Language and literacy development is in place from early years, even before children first speak their own words. Babbling, telling stories, and early writing, infants and young children employ gestures, sounds, and facial expressions to develop the ability to relate, learn, and feel like they belong. Educators are important players in high-quality early learning environments for developing language and literacy through active, intentional responding that appreciate each child’s voice (Whitehead, 2010).
Educator Competencies and Teaching Skills
Infants and toddlers require sets of intentional teaching skills to support language and literacy development that early childhood teachers must use, which include:
- Responsive Communication: Listening for children’s verbal and non-verbal cues, responding with warmth and purpose (Gonzalez-Mena & Widmeyer Eyer, 2018).
- Modelling Language: Using rich vocabulary, descriptive language, and narrative daily events (Berk & Meyers, 2017).
- Shared Reading: Reading aloud Books with expression involving children through gesture and voice.
- Repetition and Rhyme: Supporting Language through repetition, rhymes, and songs to help memory and prediction (Whitehead, 2010).
- Environment as the Third Teacher: Creating print-and sound- rich environments with books, visuals, and communications provocations (Edwards et.al., 2012).
- Bilingual and Multicultural Inclusion: Recognizing and valuing home languages and cultural literacies (Tabors, 2008).
Curriculum Integration Examples
- Drama and Puppetry: Finger puppets recounting simple stories with sound effects.
- Music: Singing call-and-response songs with action verbs (If you’re happy and you know it….)
- Science: Telling cause and effect during water play (It’s splashing because you’re pouring fast!)
Three Learning Opportunities
0-12 Months: “Sound & Gestures Play”
Description: Place soft books, rattles, and baby-safe mirror in front of infant. Sit next to and make remark about what the baby can see, hear, and touch.
Goal: Foster turn-taking, eye contact, and talking.
Educator Role: Make remark on baby’s behaviour (“I hear your rattle! That’s a jingle sound!”)
12-24 Months: “Story Basket Discovery
Description: Use a story basket from a simple book (e.g., Where is the Green Sheep?), holding matching plush animals.
Objective: Promote word association and naming of objects.
Educator role: Interrupt and let toddlers’ complete words or sounds that they recognize.
2-3 Years: “Scribble & Tell”
Description: Offer crayons and paper for scribbling as one talks. Encourage open-ended questions (e.g., “Tell me about your drawing!”).
Objective: Tie early writing to expression and storytelling.
Educator’s Role: Employ children’s language under illustrations to show the print-meaning relationship.
Children’s Literature and Movement Resources
Children’s Picture Books:
- Monster hunt
- Brown bear colour book
Songs
- Open Shut them
- Five little ducks
Rhymes
- Old MacDonald had a farm,
- See you later alligator
Movement Game
- Action Cards Play