Early Literacy: Background Information

There are many children who come to school ready to read">

Early Literacy: Background Information There are many children who come to school ready to read, but there is an ever growing population of children coming to our schools who have barely even seen a book, much less had the thousands of hours of lap reading, vocabulary building, and positive experiences with letters and sounds that are so essential to learning to read. Reading is central to learning - in school, in the workplace, and in everyday life. For many children, learning to read and write during early school experiences is a pleasurable and even a thrilling experience for themselves, for their parents, and for their teachers. But for children who do not make good progress in these early grades, learning to read is difficult and is associated with both present and future failure. Children who do not learn to read well in the first and second grades are likely to struggle with reading throughout their lives. But, it is not a simple matter to teach reading. Early literacy is such a complex topic involving many issues like whole language, phonics, development, natural environment, direct teaching, and intervention.  There is a wealth of new research that supports a balanced approached to early literacy instruction through purposeful, functional use and meaningful context within a print-rich environment. Skills and strategies are taught within these meaningful contexts rather than in isolation. Alphabet Assessment Balanced Literacy Comprehension Definitions Direct Teaching Early Intervention Individual Needs and Abilities Kindergarten Reading Language Experiences Oral Language Parent/Home Influences Phonics/Phonemic Awareness Predictable Books Print-Rich Environment Professional Development Recommended Readings Simple Decodable Stories Spelling Whole Language Writing