Over the past year I have spent time teaching young children and have grown increasingly interested in understanding more about early literacy. I am specifically interested in understanding how children's books are designed to promote literacy development.
Often also known as emergent literacy, early literacy is an important time in children’s development, when “knowledge, skills and disposition that precedes learning to read and write in primary grades” occurs (Roskos 3). Early literacy begins at birth. Once born, the language that is used by the mother has a significant effect on the child’s vocabulary development and their development in fluency (Neuman 103). From there, children begin to experiment with written language, creating scribbles …show more content…
Research from Wichita State University found that sight words make up 75% of children’s literature (Kear). The ability to recognize sight words makes reading much easier for young readers. In fact, according to Robb, a school psychologist with a doctorate in Education Leadership, children have to “acquire a certain number of sight words in order to tackle beginning reading successfully. In particular, young readers need to learn certain high frequency words that do not follow phonics rules” (Robb). These types of words are words like was and said, that children would not be able to sound out. Dr. Robb suggests that children should read books that have both words spelled phonetically and sight words. Books like these encourage children to use the phonic skills they know while also being able to learn and memorize common sight words (Robb).Using these sight words in combination with picture clues allows for early reading …show more content…
Scholastic, a well-known website used by teachers, describes phonics as the “relationship between sounds and their spellings” (Blevins). It is important to teach phonics to young children as this is the basis of all reading. Children need to learn the basic decoding in order to be able to sound out new words. The ability to decode “is a crucial element in reading success (Blevins).” In order to learn phonics, first the alphabet must be mastered, with letters and their corresponding sounds connected. Since letters can make a variety of sounds, this is a process that take time with emergent readers (What Is Phonics?). At the same time, the new reader must be aware of the relationship between phonemes and phonics. It is through phonics instruction that the child makes the connection of the phonemes that they already know with letters so they can “transfer their knowledge of sounds to the printed word” (What Is Phonics?). This connection is critical to success in
Often also known as emergent literacy, early literacy is an important time in children’s development, when “knowledge, skills and disposition that precedes learning to read and write in primary grades” occurs (Roskos 3). Early literacy begins at birth. Once born, the language that is used by the mother has a significant effect on the child’s vocabulary development and their development in fluency (Neuman 103). From there, children begin to experiment with written language, creating scribbles …show more content…
Research from Wichita State University found that sight words make up 75% of children’s literature (Kear). The ability to recognize sight words makes reading much easier for young readers. In fact, according to Robb, a school psychologist with a doctorate in Education Leadership, children have to “acquire a certain number of sight words in order to tackle beginning reading successfully. In particular, young readers need to learn certain high frequency words that do not follow phonics rules” (Robb). These types of words are words like was and said, that children would not be able to sound out. Dr. Robb suggests that children should read books that have both words spelled phonetically and sight words. Books like these encourage children to use the phonic skills they know while also being able to learn and memorize common sight words (Robb).Using these sight words in combination with picture clues allows for early reading …show more content…
Scholastic, a well-known website used by teachers, describes phonics as the “relationship between sounds and their spellings” (Blevins). It is important to teach phonics to young children as this is the basis of all reading. Children need to learn the basic decoding in order to be able to sound out new words. The ability to decode “is a crucial element in reading success (Blevins).” In order to learn phonics, first the alphabet must be mastered, with letters and their corresponding sounds connected. Since letters can make a variety of sounds, this is a process that take time with emergent readers (What Is Phonics?). At the same time, the new reader must be aware of the relationship between phonemes and phonics. It is through phonics instruction that the child makes the connection of the phonemes that they already know with letters so they can “transfer their knowledge of sounds to the printed word” (What Is Phonics?). This connection is critical to success in