WiseTip: LD-LIT-M1626-G01A

Language Development & Communication

Promoting Emergent Literacy

While carrying out routines, for example, during pre-meal handwashing, bathtime or clearing up after play, sing familiar songs with simple fingerplays and gestures that your toddler can try to imitate.

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Parlakian, R., & Lerner, C. (2010). Beyond Twinkle, Twinkle: Using Music with Infants and Toddlers. Young Children, 65(2), 14–19. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ898687&site=ehost-live
Zero to Three’s Critical Competencies for Infant–Toddler Educators (2016). Retrieved from: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/jul2019/reading-with-babies-matters

WHY IT MATTERS

Playing music during playtime gives children easy access into practicing language and deciphering meaning. Singing songs with infants and toddlers develops their dual language learning, receptive and expressive skills and phonemic awareness.

Parlakian, R. & Lerner, C. (2010). Beyond twinkle, twinkle using music with infants and toddlers. YC Young Children. 65. 14-19.

Fingerplays also help children develop muscle strength and coordination in their fingers, which helps them learn to write and draw later.

Zero to Three’s Critical Competencies for Infant–Toddler Educators (2016). Retrieved from: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/jul2019/reading-with-babies-matters

Children’s concrete sources of first print are symbols, object names and words on cereal boxes, clothing labels and toy packages. From this, children learn about symbols, letters and words that they can then transfer to the abstract. Adults teach children important concepts about print, including left to right and top to bottom directionality,

Bobys, A. (2000). What does emerging literacy look like? Young Child. 55: 16–22.

that spaces appear between words and that a single letter can be a word.

Lawhon T. (2000). Creating language and print awareness environments for young children. Contemporary Education.;71(3):5.