Engaging children in reading experiences presents infinite opportunities for developing language and emergent literacy skills. Show
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OverviewThis section explores effective pedagogies for creating reading experiences that embed the following learning foci for emergent literacy:
For an exploration of how oral language can be embedded within this teaching practice, see reading with children (interacting with others). The benefits of reading with children for emergent literacyWhen educators share reading experiences with children, it provides numerous opportunities for language and literacy learning. Reading with children is an opportunity to support children to make meaning from texts, and to learn “how texts work” (e.g. exploring texts). Children can also “rehearse” their emergent literacy skills (e.g. concepts of print, phonological awareness, making meaning) through the supportive scaffolding from educators. Texts for different agesAll children’s literature should:
Other suggested features of children’s literature suitable for different ages and learning levels are included in reading with children (interacting with others). When choosing a book for emergent literacy experiences, think about:
See an overview of types of children’s literature (including ICT texts) in the learning focus exploring and creating texts. Pedagogies for emergent literacy during readingReading with children provides numerous opportunities for embedding an emergent literacy focus into the experience (e.g. concepts of print, phonological awareness, phonics, making meaning through texts). During this kind of reading experience, the role of the educator is to scaffold children’s engagement with the text to develop their emergent literacy skills. While reading together, children and adults engage in different reading behaviours that are grounded in the gradual release of responsibility model (Duke and Pearson, 2002). This model describes the role of the educator as initially leading reading experiences (modelled reading), and gradually decreasing responsibility as children start to share (shared reading),and eventually lead reading experiences (independent reading). This model is based on Bruner’s (1990) key concept of scaffolding (see theory to practice section). Modelled reading behaviours
Shared reading behaviours
Independent reading behaviours
In early childhood settings, rather than seeing the above reading pedagogies as fixed or separate, it is useful to model and scaffold these patterns of reading behaviours in a fluid and dynamic way. Therefore, educators can work to encourage modelled/shared/guided/independent reading behaviours, depending on factors like the child’s previous reading experiences and their familiarity with the text. This allows educators to create learning experiences that are responsive, intentional, and driven by the needs of individual children (i.e. child-centred) (VEYLDF, 2016). Facilitating comprehensionMeaning making from texts (i.e. emergent reading comprehension) is a key learning focus for emergent literacy. See the learning focus page: making meaning and expressing ideas (emergent literacy) for more information. The pedagogical strategies that follow are used for engaging children’s emergent reading comprehension. Educators should consider children’s ages and language levels, the levels of question difficulty, and the use of closed or open-ended questions. See the teaching practice discussions and investigations for information on choosing question types. Using background knowledgeChildren’s understanding of texts is dependent on their being able to relate the text to the real world. Background knowledge is the awareness and understanding of various concepts and ideas from children’s lives and text experiences. Background knowledge is key to children having successful meaning making experiences with texts. Fellowes and Oakley (2014) note: Effective educators constantly help children increase their world knowledge and conceptual knowledge through a range of activities across the curriculum, along with appropriate discussion. They also help children make connections between their existing knowledge, their personal experiences,
and what is encountered in texts. Note: For ways of creating rich language and literacy learning experiences, see any of the other teaching practices for interacting with others and emergent literacy. With support, children can call upon their background knowledge during reading experiences, in order to make sense of texts and how they relate to the world. Educators should encourage children to think about what they know about topics that relate to the text, before during and after reading experiences (see examples below):
PredictingEncouraging children to predict helps to build a sense of anticipation during shared book reading. When prompted, children learn to wonder and predict what might be coming next. This allows them to practise the behaviours of an emergent reader: “Skilled readers learn to expect the actions, events and ideas that are coming up in the text” (Davis, 2015, p. 51). Educators can encourage children to predict before, during and after the reading:
VisualisingDuke and Pearson (2002) argue that children can enhance their meaning making when they create mental images of what is being read, because “a visual display helps readers understand, organise, and remember some of those thousand words” (p. 218). Encouraging children to visualise the text using their five senses can support their comprehension of the text. When being read to, using an illustrated text, children are already provided rich visual and verbal information. However, educators can prompt children to think about their other senses as the text is read, including:
In early childhood, educators can help children to develop reading comprehension behaviours, like visualisation, before independent reading emerges. Later, readers can use this visualisation strategy, with some describing it as like “having a movie going on in your mind while you read” (Davis, 2015, p. 61). Asking and answering questionsEducators can also prompt children to ask questions about the text as it is read. Children can be encouraged to wonder, inquire, and clarify ideas as they arise in the text. Educators should model how to ask questions using “think-alouds”, for example during the text Little Red Riding Hood, the educator can think aloud the following questions:
While reading texts to children, educators can periodically stop and allow children to think up a question. - Fellowes and Oakley (2014, p. 305) After modelling how to ask questions, educators can prompt children to ask their own questions, and spark discussion (as prompted in sustained shared thinking: Siraj-Blatchford, 2010). An example discussion is below:
In this example, when children ask questions educators can often ask another question, instead of giving the answer straight away. This can encourage other children to think deeper, share their ideas, and make meaning collaboratively. See sustained shared thinking for more ideas. SummarisingThis involves children learning to talk about the main ideas, or the “essence” of a text. To support children’s ability to summarise texts, educators can model how to talk through the main ideas from the text, and what the text is really about. For a story/narrative text, this involves discussing the start, middle, end of the story; for a non-fiction text, this involves talking about the main topic and ideas covered in the text and some important details or new knowledge. Helping children to explore and create texts, and build their awareness of how texts work, can help children develop their summarisation skills. Fellowes and Oakley (2014) argue that children who understand that a story has a beginning, middle and end (or an orientation, complication and resolution) are better equipped to identify the main ideas in a story: ‘’Children who have learnt about text structures usually find [summarising] easier because they have a framework to put their summary into’’ (p. 308). Prompts that educators can use to ask children for a summary of the text include:
Children can also use other modes of communication to express their meaning making from texts including: storytelling, play, sociodramatic play, performing arts and fine arts. Bringing the book to lifeEducators should consider how to help the story come to life, and provide engaging experiences for children, including dramatic use of their spoken words, voice, gestures, body language and facial expressions, and characterisation. See reading with children – interacting with others for more information. It is important for reading experiences to be interactive for children, allowing children to become involved in the reading process in various ways. Sipe’s (2002) theory of expressive engagement explains ways for children to get involved, including: Dramatisation
Print referencingWhen educators highlight and talk about different aspects of print during book reading experiences, it supports children’s engagement with texts, particularly their knowledge of concepts of print (Justice et al., 2010). Print referencing is defined as: an adult’s use of nonverbal and verbal cues to direct a child’s attention to the forms, features, and functions of written language. These cues are embedded into the shared storybook reading interactions of adults …and young children… Print-referencing cues can be nonverbal, such as pointing to print or tracking the print when reading, or verbal, such as asking questions about print, making comments about print, or posing requests about print.- Justice and Ezell (2004, p. 25) Nonverbal references to print include (Justice and Ezell, 2004; Baker, 2013):
Verbal references to print include (Justice & Ezell, 2004; Baker, 2013):
Baker (2013) summarised the following scaffolding opportunities during emergent reading experiences:
Highlighting emergent literacy foci during reading experiencesWhile reading with children, educators can take the opportunity to highlight various aspects of literacy, in order to develop children’s emergent reading skills. Some examples of ways to highlight emergent literacy learning foci are below: Concepts of printPicture books with words and letters are an excellent way to introduce concepts of print. Photo: An Australian ABC of Animals Text & Illustrations © Bronwyn Bancroft 2004 Published by Little Hare, an imprint of Hardie Grant Egmont
Fine Motor
Phonological AwarenessEducators should exploit the language features of stories to enhance children’s phonological learning. - Fellowes and Oakley (2014, p. 92) Growl Like a Tiger by Alison Lester, first published by Allen & Unwin, Australia in 2012.
Phonics
Making meaning and expressing ideas in texts
Exploring and creating texts
Theory to practiceBruner’s concept of “scaffolding” (see Wood, Bruner & Ross, 1976) was influential in the development of the “gradual release of responsibility model” (Duke and Pearson, 2002), where educators initially lead reading experiences (modelled reading), and gradually decrease as children start to share (guided and shared reading) and eventually lead reading experiences (independent reading). The concept of scaffolding, is tied to Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development: where children are able to achieve more than they can alone, by collaborating with more capable peers or adults (Vygotsky, 1967). Vygotsky argued that children develop best when they are guided by adults to learn what they would not be able to learn on their own. Vygotsky emphasised that: Language is vital in mediating relationships where less capable persons learn from more capable others. This joint meaning-making is supported by the languages of
interaction between child and adults and takes many forms including sounds, gestures, body language, movement, graphic images and symbols. When engaging in modelled reading behaviours, an educator creates an opportunity for children to see and hear what skilled reading and text engagement looks like (Duke and Pearson, 2002). During modelled reading, children gain practice in constructing images of events, people and objects removed from themselves (Heath, 1983). Through this scaffolding, children begin to imitate and internalise the modelled reading strategies, gradually experiencing more independent success (Bruner, 1986). During modelled and shared reading, it is anticipated that children will develop an appreciation and passion for literature. Shared reading is sometimes called Shared Book Experience (Holdaway, 1979; Tompkins, 2009), and involves adults and children engaging in texts collaboratively. When engaging in shared reading behaviours, children are helped to join a “community of readers” (Tomkins, 2009). Holdaway’s suggested process for shared reading is Discovery, Exploration and Independent Experience and Expression. Tompkins (2009) suggests pre-reading, reading, responding (discussions, arts), exploring (re-read text and analyse it), and applying the knowledge to other contexts (e.g. through performing/fine arts, play experiences). Guided reading refers to reading experiences where children are provided with limited guidance by an educator. Children can be supported to make meaning from the text almost independently (Duke and Pearson, 2002). Guided reading allows children to practise and consolidate their own emergent reading strategies, which they have learnt from their educator’s modelling and scaffolding of reading. In early childhood settings, it is not expected that children will independently “read” written texts However, educators can engage in guided reading pedagogies to encourage children to make meaning using a combination of text, illustrations, and other literacy modes. Evidence baseNumerous studies support the importance of reading with children for the development of emergent literacy skills. In a summary of emergent reading research, Piasta (2016) noted that: shared book reading is considered a best practice … However, impacts of shared reading may depend on mediation by adults to intentionally target specific emergent literacy skills. Piasta (2016, p. 236) The research evidence on reading experiences with children indicates the particular importance of embedding print referencing (concepts of print), phonological awareness, and oral language (including vocabulary, grammar, narrative/expository skills) into these experiences. Research that has investigated the effectiveness of print referencing has found that: Preschool teachers who embedded explicit references to print during regular whole-class read-alouds significantly increased children’s print knowledge compared to teachers who did not.- Justice et al. (2010, p. 513). Later studies have also supported print referencing as an important pedagogical strategy for developing children’s emergent literacy (Gettinger & Stoiber, 2014; Justice & Ezell, 2004; Justice, Kaderavek, Fan, Sofka, & Hunt, 2009; Justice, McGinty, Piasta, Kaderavek, & Fan, 2010; Piasta, Justice, McGinty, & Kaderavek, 2012). Similarly, highlighting the sound patterns and structures within books promotes children’s phonological awareness, another important aspect of emergent literacy (Lefebvre, Trudeau, & Sutton, 2011; Mihai et al., 2015). In a systematic review of 64 longitudinal studies, Hjetland et al. (2017) found that developing children’s oral language (vocabulary, grammar, use of language) and code-related skills (phonological awareness and phonics) were key to developing reading comprehension—with oral language (particularly reading comprehension) becoming increasingly important in the later years of primary school. This demonstrates the importance of using reading experiences with very young children, to develop their emergent literacy (and oral language) skills. Other important factors that influence the effectiveness of reading with children include (Fisher, Flood, Lapp & Frey, 2004):
Links to VEYLDF
Outcome 1: identityChildren develop knowledgeable and confident self-identities
Outcome 2: communityChildren become aware of fairness
Outcome 3: wellbeingChildren take increasing responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing
Outcome 5: communicationChildren engage with a range of texts and get meaning from these texts
Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media
Children begin to understand how symbols and pattern systems work
Children use information and communication technologies to access information, investigate ideas and represent their thinking
Experience plans and videosFor age groups: early communicators (birth - 18
months)
For age groups: early language users (12 - 36 months).
For age groups: language and emergent literacy learners (30 - 60 months).
Links to learning foci and teaching practices
ReferencesBruner, J. (1986). Actual Minds, Possible Worlds. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Davis, A. (2015). Building comprehension strategies for the primary years. Hong Kong: Eleanor Curtain Publishing. Fellowes, J., & Oakley, G. (2014). Language, literacy and early childhood education, 2nd Edition. Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press. Heath, S.B. (1983). What no bedtime story means: Narrative skills at home and school, Language in Society, 11(1), 49-76. Justice, L. M., & Ezell, H. K. (2004). Print referencing: An emergent literacy enhancement strategy and its clinical applications. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 35, 185–193. Justice, L. M., McGinty, A. S., Piasta, S. B., Kaderavek, J. N., & Fan, X. (2010). Print-focused read-alouds in preschool classrooms: Intervention effectiveness and moderators of child outcomes. Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools, 41(4), 504. Mihai, A., Friesen, A., Butera, G., Horn, E., Lieber, J., & Palmer, S. (2015). Teaching phonological awareness to all children through storybook reading. Young Exceptional Children, 18(4), 3–18. Piasta, S. B. (2016). Current understandings of what works to support the development of emergent literacy in early childhood classrooms. Child Development Perspectives, 10(4), 234–239. Wood, D., Bruner, J., & Ross, G. (1976). The role of tutoring in problem solving Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry & Applied Disciplines, 17(2), 89-100. Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (2016) Illustrative Maps from the VEYLDF to the Victorian Curriculum F–10. Retrieved 3 March 2018. Sipe, L. R. (2008). Storytime: Young children's literary understanding in the classroom. Teachers College Press.
What are the 5 reading strategies for kids?Phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics and decoding, fluency, and print concepts are widely recognized as foundational reading skills.. Phonemic Awareness. Phonemes, the smallest units making up spoken language, combine to form syllables and words. ... . Phonics. ... . Fluency. ... . Vocabulary. ... . Comprehension.. What are the reading strategies for children?13 Powerful Reading Strategies for Young Readers. Reread. Students must often revisit text to clarify understanding. ... . Activate Prior Knowledge. ... . Use Context Clues. ... . Infer Meaning. ... . Think Aloud. ... . Summarize the Story. ... . Locate Key Words. ... . Make Predictions.. Why are reading strategies important for children?When your child uses reading strategies, they are actively engaged in the reading process. This helps them understand the text better and makes reading more enjoyable. Additionally, as we mentioned above, reading strategies help your child build their vocabulary, which is essential for reading comprehension.
What are the 5 reading comprehension strategies?Strategies for Reading Comprehension: Expository Text. Cause and effect.. Problem and solution.. Compare and contrast.. Description.. Time order (sequence of events, actions, or steps). |