Key points to remember about communication and early literacy skills
- communication skills are strongly linked to the development of reading and writing
- a child's ability to communicate is directly related to their literacy development
Why is literacy important for my child?
Literacy is part of everyday learning. Tamariki (children) learn best when literacy is integrated into everyday activities rather than isolated learning times. Use the language that you are most familiar and comfortable with.
What are some of the foundation skills to support literacy in my child?
Conversation
A child's ability to communicate is directly related to their literacy development. The better their conversational skills now, the easier it will be for them to understand what they read later on.
Vocabulary
The more words that tamariki know, the easier it is for them to learn new words and to gain meaning from the stories they read.
Story comprehension
Lots of experience listening to, and understanding, stories will eventually make it easier for your child to read and write stories on their own.
Print knowledge
Before tamariki can read or write, they must understand how print works. They need to know that:
- print is made up of letters of the alphabet
- letters combine to make words
- print is read from left to right
Sound awareness
To be ready to read, tamariki need to understand that words can be broken down into syllables and smaller sounds and that letters correspond to certain sounds.
When will my child's literacy skills develop?
Your child's early literacy skills do not develop in a specific order, one after the other. In fact, all of these skills are developing at the same time.
See the Hanen Centre website for more information on how literacy skills develop in children
What are some tips to help support my child's literacy?
- read to your child when they are very young so that they start to become familiar with different books, pictures, words and language
- carry on reading together as your child grows
- keep tamariki interested by choosing books they enjoy
- point out words and signs on outings
- see if your child can recognise familiar symbols
- encourage your child to join in with you in writing activities; for example, shopping lists, and birthday cards
Acknowledgements
The content on this page has been produced in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and adapted from Much more than words | Manuka takoto, kawea ake (2014).
References
If you would like to look at anything in more detail, this list of references might be a good starting point.
