Early

Literacy
Behavior
Soriano, Jennylyn M.
Magpantay, April T.
Menes, Christine
Redoma, Diana
Sabaybay, Gerome A.
Behavior of Emergent Literacy
 From the moment birth babies begin to acquire literacy information and they
continue to build their knowledge of oral language, reading and reading as
they go through their childhood.

 When children attend formal education they have been already equipped
with many literacy concepts and certain oral language, reading and writing
competencies.

Goodman 1984
- Reported that many children have already known certain things which are
necessary for reading.

Literacy Learning begins early in life and is ongoing. Literacy development

begins with children’s first experience with print.

Vygotsky’s
- assertion about higher mental functions.

Scarborough and Dobrich (1994)

- described emergent literacy as a highly complex concept and that
children are developing simultaneously with respect to many crucial and
eventual literate behavior.

When children are immersed in literacy by being surrounded with materials that
promote their early literacy, by being exposed to meaningful literacy events, and
by having constant interaction and develop their early literacy skills. The behavior
provides for is a guide;
1. to determine which behavior can be identified for acquisition – early signs of
their abilities, interest and information about literacy.
2. To recognize which behavior can be associated with approximation –
condition when children are almost correct in their literacy skills, and
 3. To identify which behavior can be linked to development – practices with
scaffolding, up to minimal adult supervision or no guidance at all since they
can independently perform those early literacy skills.

Holdaway, describes young children’s approximations of reading – like play, that

is almost unintelligible at first, until this ‘reading – like play’ rapidly becomes
picture – stimulated, page – matched and story – complete. Moreover, Meek
(1982) describes learning to read in the early stages, like everything else a child
has come to know, as an approximation of adult behavior with a genuine,
meaningful function.

Children have started to acquire knowledge about literacy since infancy and even
before they enter preschool. Thus, infants and toddlers certainly possess literacy
skills which they acquire in their homes as nurtured by their parents, and these are
the same information and skills they bring as soon as they enter formal schooling.

In the course of their childhood, these literacy skills are developed with the
guidance of parents but in an informal setting so as to encourage children, and the
supervision of teachers in a formal classroom setting like guided play. However,
since kids are active contructors of their learning, they learn best when they are put
in meaningful activities.

Teachers also enhance their early literacy skills through free – play or outdoor
play, informal reading and writing activities that would eventually lead to actual
reading and writing, artwork activities and circle – time to enjoy singing, dancing
and interacting with their schoolmates,

In determining early literacy behavior, it is important to discriminate among

nursery, kinder and preparatory kids, because of individual differences. Not all
preschool kids possess these same skill or demonstrate the same behaviors. Instead,
they are unique individuals who come from unique homes, have unique literacy
background, have varied exposure to print materials and belong to diverse
community with diverse culture.
Early Literacy Behavior
PHYSICAL ABILITIES
 Playing toys
 Manipulating clay,books,legos
 Attempting puzzle work
 Holding and using pencil
 Holding and using crayon
 Attempting to use paper and pemcil
 Drawing
 Tracing
 Discriminating pictures
 Discriminating colors
 Recognizing shapes and sizes

LANGUAGE SKILLS
 Humming
 Singing
 Counting
 Reading aloud
 Narrating familiar stories
 Using oral language for communication

READING SKILLS
 Looking at pictures and other print materials
 Eyes focused intently on books
 Recognizing letters, numbers
 Recognizing pictures
 Naming objects and characters
WRITING SKILLS
 Scribbling
 Drawing
 Tracing
 Coloring
 Interested in pencil and paper activities
 Recognizing lines and shapes
 Copying letters and numbers
 Starting to write his name and names of family members
 Writing with adult supervision