Hello!
The book really does provide guidance for supporting infant literacy development throughout. In each chapter and within each subsection there are examples specific for infants (along with example specific for toddler and specific for preschoolers)
Here are a few examples focused on infants:
From the book introduction:
"Have you ever watched an infant babbling away as you read to them? Have you listened to a toddler as they chant along with a favorite book? Or helped a preschooler by writing words that they dictate to you? From infants' curiosity about books to preschoolers' growing understanding that spoken words are represented by text on a page, young children are literacy learners!"
From chapter 1, Clever Communicators
Topic Variety
"Teachers can talk about a variety of topics with children of all ages; these topics should attend to young children's interests and consider their cultural context at home, fostering home and community literacy practices (Souto-Manning & Yoon 2018).
For infants, whatever captures their interest at any given moment is the perfect topic of conversation. Talk about what they can see (for example, a ceiling fan) and touch (such as a soft blanket). Also, be sure to talk about what you are doing, especially when it involves them ("I am going to pick you up and change your diaper"). Diapering, changing, and feeding present excellent opportunities to talk. Even infants who are not yet talking can have back-and-forth "conversations" with you with their coos and babbles."
One of the strong points of the book is that early childhood educators of infant, toddlers and preschoolers can see how they each play an important role in fostering young children's language and literacy development.
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Mary Samour
Online Community Manager
National Association for the Education of Young Children
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-05-2023 06:50 PM
From: Lisa N Wall
Subject: Literacy Development and Curriculum books
Does Literacy Learning for Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers have a good suggestions.for Infants and Toddlers? I work with one year old children and I have a very difficult time finding anything that focuses on that age group. Everything seems to be heavily focused on preschool.
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Lisa Wall
Greenfield IN
Original Message:
Sent: 02-04-2023 09:41 AM
From: Monica O'Gara
Subject: Literacy Development and Curriculum books
Hello Hillary--
I would suggest that you take a look at a relatively new NAEYC book-- Literacy Learning for Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers by authors Wright, Cabell, Duke and Souto-Manning. It has a wealth of ideas and approaches to taking experiences which arise naturally with young children and helping those experiences to "foster literacy development" in a naturally developing way. The authors say in their introduction "We want to support young children's literacy learning in ways that make sense for their age."
This is a book which has many sections and approaches for different age brackets and is one which allows a teacher to gradually pick and choose a few different ideas to try, in various situations with children up to age five, which will enhance some of what might be considered the "underpinnings. " It suggests different ways in which a teacher of young children of different ages can learn to approach different scenarios in the classroom to help children's literacy development to grow -- for a few examples of many: "Using Play to Prompt Conversation," ""Print Referencing During Read Alouds," or descriptions for understanding how scribbling can lead to writing.
Checking out this resource might be very helpful for your situation and definitely speaks about the relation between early brain development and language and literacy.
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Monica O'Gara
Woodbine MD
Original Message:
Sent: 02-02-2023 05:26 PM
From: Hillary Seel
Subject: Literacy Development and Curriculum books
Hello!
Looking for a great (or a few!) resource(s) for how literacy develops and how to sequence out skills and instruction in the most developmentally appropriate ways for our early learners. Specifically looking for instruction geared towards preschool age (4-5), but fascinated in the early brain development of overall language and literacy as well.
Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much!
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Hillary Seel
Four Seasons of Early Learning
Hardwick VT
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