Early Language & Literacy KnowledgeBase

This KnowledgeBase archive includes content and external links that were accurate and relevant as of September 30, 2019.

The Early Language and Literacy KnowledgeBase is an online resource supporting language and literacy development in early learners from birth through age eight. Its focus is to support parents and caregivers in helping early learners with their language and literacy development, and teachers in enhancing their instruction for early learners from pre-Kindergarten through Grade 3.

Task 2: Intentional Instruction to Enhance Language Development

Guideline: Instruction to enhance language development prepares young children for reading instruction. Educators of early learners need to be aware of instructional concepts associated with language development to assist early learners in beginning to read. This task provides resources on listening skills, conversation skills and phonological awareness.

resources

PRESENTATIONS

Understanding and Teaching Reading

This link provides a video clip that depicts an interview with Dr. Paula Tallal, a world-recognized authority on language and learning. In this nine-minute video-clip, Tallal discusses the connection between phonological processing and learning to read.

REFERENCES

Phonological Awareness: Instructional and Assessment Guidelines

This article at the LD Online website defines phonological awareness and its historical research base related to early reading.

The Development of Phonological Skills

This article by Louisa Moats and Carol Tolman provides charts identifying the critical phonological skills of word awareness, rhyme and alliteration, syllable awareness, onset and rime manipulation and phoneme awareness, and indicating the age when children typically achieve the various phonological skills.

The Phives Phone of Reading

This link to the Reading Rockets website provides an article by Sebastian Wren explaining the difference between the terms phonics, phonetic spelling, phonology, phonological awareness and phoneme awareness. Parents and teachers may find it helpful with the clarifying these concepts.