Today, the term emergent reader defines a child from the time they are born and continuing through the preschool years. Early literacy begins at birth, as babies listen to all the language that surround them. Adults help infants increase their language skills by linking what they see and hear with concrete objects and pictures in books. Beginning steps into reading include the acquisition of language by singing, saying nursery rhymes, doing finger plays, and reading aloud simple picture books that are rich in rhyme, repetition and are cumulative tales. Listening and speaking are closely linked to later success at reading and writing. The emergent reader is learning basic concepts about print, such as which way to hold a book, reading starts at the top of the page and goes to the bottom and progresses from left to right, illustrations tell the story in pictures and the words on the page tell the story that is being read.
Every child should be read to on a daily basis and should have access to books at all times. Have the child "read" to you. Allow the child to create their own story based on the pictures they see within the book. Reread stories multiple times. Omit words of a familiar story and allow the child to fill in the blank. Allow the child to experiment with words. Point to the words on the page as you read out loud to the child. This enables the child to understand that sentences consist of separate words.
Listening, speaking and reading aloud are all parts of emergent literacy.
