Exposure to different kinds of books is helpful in building young children’s literacy orientation. Picture books with and without words allow for conversations about books. As young children experience quality literature at home or in early childhood education settings, they begin to identify objects in illustrations and become familiar with how books are organised.1- Zeece, P. D., & Churchill, S. L. (2001). First Stories: Emergent Literacy in Infants and Toddlers. Early Childhood Education Journal, 29(2), 101–104.
Photographs and wordless books are particularly useful in teaching babies how books work because most children recognise, interpret and express themselves through pictures long before they master print.2- Jalongo, M., Dragich, D., Conrad, N. & Zhang, A. (2002). Using Wordless Picture Books to Support Emergent Literacy. Early Childhood Education Journal. 29. 167-177.
Large crayons and paper lend support to early attempts at writing and drawing.3- Barclay, K., Benelli, C., & Curtis, A. (1995). Literacy begins at birth: What caregivers can learn from parents of children who read early. Young Children, 50(4), 24-28.
Printing a child's name on paper gradually encourages scribbling and eventually print.4- Lawhon T. (2000). Creating language and print awareness environments for young children. Contemporary Education.;71(3):5.
