Emergent Literacy

(Marie Clay, 1966)

“Emergent literacy assumes that the child
acquires some knowledge about language,
reading, and writing before coming to school.
Literacy development begins early in life and
is ongoing,” (Morrow, 2009, p. 24).

Alexandra H. Allman
Components of Emergent Literacy:
Behaviors
Children:
• like to explore
• are inquisitive
• are problem solvers
• develop fine/gross motor skills
• exhibit listening behaviors
Theories:
• Constructivist – the teacher is
the facilitator and will guide
them to the knowledge;
students will learn through
social and collaborative
activities that allow them to
explore.
• Motivational – engage
students in activities that will
make them think - motivate
them to be inquisitive, to apply
problem solving
 Practices in the Classroom:
Behavior
• Blocks and Puzzles (exploring, problem solving, fine/gross motor
skills)
• Read alouds: read stories to students out loud – students are able
to “identify behaviors associated with effective listening” – social
communication about the book afterwards helps promote language
learning and development (Jalong, 2010, p. 6)
• Centers with concrete objects for students to explore; some
examples are:
– a science center that has dinosaur bones for a dinosaur theme
– Math center has manipulatives for students to explore
– Writing and art centers with a variety of supplies
• Reading a variety of texts out loud: students can use their
inquisitiveness to ask questions and be problem solvers by
predicting solutions
• Challenge students – promotes motivation (Morrow, 2009)
Components of Emergent Literacy:
Observations of World
Children:
• are assertive and egocentric
• are social
• develop sense of humor
• are aware of their culture
• developing conscience (what’s
good versus bad)
• can persist longer at tasks and
can plan and carry out tasks from
one day to the next
Theories:
• Schema (Cognitive) – Children
come to school aware of culture
and background experiences
pertaining only to their families.
They becoming aware of what is
good versus bad based on
experiences in their home or what
they see on t.v.
• Constructivist – promote social
behavior and work with students
behaviors in zone of proximal
development – some students will
be more mature and ready for
certain activities and learning
situations than others.
 Practices in the Classroom:
Observations of the World
• Centers – students can socially work in areas together
that help promote literacy skills: some tasks can begin
one day and students can continue the next day
• Jobs – assigning jobs to students to develop
assertiveness in a positive way
• Culture – display students’ different cultures around
classroom through pictures, books, and activities – allow
students to be experts in their culture
• Have students role play – good behavior versus bad
behavior
• Give students choices – gives them responsibility and
control (Morrow, 2009)
 Components of Early Literacy:
Home/School Environment
Defined:
• What children are learning in
the classroom should be
reinforced at home.
• “Family members who care for
children are children’s first
teachers,” (Morrow, 2009, p.
379).
Theory: Constructivist
• Students are learning naturally
at home and should blend with
the classroom (Baker, 1999)
• They may be learning socially
with family and therefore
should be learning socially with
teachers and peers
• Teachers and parents should
be guiding students toward
learning using the zone of
proximal development
(Vygotsky)
 Practices at Home and the
Classroom
• Read alouds – promotes language, writing, and reading
- talk about book
• Visuals of students’ culture in the classroom (reinforce what is
important at home)
• Environmental Print
• A newsletter communicating to parents what is happening in the
classroom
• Echo reading – teacher or parent reads and students repeat back
(Kuhn, 2003)
• Using songs, poems
• Writing lists – grocery list, list of students in classroom
• Trips around the community

(NAEYC, 1998)
Components of Emergent Literacy:
Cognitive Processes
• The way one thinks Theories:
• Learning alphabetic principle, • Cognitive – using prior
phonemic awareness, and knowledge, schema
phonics • Constructivist – developing
• “Cognitive processes are cognitive skills at home
intimately linked with one’s (background/culture) and at
history as a sociocultural school
being, as well as with the
immediate contextual variables
of the situation in which the
cognitive processing (such as
reading) occurs… Context is
an integral part of thinking.”
(Teale, 2003, p. 27)
 Practices in the Classroom:
Cognitive Processes
• Scaffolding – whole group and guided reading
• Centers that build on background knowledge
• Integrate cultures – through pictures and
literature and centers
• Zone of Proximal Theory – students should be
working on this level; the level students can
perform on with help from adult until
independent
• Students read independently to practice new
skills
Components of Emergent Literacy:
Language Processes
Defined: Theory:
• Language is the • Cognitive – students’
understanding of the language develops
concept of a word through activities
• Children will “construct – • Constructivist – acquiring
or reconstruct – language language through active
as they learn (Morrow, and social process
2009) • Behaviorist – will learn
through imitation
 Practices in the Classroom:
Language Processes
• Buddy reading
• Sharing (show and tell)
• Teacher modeling
• Centers (i.e. house center)
• Shared reading
• Collaborative discussion (whole group or
small group)
• Role playing