When a book is not just for reading (it’s used to build early literacy)!

We’re used to thinking of the term “literacy” as a word to describe people who can read. What about the term “early literacy?” Does it simply refer to teaching young children how to read?

In this episode of Learn With Less, Ayelet discusses a few more ways to use books with infants and toddlers than simply reading the text on the page – and the benefits of exposure to early literacy experiences (hint: the term refers to much, much more than simply learning how to read)!

Below is a transcript of this episode’s “Developmental Thought,” an excerpt from the full episode.

For additional information, music, play ideas and the complete interactive family experience, please listen to the entire episode.

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I have heard parents say, “oh, I think that book is a bit too advanced for my infant…” It is never too early to expose your child to early literacy skills! Here’s the biggest misnomer:

The term “early literacy” is NOT the same thing as “learning how to read.”

There are many different early skills and supportive activities you can do that are involved in building literacy, including (but not limited to):

Simply exposing your baby to text and symbols (think about some of the activities we discussed in another podcast episode, “Visual Supports: An Intro”).

Handling books (whether that means your baby is quietly holding a book in her hands, wildly removing each one from the shelf, chewing on the board book, or turning a page).

Looking at pictures (and watching you point to those pictures as you speak about the words they represent, or starting to engage themselves in recognizing pictures).

More quote-unquote “early literacy behaviors” can be found on the Zero to Three website (link here) or in the book So Much More Than The ABCs, by Judith Shickendanz, published by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (an Amazon affiliate link can be found below).

Use Pictures to Stimulate Language

In a recent episode, “Visual Supports, An Introduction,” I gave some examples about how to use visuals in a more naturalistic, communicative way than simply labeling. It is very easy to us as adults to become “drill sergeants” when our intention is to help our young children learn.

Getting creative and asking different questions, creating playful experiences rather than pointing and naming, linking objects and people to previous experiences, are all great ways to provide a “language-rich” interaction. Let’s talk today a little more about how to integrate early literacy experiences into this idea of “language-rich” interactions.

Book reading is wonderful example of an activity that promotes joint attention, which I spoke about in Episode 1:“Why Sing?” When you sit and read to your baby, you’re not only exposing her to text and pictures,