Early literacy

Overview

Literacy is ‘the capacity, confidence and disposition to use language in all its forms’ (Early Years Learning Framework). It can include talking, listening, viewing, reading, writing, music, movement, dance, storytelling, visual arts, media and drama. Children develop a wide range of literacy skills in the early years, from infancy through to the start of school, which form the foundation for reading, writing and communicating. Early literacy approaches aim to promote the development of these foundational skills.

Early Years Learning Framework

This topic relates to all outcomes in the Early Years Learning Framework - a guide to supporting and nurturing young children's learning from birth to 5 years of age, and their transition to school.

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Research

The research supports a number of evidence-based practices for promoting early literacy in early childhood education and care settings.

Two A4 paper sheets with the AERO early literacy practice guide

Tried and Tested practice guide

This guide outlines key practices that have been found to support early literacy in early childhood education and care.

Annotated reference list

An overview of the research evidence cited throughout our early literacy resources.

Using the practice

Evidence-based practices play an important part in extending children’s learning and development in early literacy. See below some strategies to embed early literacy in your early childhood and care setting.

Using the practice: early literacy

This resource looks at strategies for engaging in sustained shared conversations with children aged 3-5 years, and outlines examples of how educators and teachers can use moments in the day to build on children’s developing early literacy skills.

Snapshots of practice

Early literacy practices may look different in different contexts. See below examples of early literacy with a focus primarily on children 3-5 years.

Illustrations of practice

The following illustrations of practice focus primarily on children 3-5 years.

Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) – Problem solving in the block corner

This resource provides an example of a teacher developing students’ literacy skills and engaging in formative assessment.

This video shows a teacher in Victoria working with 3 and 4-year-old children. The video shows how the teacher understands how to monitor children’s learning to tailor the learning program to meet the social, emotional and cognitive needs of each learner. Her literacy activities help students understand storytelling elements through adding stories to their drawings. Her program also involves outdoor literacy experiences, through labelling plants in the garden. The teacher’s formative assessment strategies are also highlighted, which involve ongoing communication with families, taking running records, collecting work in portfolios and developing learning stories.

Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) – How many syllables in hippopotamus?

This resource provides an example of a teacher developing students’ reading skills and alphabet knowledge.

This video shows a teacher in regional Victoria working to develop literacy skills in 4 and 5-year-old children. The video explores development of literacy skills over a school year, starting with children looking at recognising their name and moving onto more complex reading as their skills develop. The video features children looking at letters and sounds to make meaning. The teacher wants her students to develop a love of stories and literacy and she seeks to prioritise students’ voices in all her learning experiences to create a collaborative learning environment.

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