ENG 1

Teaching English in the Elementary Grades

Charmaine Shane S. CuÑada

Subject Teacher
 language
What is Early Literacy?
sounds words

Teaching English in the Elementary Grades

Early Literacy
 refers to the development of foundational reading and
writing skills in young children before they formally start
school.
 it is a critical aspect of a child’s overall development
and sets the stage for their future educational
achievements.
 it includes several key components: phonological
awareness; vocabulary; print awareness; letter
knowledge; narrative skills; phonemic awareness;
emergent writing; and parental involvement;
Teaching English in the Elementary Grades
Early Literacy
Phonological awareness: This refers to the ability to recognize
and manipulate the sounds of spoken language, such as rhyming,
blending sounds, and identifying syllables. Phonological
awareness is a precursor to understanding the relationships
between letters and sounds.
Phonemic awareness: This is a more advanced aspect of
phonological awareness that involves recognizing and
manipulating individual sounds, or phonemes, in words. It is a
critical skill for decoding and spelling words.
Example: counting the number of syllables in a word would be a phonological
awareness activity while counting the number of sounds in a word would be a
phonemic awareness activity.

Teaching English in the Elementary Grades

Early Literacy
Print awareness: Children learn to understand how
printed language works, such as recognizing that text is
read from left to right, understanding the concept of a
sentence, and recognizing individual words.
Letter knowledge: This involves recognizing and naming
letters of the alphabet. Letter knowledge is an essential
step toward understanding how letters represent sounds
in words.

Teaching English in the Elementary Grades

Early Literacy
Narrative skills: The ability to tell, retell, and understand
stories helps children understand story structures,
sequencing, and character development. These skills are
important for comprehending written texts.
Vocabulary: Developing a strong vocabulary is crucial for
comprehension and effective communication. Children
who are exposed to a variety of words and concepts from
a young age tend to have better language skills and
reading comprehension.

Teaching English in the Elementary Grades

Early Literacy
Emergent writing: Early literacy also encompasses a
child's attempts at writing, whether it's scribbles, letter-like
forms, or attempts to write actual words. This helps them
understand the connection between spoken and written
language.
Parental involvement:Parents and caregivers play a
crucial role in fostering early literacy skills by reading to
children, engaging in conversations, and providing
opportunities for language-rich experiences.

Teaching English in the Elementary Grades

 5 Stages of Literacy Development
Fluency

Vocabulary and Comprehension

Alphabet Knowledge

Phonemic Awareness

Emergent Literacy

Teaching English in the Elementary Grades

5 Stages of Literacy Development
Emergent Literacy
This phase occurs from birth to around age five, before
formal reading and writing instruction begins. During
emergent literacy, children develop basic pre-literacy skills
through exposure to language, books, and print. They
begin to understand that spoken words are composed of
smaller sounds (phonological awareness) and that print
conveys meaning (print awareness). They might also
recognize letters and some words.

Teaching English in the Elementary Grades

5 Stages of Literacy Development
Phonemic Awareness:
Phonemic awareness is a subset of phonological
awareness that specifically focuses on recognizing and
manipulating individual phonemes, the smallest units of
sound in language. This phase typically emerges between
ages three and seven. Children learn to identify, blend,
segment, and manipulate sounds in words. These skills
are crucial for later reading and spelling abilities.

Teaching English in the Elementary Grades

5 Stages of Literacy Development
Alphabet Knowledge:
This phase involves learning about letters, their names,
and their associated sounds. Children typically start
recognizing and naming letters around ages three to five.
They learn to associate letters with their corresponding
sounds, which is essential for decoding and encoding
words during reading and writing.

Teaching English in the Elementary Grades

5 Stages of Literacy Development
Vocabulary and Comprehension:
As children progress, they expand their vocabulary and
develop a deeper understanding of language and its
meaning. They learn new words, their meanings, and how
words are used in different contexts. This phase is crucial
for developing reading comprehension skills. Children
also develop narrative skills, understanding story
structure, characters, and events.

Teaching English in the Elementary Grades

5 Stages of Literacy Development
Fluency:
Fluency involves reading with accuracy, speed, and
prosody (expression). This phase typically occurs
between ages six and twelve, as children practice reading
more complex texts. Fluent reading allows children to
focus on understanding the content rather than struggling
with decoding individual words.

Teaching English in the Elementary Grades

Activities that can help Promote Early Literacy Skills
in Young Children

Teaching English in the Elementary Grades

Activities that can help promote early literacy skills in
young children.

Reading Aloud: Reading books to children introduces

them to language, vocabulary, and narrative structures.
Choose age-appropriate books and engage children in
discussions about the story and illustrations.

Singing and Rhyming: Songs, nursery rhymes, and

fingerplays help children develop phonological awareness
by highlighting the sounds and rhythms of language.
Teaching English in the Elementary Grades
Storytelling: Encourage children to create their own
stories or retell familiar ones. This helps them develop
narrative skills and creativity.

Letter and Sound Play: Introduce letters and their

corresponding sounds through interactive games and
activities. For example, you can play "I Spy" with letter
sounds or create a scavenger hunt for objects that start
with a specific letter.

Teaching English in the Elementary Grades

Writing Practice: Provide children with materials for
drawing and writing, such as crayons, markers, and
paper. Let them experiment with writing letters, their
name, or simple words.

Interactive Apps and Games: There are many educational

apps and games designed to promote early literacy skills.
Look for ones that focus on letter recognition, phonics,
and vocabulary building.

Teaching English in the Elementary Grades

Nature Walks: Take walks outdoors and discuss the things
you see. This enhances vocabulary and encourages
children to ask questions and make observations.
Puppet Shows: Encourage children to create their own
puppet shows or act out stories using puppets. This
promotes storytelling and creativity.
Magazine or Picture Book Scavenger Hunt: Look through
magazines or picture books and search for specific
letters, words, or images.

Teaching English in the Elementary Grades

Dramatic Play: Provide props and costumes for dramatic
play activities, allowing children to engage in imaginative
scenarios and develop language skills.
Word Puzzles: Use age-appropriate word puzzles or
crossword puzzles to introduce new words and reinforce
spelling.
Listening to Audiobooks: Listening to audiobooks exposes
children to different styles of storytelling and helps
improve listening skills.

Teaching English in the Elementary Grades

Labeling Objects: Label everyday objects around the
classroom with their names. This reinforces print
awareness and vocabulary.

Chalkboard or Whiteboard Activities: Allow children to

practice writing and drawing on chalkboards or
whiteboards. This can be a fun way to experiment with
letters and words.

Teaching English in the Elementary Grades

Group Activity
Develop and present an activity that enhances early
literacy skills among elementary pupils. (15 minutes each
group) Your classmates will participate as your pupils
during the next meeting.

• present your learning objectives for the day;

• conduct the chosen activity for developing early
literacy;
• introduce the name of the activity and explain its
essence.
Teaching English in the Elementary Grades