Introduction

Overview of Resource: Purposes, Content, and Background Information

The purpose of this resource is to support teachers of emerging literacy learners in creating positive and effective literacy experiences. It is intended to supplement, not replace, the Elementary Level English Language Arts Curriculum (grades 1-5) (Saskatchewan Education, 1992) and is particularly focused on students in the emerging literacy phase in pre-kindergarten (Pre-K¹) to grade three. While many students display key emergent literacy behaviours in Pre-K and, with appropriate instruction, achieve the main objectives of the emerging phase by mid-grade one, others do not. For this reason, the resource is considered to be useful for teachers in grades two and three as well.

Developmental Differences Between Children in the Emerging Phase Pre-K                K              1               2               3 Shows the time frame in which most children progress through the emerging phase. The solid line indicates that these children accomplish all or most of the developmental tasks of the emerging phase within this time period, given appropriate educational experiences (including those provided in the child's home and community). Shows the time frame in which some children progress through the emerging phase. The dashes indicate that these children accomplish some of the developmental tasks of the emerging phase within this time period but need appropriate educational experiences and further instructional support in order to accomplish all of them. Shows the time frame in which a few children progress through the emerging phase. The dotted line indicates that these children need appropriate educational experiences and intensive instructional support in order to accomplish all of the developmental tasks of the emerging phase.

The orientation of instructional strategies and activities in the resource is to develop students who: choose to read and write enjoy reading and writing continue to build their critical and creative literacy skills and abilities. In practice, the four foundational areas of literacy development: are interrelated and interdependent require equal attention need to be integrated within instructional strategies and activities that adopt a whole, to part, to whole approach. Children's success in using the skills/abilities in one foundational area is dependent upon their development of the skills and abilities from the other areas as well.

Provides a foundation for lifelong learning The importance of the emerging phase in English Language Arts instruction is that it is a foundational phase in which: attitudes and values are developed key literacy skills and abilities are introduced. The resource supports instructional practices that help students to become lifetime participants in literacy activities. Supports children's progress from the Emerging to the Developing Phase by attending to all the foundations of literacy This resource is divided into four chapters--each one devoted to a particular set of literacy foundations. While the resource uses a framework in which these foundational areas are described separately, this separation is an organizational device and not a description of the realities of teaching and learning. The four areas of literacy development in which the foundations of lifetime literacy are laid include those shown in the chart below. Foundations of Early Literacy Development Oral Language Foundations strengthening listening and speaking abilities developing confidence as a language user becoming familiar with the vocabulary and sentence structures of conventional English increasing vocabulary while broadening life experiences. Textual Foundations developing a love for literature and an enjoyment of reading becoming familiar with the language of fiction and nonfiction books developing story sense, basic book knowledge, and concepts of print developing the ability to track print Graphophonic Foundations strengthening auditory and visual discrimination developing phonemic awareness developing knowledge of letter-sound relationships and patterns Foundations of Independent Reading and Writing developing an enjoyment of writing perceiving self as a reader and writer viewing reading and writing as valuable for a variety of purposes developing an orientation to reading/writing as the construction of meaning laying the ground work for accuracy and fluency in decoding developing a problem-solving approach to decoding and spelling, and a bank of problem-solving strategies to apply

Emphasizes instructional strategies and informal assessment

This resource provides:

• diagnostic tools to help teachers clarify the needs of children in the emerging phase
• some instructional activities useful for responding to these needs.

Emphasizes research and experiences of Saskatchewan teachers

This resource has been developed in consultation with Saskatchewan teachers of Pre-K to grade three students who teach in a variety of settings that reflect various socioeconomic backgrounds and cultures. A major source for the strategies and approaches recommended in the resource is the wealth of current research and literature related to best practices in early literacy development.

Validates and supplements familiar approaches

Many teachers will be familiar with the practices that are recommended and find the resource to be a validation of their present instructional approaches. It may also offer teachers a source of:

• new ways to apply familiar strategies
• additional activities to incorporate into established practices
• children's literature, software, and professional reading suggestions.

Assumes a general direction for children's literacy development and varying degrees of individual difference within this overall direction

The resource incorporates a developmental view of literacy growth. Such a view assumes that there will be variations between and within individual children's growth in relation to the foundational areas of literacy development. The developmental continuum on the following pages gives an overview of literacy growth through the Emerging Phase to the beginnings of the Developing Phase. It provides guidance in establishing a general direction for instruction in each of the four foundational areas and for assessing children's progress in general. However, it is not intended to be a substitute for the more specific observations and instructional adaptations that teachers make in order to meet the specific needs of individual children.

Additional developmental information related to emerging literacy can be found in: Children First: A Curriculum Guide for Kindergarten (1994): The Development of Spelling and Phonics Knowledge and Abilities, p. 62 John McInnes Interviews Two Early Childhood Educators, pp. 64-74 A Letter to Parents/Caregivers on Emerging Literacy, pp. 212-213. English Language Arts: A Curriculum Guide for the Elementary Level (1992): The Development of Spelling and Phonics Knowledge and Abilities, pp. 52-56 Emerging Literacy Checklist, p. 159 (This assessment instrument is particularly useful in observing and recording children's progress through the emerging phase.).