WiseTip: LD-LIT-M0003-I01A

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Language Development & Communication

Promoting Emergent Literacy

Hold your baby in your arms so they can look at the book. Read or talk about what you see in the book with them.

WHY IT MATTERS

Reading between the parent and child has been clearly linked to children’s social-emotional development.

Fletcher, K. & Reese, E. (2005). Picture book reading with young children: A conceptual framework. Developmental Review. 25. 64-103. 10.1016/j.dr.2004.08.009.

Researchers suggest that effectively sharing books with very young children may be used to establish physical closeness and support the development of meaningful social and secure attachments. Children who are immersed in rich language experiences that are nurtured by significant adults will identify such experiences (reading as pleasurable) throughout life.

2, 3

Kupetz, B., & Green, E. (1997). Sharing books with infants and toddlers: Facing the challenge. Young Children, 52(2), 22–27.
Zeece, P. D., & Churchill, S. L. (2001). First Stories: Emergent Literacy in Infants and Toddlers. Early Childhood Education Journal, 29(2), 101–104.

Reading books with babies exposes them to the sound of the parents’ voice, which is soothing to them. Reading with infants and toddlers also helps parents to be sensitive to the level of children’s language development and helps them to better pitch their language to the children’s ability. This has effects on later literacy and learning.

4, 5

Fletcher, K. L., Cross, J. R., Tanney, A. L., Schneider, M., & Finch, W. H. (2008). Predicting language development in children at risk: The effects of quality and frequency of caregiver reading. Early Education and Development, 19(1), 89-111.
Kupetz, B. N. (1993). A Shared Responsibility: Nurturing Literacy in the Very Young. School Library Journal, 39(7), 28–31.

Talking about what babies look at helps them build vocabulary

Lee J. (2011). Size matters: early vocabulary as a predictor of language and literacy competence. Appl Psycholinguist; 32: 69–92.

and joint attention, such as the ability to focus on the same thing with another person. Eventually, this will help babies develop attention and focus on what other people are talking about. The ability to do these will help in the children’s cognitive development and their interaction with others.