What is Emergent Literacy?
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- Published on Monday, 14 June 2010 20:25
When searching the term "emergent literacy" you will quickly come across varying explanations.
{We have a new site up as of January 2013. Jump over to Emergent Literacy to learn more...}
Here's one definition, according to the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory:
Emergent literacy refers to "the reading and writing behaviors that precede and develop into conventional literacy," notes Sulzby (1989). Sulzby and Teale (1996, p. 728) state, "Emergent literacy is concerned with the earliest phases of literacy development, the period between birth and the time when children read and write conventionally. The term emergent literacy signals a belief that, in a literate society, young children--even 1- and 2-year-olds--are in the process of becoming literate."
When I first began my PCS business I didn't set out to use the term emergent literacy. I simply knew, from working with my own son, that personalized photos combined with individualized text - works! I also knew, from my many years of nanny work, that children like to color in their books (even when they are told not to). Therefore, I began adding writing or coloring pages to my laminated books. Why not, right? Children would then have the opportunity to use my books for the following purposes:
- To read
- To engage
- To relate to the personal photos
- To relate to the people, pets and places in the photos
- To become self aware by viewing the photos in the book
- To learn words based on the personalized text that linked their memory recall to the photos
- To color a back page (fine motor development)
- To practice writing (numbers, letters - whatever)
All I knew, at that point, was that I was mixing my experiences into one big pot and creating books that WORKED.
Not long after starting my business, I met Dr. Sally Goldberg (known as Dr. Sally Parenting at that time). She picked up my sample books and began to look through them, one by one. She informed me that I was creating a full emergent literacy experience for the reader. From there, we worked together to create the concept of the "That's My Name!" book, focused on self-esteem building text (one of my top sellers to this day). Sally later joined me, teaching book-making/literacy workshops at Bookmans Bookstore. We also ran several workshops at the YMCA.
Over the years I have come to witness, first hand, the varying meanings of the term emergent literacy. I began offering PCS books to my own children from the age of one week. I would place the books in their laps and allow their fingers to fall over them. By the time my children were a few weeks old, I'd prop the books up in their laps. As soon as they were old enough to wrap their fingers around the pages, I'd place the books inside their little hands. Being laminated and coil bound, they were able to bite on the books, crawl over them, toss them, flip through them, drool on them, etc. The books could easily be wiped clean. As soon as the kids were old enough to sit and look, we'd read to them, while they stared at the photos. They'd point and grunt as if to say, "I know that person! That's me!" or "I know who that is! That's daddy!"
By the time my daughter was 2.5 years old, she had nearly memorized her "We love you...just the way you are!" book. Not because I pushed the reading on her but rather - because she had so naturally engaged with this book. It was about her, it offered photos to go along, the text related to the personal photos and the words were in rhyming format - making it possible for her to master. She was also able to color on the book and wipe it clean.
That's when it really hit me: Emergent Literacy.
Dr. Sally was right. She knew what she was talking about long before I grasped the full meaning and watched it unfold before my very eyes.
Not long ago, my daughter pushed a box up next to me, sat inside it, and laughed hysterically. She said, "Hey mom! Do you love me in a box?!" She has become so completely emersed in that book and the concepts attached that she carries over the lessons into every day life. She knows she is loved, no matter what. In any and every situation. At all times. She relates the photos and the concepts to real household items - because of that book.
To think - this all began soon after birth. Those connections, those brain clicks, those "I got it!" moments.
Emergent Literacy. I love that term now! It speaks to my soul as I hope it now speaks to yours.
In Closing...
From Adoption.com we read:
As the research on literacy development continues to emerge, it is important to translate the findings into practical suggestions for supporting early literacy development.
- Introduce cardboard or cloth books with brightly colored pictures. Try to select books that reflect the child's own experiences such as books about daily life, family members, animals, or food (National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), 1997).
- Read books that have rhyme, rhythm, or repetition such as nursery rhymes since the sound of the language is especially important to infants who cannot yet focus on pictures very well (McMahon, 1996).
"You may have tangible wealth untold. Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold. Richer than I you can never be – I had a mother who read to me." - Strickland Gillilan
ABOUT the Author:
Shara Lawrence-Weiss is the owner of Mommy Perks, Personal Child Stories, Early Childhood News and Resources and Kids Perks. She has a background in education, early childhood, nanny work, published freelance, marketing and special needs.
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Comments
I cannot agree with you more about the importance of early literacy skills. As an educator and parent I knew that my involvement early on in this process, as you did with PCS books, would lead to academically motivated readers and learners. I developed a continuation of your program over at Stepping Stones Together found at www.steppingstonestogether.com. Check it out!
Dr. Erika Burton
Keep spreading the word on emergent literacy! :)
LOVE PCS books!
Wendy
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