Tooth Fairy or the Little Mouse
- provide regular access to paper, crayons and markers (washable!!)
Latest research shows that holistic, interactive and explicit instructional approaches to balanced literacy that include daily reading, writing, and word study are critical for all learners, especially those often with less opportunity and experience due to significant disabilities (2), (3).
How to promote emerging reading? What are activities by age group?
Maximizing children’s emergent writing development involves creating a supportive and stimulating environment. Beyond boring you with the basics that are repeated everywhere like singing songs, lullabies or nursery rhymes as well as reading aloud, here are some actionable activities and strategies to promote emergent writing skills in your home :
Emergent literacy reading activities for babies and toddlers:
- encourage pointing and labelling familiar objects in their environment
- expand on their labelling “a car, yes a red car”
- follow your child’s lead in pretend play
- print and label for familiar objects in the environment
- display signs and posters in their play area or bedroom
- use expressive voices when reading to your child
Emergent literacy reading activities for early years and preschoolers:
- look at text-free books and have them describe what they see
- have them ‘read’ you a book with text
- set up a comfortable and inviting reading area
- rotate books to maintain interest and introduce new topics
- count “beats” (syllables) in words by clapping “but-ter-fly”
- play rhyme games
- play with story dices and have them craft a story
- provide access to e-books and educational apps
These activities expose children to a range of vocabulary, sentence structures, and storylines, promoting language and listening skills. These also helps them see the practical applications of literacy skills in real-life situations. Incorporating technology into literacy activities can enhance children’s learning experiences and cater to diverse learning styles.
What is emergent literacy’s importance?
Developing emergent literacy is vital for children’s overall development and future success in reading and writing.
Literacy skills helps:
- build a strong foundation for learning
- enhance their communication skills
- stimulate their imagination
- foster their cognitive development
- shape children’s social interactions and relationships
- empathise with characters and understand different perspectives
- develop their emotional intelligence
- building strong bonds with peers and adults
Early literacy experiences also empower children by enabling them to express their thoughts, emotions, and ideas effectively. In addition to its social and emotional benefits, emergent literacy also has a profound impact on children’s academic achievement.
Research has shown that children who are exposed to rich literacy experiences from a young age are more likely to excel in school, demonstrate advanced language skills, and perform better on reading and writing assessments.
By nurturing literacy skills, parents and educators can set children on a path towards academic success and lifelong learning.
What is the cost to the economy if children aren’t building these skills?
As shared cited by Ella Creamer in The Guardian, new research shows that “lack of support for early years language and communication development is leading to a “literacy crisis” that could be costing [England’s] economy £830m for each school year group“.
What are emergent literacy examples?
Emergent literacy starts as early as babbles and making sounds in babies. As children grow they build skills across all areas of emergent literacy. Here are some examples of emergent literacy skills.
Examples of emergent literacy behaviors may include interpreting a story through pictures rather than through text, manipulating books in nonconventional ways (e.g., looking at the book from back to front or holding it upside down), scribbling, and the use of invented spelling (Clay, 1993; Koppenhaver, 2000).
Emergent literacy examples for babies and toddlers:
An early emergent reader or writer will:
- babbles
- makes simple sounds
- imitates speech patterns
- recognizing familiar signs, logos, and symbols
Emergent literacy examples for pre-schoolers:
An emergent reader or writer will:
- pretends to read and interprets a story by looking at pictures
- creates and retells their own stories
- draws & scribbles
- invents their own spelling
- signs their name on their drawings or Christmas cards
This non-exhaustive list examples provides an indication of typically developing early literacy skills and can help you develop an opinion if your child might need some extra support.
What are emergent literacy skills? What are the components?
Emergent literacy skills are fundamental abilities that children develop before they can read and write independently.
These five skills lay the foundation for later literacy success:
- oral language such as vocabulary, grammar, and listening comprehension including grasping word meanings and comprehending incrementally complex sentences
- phonological awareness means recognizing and manipulating sounds in spoken words like counting and blending syllables, identifying first sound in words or identifying a word “that rhymes with”
- print awareness involves understanding how print works, such as reading from left to right and top to bottom (or in other languages such as Arabic, Urdu, Hebrew or Kurdish from right to left)
- alphabet knowledge including recognizing, naming, and writing letters
- emergent writing skills
When these components are nurtured and integrated into children’s daily lives, they form a solid foundation for emergent literacy skills.
How to assess and monitor emergent literacy skills?
Assessing and monitoring children’s emergent literacy skills is crucial to identify their strengths and areas for improvement.
Observation and informal assessments provide valuable insights into children’s progress and guide instructional decisions.
Some ways to assess and monitor these skills include:
- Observing children during play and literacy activities to note their language development, print awareness, and book handling skills.
- Using checklists and rating scales to evaluate children’s phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge, and early writing skills.
- Engaging in conversations with children to assess their comprehension and vocabulary development.
Regular assessments help tailor instruction to meet individual needs and track children’s growth in emergent literacy skills over time.
How to overcome challenges in developing literacy?
Developing emergent literacy skills may present challenges for some children. Recognizing and addressing these challenges early on can help support their progress and prevent further difficulties.
Some common challenges in emergent literacy development include:
- Learning difficulties: Some children may have specific learning difficulties that impact their emergent literacy skills. Early identification and targeted interventions are crucial in these cases.
- Speech and language difficulties: Children with speech or language delays may require additional support and intervention to develop their communication skills.
- Limited access to books and print materials: Children from disadvantaged backgrounds may have limited exposure to reading materials. Leveraging free resources such as public libraries, school libraries or trading books with other families can help bridge this gap and provide alternate means to access books and print-rich environments
If you have concerns, do speak to your general practitioner or a nurse at your community healthcare centre.
Final Words
In conclusion, emergent literacy plays a vital role in children’s overall development and future success in reading and writing. By understanding the components, promoting literacy-rich environments, and implementing effective strategies, adults can support children in acquiring the necessary skills and knowledge for lifelong literacy.
We love the resources for families on Words for Life from National Literacy Trust and in Comprehensive Literacy for All: Teaching Students with Significant Disabilities to Read and Write by Dr Karen Erickson & Dr David Koppenhaver.
