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

print

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