We look at strategies for engaging in sustained shared conversations with children aged 3-5 years, using examples of educators and teachers using moments in the day to build children’s literacy skills.

Engage in sustained shared conversations with children

One way to develop early literacy in children is to engage in ‘sustained shared conversations’. The Early Years Learning Framework states that sustained shared conversations are an important strategy for educators and teachers to employ. By asking children questions, educators can prompt children to explore their ideas in more depth. Educators can extend children’s thinking by working together to solve a problem, clarify an issue, evaluate learning experiences or extend a narrative. Opportunities for engaging in sustained shared conversations can occur throughout the day during routines, transitions, planned and spontaneous experiences.

Strategies and examples for engaging in sustained shared conversations with children aged 3 to 5 years are outlined below. For examples of sustained shared conversations that develop children’s numeracy and executive function and self-regulation skills, see AERO's numeracy and executive function and self-regulation resources.

Strategies for sustained shared conversations

Question stems to encourage conversations

  • ‘How did you know…?’
  • ‘Why does this…?’
  • ‘Why do you think…?’
  • ‘Why can’t we…?’
  • ‘What happens next?’

Examples

‘How did you know you need to wear a life jacket when you are on a boat?’
     [child’s response]
‘That is interesting, what do you think a life jacket is for?’

Question stems to encourage conversations

  • ‘I wonder what would happen if…?'
  • What is another way we could try…?’

Examples

‘I wonder what would happen if it started raining?’ 
     [child’s response]
‘How can we still go outside if it is raining?’ 
     [child’s response]
‘What do we need to wear?’ 

Question stems to encourage conversations

  • ‘I really want to know more about…’
  • ‘So, you think that…’

Examples

‘I have a younger brother! Who else has a brother?’ 
     [child’s response]
‘Tell me about your brother.’
     [child’s response]
‘What does he look like?’

Question stems to encourage conversations

  • ‘Could we try doing it this way…?’
  • ‘What if you…?’
  • ‘I find it useful when…’
  • ‘Have you thought about trying…?’

Examples

‘You’ve made an interesting sculpture. How are you going to transfer it over to the display stand?’
     [child’s response]
‘It is rather large. Do you think we will need more than one person to carry it?’

Question stems to encourage conversations

  • ‘I have to think hard about…’
  • ‘I need to…’
  • ‘First I will ... and then I will … and then I can...’

Examples

‘The little boy in the book tried to find his lost kitten. Let’s think about different ways he could do this. First, I might talk to my neighbours to see if they have seen the kitten. Then I would make a missing cat poster. What information would we need to put on the poster?’

Question stems to encourage conversations

  • ‘That’s an interesting idea!’ 
  • ‘I like what you have done.’ 
  • ‘You have thought really hard about … what can you do next?’

Examples

‘Look at the great cave you have built! It looks like the cave we just read about in our story! What could you do next to make it feel like home for the bear?’

Embed literacy learning throughout the day

Here are some examples of when you might build early literacy skills into different learning experiences and interactions throughout the day with children aged 3 to 5. These examples show how you may start a conversation and illustrate a pause where the child can engage and steer the conversation with their response. You can use these examples as inspiration for conversation starters with your children.

Moments in the day

Example of how to build in literacy

Ask the child/ren how they are feeling and what they would like to do today, or talk about their current interest.

What this might sound like with children

‘I see that there is a monkey on your shirt! 
     [child’s response]
‘Did you know that monkeys live in lots of different habitats?’
     [child’s response]
‘I wonder what else you already know about monkeys.’

Example of how to build in literacy

Talk about the food you are preparing, what you’re doing to it, how it tastes and what it looks like.

What this might sound like with children

‘Today we are having frittata for lunch. How does it taste?’ 
     [child’s response]
‘What are some of your favourite things to have in a frittata?’

Example of how to build in literacy

Encourage children to show their understanding of a story through acting out the story, or through art.

What this might sound like with children

‘Do you remember what made the kangaroo curious?’
     [child’s response]
‘Yes, he spotted something in the grass. What colour are you going to choose to draw the grass?’

Example of how to build in literacy 

Provide opportunities for children to develop an understanding of books and other texts.

What this might sound like with children

‘This is the cover of the book and here is the title. These words tell us what the story is called.’

---

‘Let’s use the map to try and find the city that we live in! Can you see how each town is labelled with its name? What town are we looking for?’

---

‘The label is listing all of the ingredients so we know what is in it!’
     [child’s response]
‘That is right. It is also showing us the quantities, and cooking directions.’
     [child’s response]
‘See here? It says: two tablespoons.’

Example of how to build in literacy

Encourage children to share what they are doing and thinking.

What this might sound like with children

‘Would the rabbit like more carrots? What else would the rabbit like to eat?’

---

‘Where are the dolls going today?’ 
     [child’s response]
‘Who are they with?’
     [child’s response]
‘How will they get there?’ 

Example of how to build in literacy 

Provide opportunities for social interactions where children can practice speaking and listening and see how written words are used in our lives. 

What this might sound like with children

‘Let’s go to the shop. What do we need to take with us to remember what to buy?’
     [child’s response]
‘Let’s write a list of groceries to buy. What should we put on it?’
     [child’s response]
‘We’ve arrived at the shop, let’s say, ‘Good morning … we would like to buy some food today.’ 
     [child’s response]
‘Can I please buy these items? How much does this cost?’

Example of how to build in literacy

Build on children’s vocabulary in all learning experiences including those with science or maths focus.

What this might sound like with children

‘This is the plant’s stem. Can you see in the centre the flower has a stamen?’  

---

‘That hole is so big! You could also say it’s enormous. What other words could you use to explain how big it is?’

---

‘Do you think the car will go faster down this ramp or that one?’
     [child’s response]
‘Why do you think it will do this?’
     [child’s response]
‘This is called predicting.’ 

Example of how to build in literacy

Provide opportunities for children to hear how sounds in words rhyme. 

What this might sound like with children

‘I’ve got my hat. Can you tell me another word that rhymes with hat?’ 
     [child’s response]
‘Yes, cat rhymes with hat.’ 

---

‘I’m making a sausage with my playdough. S-s-s-sausage starts with an “s” sound.’

Example of how to build in literacy

Let children experiment with a wide range of resources to practice mark making.

What this might sound like with children

‘I like how you are using your fingers to draw patterns in the sand. This looks like a letter “O” for Olivia.’

Example of how to build in literacy

Include opportunities to develop an understanding of different types and formats of text including digital and print, fiction and non-fiction. 

What this might sound like with children

  • ‘This book tells us how plants grow. Can you see the diagram? It tells us the part of the plant and how it changes from a seed.’ 
  • ‘It is called a recipe. It lists all the ingredients and the amounts. What else does it tell us?’

Example of how to build in literacy

Help children use the vocabulary they have learned by asking them to describe highlights of the day, and share this with their parents and primary caregivers.

What this might sound like with children

  • ‘What did we learn about today? What did you really enjoy doing today?’
  • ‘Do you remember what was so special about our trip to the park?’

Keywords: early childhood education and care, ECEC, EYLF