Self-Guided Learning Module
Early Literacy
Learning Domains
What is this CELL self-guided training?
• This self-guided training focuses
on early literacy domains
• The purpose of this training is to
share information about:
The phases and domains of early
literacy learning
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Pause and think about early literacy
before you proceed!
Write down the responses that immediately
come to mind for each of these questions.
• What is early literacy to you?
• Does early literacy only involve books or
are there other ways to “do” early literacy?
• When does early literacy start?
• How do children develop early literacy
abilities?
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What is early literacy to you?
• Early literacy refers to the knowledge and skills that
young children from birth to age five need to read,
write, and communicate.
• Developed before formal reading instruction, early
literacy consists of print and language learning.
• Print-related learning includes recognizing letters of
the alphabet, understanding what is read, expressing
words in writing, and knowing the rules of writing.
• Language-related learning includes recognizing the
different sounds that make up words, being able to
use words to communicate, and understanding what
is said by others.
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Does early literacy only involve books or
are there other ways to “do” early literacy?
Early literacy activities should consist of
a rich mix of language and print-related
learning experiences such as:
• storytelling
• answering questions
• interacting with various types of
environmental print
• engaging in drawing or pre-writing
activities
• singing nursery rhymes
• doing finger plays
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When does early literacy start?
Early literacy starts at birth.
• Infants begin to learn about print and
language by interacting with people and
objects that are interesting and enjoyable.
• It is never too early to engage young
children in early literacy activities!
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How do children develop
early literacy abilities?
• Informal Learning Experiences
• Formal Learning Experiences
• Literacy-Rich Environments
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Introduction:
Early Literacy Phases and Domains
CELL has conceptualized early literacy
learning to be composed of:
• Three phases
• Seven domains
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Introduction:
Phases of Early Literacy Learning
Pre-literacy development
• From birth to approximately 12 to 15
months developmental age
• The communication and social skills
acquired before language onset that form
the foundation for language acquisition
and emergent literacy skills
• Includes a child’s acquisition of a number
of important communication and literacy-
related skills
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Introduction:
Phases of Early Literacy Learning
Emergent literacy development
• From approximately 12-15 to 30
months of age
• The verbal and nonverbal skills that
are the foundation for the process of
learning to read, write, and develop
other literacy-related abilities
• Includes the acquisition of a variety
of emergent literacy development
skills and accomplishments
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Introduction:
Phases of Early Literacy Learning
Early literacy development
• From approximately 30 months of age
to five years
• The acquisition and mastery of the
fundamentals of reading, writing, and
other literacy-related skills
• Includes the mastery of many of the
fundamentals and precursors of
conventional literacy skills and
accomplishments
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Introduction:
Domains of Early Literacy Learning
• Early literacy domains are not:
• Chronological or linear
• Discrete or independent
• Early literacy domains are:
• Overlapping and interrelated
• Development in one domain is often associated
with development in other domains as well.
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Introduction:
Domains of Early Literacy Learning
Linguistic-Processing Skills
Listening Comprehension
Oral Language
Phonological Awareness
Print-Related Skills
Alphabet Knowledge
Print Awareness
Written Language
Text Comprehension
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Introduction:
Domains of Early Literacy Learning
Linguistic-Processing Skills
Listening Comprehension
Oral Language
Phonological Awareness
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Introduction:
Domains of Early Literacy Learning
Print-Related Skills
Alphabet Knowledge
Print Awareness
Written Language
Text Comprehension
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Illustration: Linguistic Processing Skills
Listening Comprehension
Receptive language, the ability
to hear and understand speech
What types of experiences do infants, toddlers
and preschoolers need to develop their listening
comprehension skills?
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Experiences to Support an Infant’s
Development of Listening Comprehension
• Speaking in a nurturing, caring manner
• “Motherese” or “parentese”
• Repetition
• Shared storybook reading
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Experiences to Support a Toddler’s
Development of Listening Comprehension
• Engage toddlers in “conversations”
• Shared storybook reading
• Listening games
• Songs and finger plays
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Experiences to Support a Preschooler’s
Development of Listening Comprehension
• Engage preschoolers in conversations
• Listening games
• Re-telling stories
• Shared storybook reading that involves in-
depth discussion, questions, and reflection
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Illustration: Linguistic Processing Skills
Oral Language
The ability to use expressive language
to communicate with others
What types of experiences do infants,
toddlers and preschoolers need to
develop their oral language skills?
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Experiences to Support an Infant’s
Development of Oral Language
• Talk to Infants
• Vary tone and pitch of voice
• Say words with enthusiasm and
interest
• Shared story book reading
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Experiences to Support a Toddler’s
Development of Oral Language
• Engage in “conversation”
• Shared storybook reading, especially
repeated reading of familiar or favorite
books
• Songs and finger plays
• Games and play that encourage the
use of language
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Experiences to Support a Preschooler’s
Development of Oral Language
• Meaningful conversations
• Invent new stories and retell familiar stories
• Shared storybook reading
• Question-asking and answering conversations
• Opportunity to learn and use new vocabulary
• Opportunities to match words they hear with
images on paper
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Illustration: Linguistic Processing Skills
Phonological Awareness
Ability to distinguish between and manipulate
sounds in spoken language; hear similarities,
difference, and patterns in sounds
What types of experiences do infants,
toddlers and preschoolers need to develop
their phonological awareness skills?
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Experiences to Support an Infant’s
Development of Phonological Awareness
• Interesting speech—high pitch, sing-song, etc.
• “Motherese”
• Rhymes, songs, and finger plays
• Cooing, babbling and “talking” games
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Experiences to Support a Toddler’s
Development of Phonological Awareness
• Conversations
• Book reading
• Singing
• Nursery rhymes
• Rhyming and word games
• Made-up rhyming words
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Experiences to Support a Preschooler’s
Development of Phonological Awareness
• Listening games
• Nursery rhymes
• Songs
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Illustration: Print-Related Skills
Alphabet Knowledge
Recognize and name letters of the alphabet;
understand letter-sound correspondence
What types of experiences do infants,
toddlers and preschoolers need to develop
their alphabet knowledge skills?
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Experiences to Support an Infant’s
Development of Alphabet Knowledge
• Exposure to the alphabet through
use of toys such as alphabet blocks
• Print in the environment
• Alphabet songs
• Alphabet books
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Experiences to Support a Toddler’s
Development of Alphabet Knowledge
• Recognizing written name
• Identifying letters in name
• Alphabet songs
• Alphabet books
• Alphabet toys and games
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Experiences to Support a Preschooler’s
Development of Alphabet Knowledge
• Recognition of letters in name
• Alphabet toys, books, and games
• Environmental print
• Matching pictures with letters
• Letter-sound games
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Illustration: Print-Related Skills
Print Awareness
Understanding the purposes and
conventions of print
What types of experiences do infants,
toddler and preschoolers need to develop
their print awareness?
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Experiences to Support an Infant’s
Development of Print Awareness
• Interaction with books (holding, chewing,
looking at pictures)
• Shared storybook reading
• Everyday opportunities to interact with books
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Experiences to Support a Toddler’s
Development of Print Awareness
• Exposure to environmental print
• Shared storybook reading
• Independent exploration of books
• Observing adults use print
• Observing adults read
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Experiences to Support a Preschooler’s
Development of Print Awareness
• Independent exploration of books
• Shared storybook reading
• Use environmental print
• Recognize printed name
• Drawing
• Invented spelling
• Dictating stories
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Illustration: Print-Related Skills
Written Language
Communicate through printed language
What types of experiences do infants,
toddlers and preschoolers need to develop
their written language?
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Experiences to Support an Infant’s
Development of Written Language
• Exploring with a variety of sensory materials,
such as finger paint
• Exploring play with writing and art materials
• Observing adults writing
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Experiences to Support a Toddler’s
Development of Written Language
• Daily opportunities to explore drawing
and painting
• Playing with play dough
• Observing adults write in daily routines
• Any games that strengthen fine motor
muscles
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Experiences to Support a Preschooler’s
Development of Written Language
• Opportunities to draw, write, scribble
• Art and writing materials
• Writing projects
• Observing adults writing daily
• Computer games
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Illustration: Print-Related Skills
Text Comprehension
Ability to decode and comprehend written language
What types of experiences do infants, toddlers and
preschoolers need to develop their text
comprehension skills?
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Experiences to Support an Infant’s
Development of Text Comprehension
• Shared storybook reading
• Pointing to words and pictures in books
• Positive experiences with books
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Experiences to Support a Toddler’s
Development of Text Comprehension
• Shared storybook reading
• “Retelling” favorite books and stories
• Observe adults point to words and
pictures in books
• Environmental print
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Experiences to Support a Preschooler’s
Development of Text Comprehension
• Varied experiences with books
• Environmental print
• Shared story book reading
• Finger-point reading
• Opportunities for invented spelling
• Literacy play materials In everyday routines
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Practice:
Identify Literacy Domains
• Go to the CELL website at www.earlyliteracylearning.org and
locate the Practitioner Practice Guides. Select either infants,
toddlers, or preschoolers. Select 3 different practice guides to
read. After reading each practice guide, identify the literacy
domains that are addressed in each of the three practice guides.
• Identify any examples of:
• Listening comprehension
• Oral Language
• Phonological awareness
• Alphabet knowledge
• Print awareness
• Written language
• Text comprehension
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Evaluation:
Identifying Literacy Domains
1. What were some of the activities used
to support literacy experiences?
2. Was it difficult to identify the literacy
domains within the practice guides?
3. What role did the adult play?
4. How did the child/children respond?
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Reflection:
Early Literacy Domains
1. How have your thoughts
changed about early literacy?
2. Is there anything about your
practices you will change after
learning more about early
literacy domains?
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Thank you!
• Thank you for accessing the CELL self-guided
module on early literacy domains.
• Remember, you can download free resources
from the CELL website at
www.earlyliteracylearning.org
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