The caregiver's role in emergent literacy

Children Today,  Sept-Oct, 1990  by Davida R. Schuman,  Juliette Relihan

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The new buzz word echoing through the halls of schools today is " emergent literacy. In an effort to explain the deplorable literacy rate among adult Americans, researchers have turned their attention to the very beginnings of reading/writing development, and termed these beginning experiences "emergent literacy. "

Educators and child welfare professionals are replete with recommendations and suggestions for parents to follow to maximize their child's progress through this crucial phase of development. A critical issue left unaddressed, however, is the simple fact that much of the advice is predicated on the parent having the time (and energy!) to accomplish what has been recommended.

By 1995, two of three preschool children will have both parents in the work force, and by the year 2000, it has been predicted that 70 to 80 percent of all mothers with children under five will be in full-time employment. It seems inevitable, therefore, that the mission of "emergent literacy" will become the responsibility of day care providers.

Book sharing is one of the most emphasized activities in programs designed to maximize literacy development. For those who have worked in day care, story time has always been a special time with children. Caregivers need to be aware, however, that the age-old ritual of children gathering around the feet of the storyteller who holds the book aloft has been drastically modified in today's classrooms.

One change in the storytime ritual is that the books themselves are no longer of standard library size, but rather are enlarged versions, with pictures and words replicated on 20 1/2 " by 14 1/2" paper. While the purpose of the reading is still for enjoyment, there are other objectives as well. In the "old days," teachers read stories, talked about them when finished, and children would sometimes draw pictures to illustrate the stories. Storytelling was usually a "bridge" to another activity; more often than not. it provided the space for quiet time before a snack. Literature and Literacy

Today the focus is on making literature the link to literacy. Children should not only understand the book being read but construct meaning about the print (words) as well. Before the reading begins, the teacher initiates a discussion of the book to be read, drawing the children's attention to the print on the cover indicating the book title and author's name. Children are led to an awareness that print talks. It is presumed that children will learn to read and write when they become aware that print relates to the things in their world and has meaning for them.

During the read-aloud period, there is more than just reading and a closing discussion. To emphasize that print talks, the teacher tracks the print with the movement of her hand across the page. This movement spurs left-to-right and top-to-bottom eye movements, which are critical print practices for effective reading.

To assist children in deriving meaning from the text, the teacher uses a variety of questioning techniques designed for specific skills development. The teacher walks them through the story with personal comments that illustrate how to predict outcomes, make inferences and draw conclusions. As the children become familiar with this process, they are encouraged to make judgements or guess at the story's outcome. Occasionally a concluding word is omitted, allowing the children to complete the text and make the print talk.

Finally, when the story has been read, the teacher and children engage in a discussion of the book. Although the focus of the discussion will vary, it is intended to promote the development of language skills and recall, as well as an understanding of the print's meaning.

Although the caregiver plays a key role in the child's literacy development, parental involvement is crucial as well. Teachers should encourage parents to discuss school stories with their children during trips to and from the child care center. Since books used in these programs are copies of library books, parents can borrow copies to read to their children, preferably at bedtime. In this way, the parent can actively participate in his child's literacy development in a reasonable time frame that can be managed easily and conveniently.

Universal Literacy

The ultimate goal of emergent literacy-to structure an environment that is rich in print-enables children to acquire basic literacy concepts at a very early age. Children exposed to a print rich environment form expectations about print that are likely to grow throughout their school life. This early emphasis on literacy development fosters "reading readiness."

Children who have experiences with books achieve a wide range of skills predisposing them to literacy. They are conditioned to learn to read and write. Their familiarity with written text in oral form has been heightened, and they have mastered such essential reading strategies as predicting outcomes and drawing conclusions.