Importance of Early Literacy: Language-Literacy ConnectionDinah BeamsFall 2013Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind
Words and More WordsWords in English 500,000Words used by average American adult 125,000Words used by Shakespeare 30,000Words used in 3 hrs of TV 7,000Words recognized child entering school 6,000Words sight-read by end of 3rd grade 3,000
Growth of Expressive Vocabulary Expressive words at 12 months 1-3 Expressive words at 24 months 300 Expressive words at age 3 900 Expressive words at age 5 2300
Diagnostic Methods in Speech Pathology
Importance of the Early Years: Hart and Risley (1995; 2003) 86% to 98% of the words in each child’s vocabulary
consisted of words in their parents’ vocabulary Number of words spoken by parents powerful predictor of
verbal intelligence and academic success Vocabulary use of child at age 3 predictive of language skill
at age 9-10 30 million receptive word gap between highest group and
lowest group by age 3
With the power to read and think critically, we have the potential to learn everything that is known. Books are windows to the universe.
Paul Ogden, A Silent Garden
Spoken/Signed Language Literacy (Written Language)
Language vs Literacy
Happens in real time Fleeting and temporary Fragmented and informal Varied, animated, melodic Shared with others Interactive Situational
Happens in space (paper) Permanent Formal conventions Flat Often done alone Not interactive Primarily not dependent on
situation Gift of Early Literacy, 1999
Language and Literacy are RelatedSymbiotic relationshipA child needs to understand the meaning behind the
words (language)in order to read (literacy).Children who read earlier in life score higher on early
language tests.Language (using words and signs) and the awareness
of language (awareness of spellings, letters, etc.) grow together , supporting each other. Literacy development involves this understanding of metalanguage.
If we could get our preschool parents to read to their preschool children 15 minutes a day, we could revolutionize the schools.
Dr. Ruth LoveSuperintendent Chicago Public Schools, 1981
Books encourage the Development of CommunicationLooking at books develops concentration and attention span
Interested involvement of caregiver helps the child to learn language
Imitating, labeling, expanding, and turn-taking happen naturally while sharing a book
Reading and rereading reinforces new wordsAbility to focus on particular concepts.
Manolson, 1992
Prelexic Prelogographic
Stage 1
“preverbal children” Birth – 1 year Cooing and babbling
Verbal or sign
“before symbols” Birth – 2 ½ years Developing early concepts of
Paulson, Noble, Jepson, & van den Pol, 2001
Lexic Logographic
Stage 2
Whole word (verbal or sign) 1 – 1 ½ years Beginning talker
Whole written word 2 ½ - 4 years Recognizes name in print Recognizes written symbols in
environment
Paulson, Noble, Jepson & van den Pol, 2001
Systematic Simplification Early Alphabetic
Stage 3
1 ½ - 2 ½ years Simple word combinations
Message is clarified by interpreting child’s body language
4 - 5 years Simple sound/letter
correspondence Letters have meaning
Experimental spelling
Paulson, Noble, Jepson, & van den Pol, 2001
Assembly Later Alphabetic
Stage 4
2 ½ - 3 ½ years Syllable combinations Awareness of sentence
structure Vocabulary expansion
5-6 years Phonetic spelling Sounds out simple words
Familiar words part of child’s visual memory
Metaphonological Orthographic
Stage 5
3-4 years Awareness of word
structure Understands that words
can be changed and manipulated
Rhyming and word play
7+ years Morphological structure
More fluent readers Able to self correct and
learn new word meanings
Few children learn to love books by themselves. Someone has to lure them into the wonderful world of the written word, someone has to show them the way
Orville PrescottA Father Reads to His Children
Literacy Milestones
“What is the use of a book”, thought Alice, “without pictures or conversation?”
Lewis Carroll
Literacy MilestonesBirth – 12 monthsChild explores books: mouthing, patting, banging
Child responds with attention, gestures, vocalizations after looking at pictures
PurposePromotes bondingExposure to language in fun, exciting way
How Parents Can Help Introduce books early in everyday routines Label and describe pictures Sing songs and say rhymes Label and describe events and objects in the environment Provide a good model
Literacy Milestones 12 – 24 Months Enjoy books as toys Like to turn the pages themselves Love predictable stories Know books go front to back and right side up (after 18
months of age) Point out familiar objects in pictures Like the same books over and over
How Parents Can Help Read and re-read favorite books Talk about events in books, as well as talking about everyday
routines Provide materials for drawing Point out symbols in the environment Sing songs and repeat rhymes Provide a good model for language and literacy!
Literacy Milestones 24 – 36 months Child chooses books Child wants the same book over and over Will correct adult if story is read differently Child loves predictable, repetitive language Child can sit for 5 – 15 mins of storytelling
How Parents Can Help Follow the words on the page with a finger Encourage story writing Talk, describe, question, converse Provide a good model of language and literacy!
Literacy Milestones 3 – 5 years Children begin to recognize likenesses and differences in
words and type Understand meanings of words and short sentences Understands sequence of events in a story Answers simple questions in detail Enjoys retelling stories
How Parents Can Help Play word games Encourage child to retell recent events Encourage imaginary play Provide simple games Encourage child to write and draw Continue to engage in complex conversations
Goals for Early Literacy Develop a love of books Promote bonding Develop awareness of concepts about print and that print is
meaningful Enhance language learning Promote academic achievement
Specific Language Strategies to Promote Early Literacy with Children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing
The Gift of Early Literacy, 1999
Simplification Communicate about the child’s interest Follow the child’s lead Communication should be simple, clear, and straightforward
Negotiation Helping the child work out understanding of meanings of
words Repetition Paraphrasing
Child Initiation of Conversations Not Parent Directed Child Communicates and Parent Responds
Real-Life Experiences Expose a child to a variety of experiences from which they
can build language Apply language to all experiences
Semantic Contingency Continue the topic the child introduces Add new information to the topic – this encourages the child
to continue the conversation Introduce new language
Accountability Gently encourage child to use the most sophisticated
language he can Be playful and encouraging
I cannot live without books. Thomas Jefferson