Developing literacy

Literacy development is learning about sounds, words and language. Literacy is the basis for your child’s ability to read, write, communicate and socialise. You can develop your child’s early literacy by communicating with your child, reading, and playing with rhyme. Early literacy development is about everyday, fun activities like singing, talking and playing games.

Encouraging literacy development

Literacy development is a vital part of your child’s overall development. It’s the foundation for doing well at school, socialising with others, developing independence, managing money and working.

But before your child learns to read and write, he needs to develop the building blocks for literacy – the ability to speak, listen, understand, watch and draw.  Give your child a rich foundation in "oral language" by having warm conversations, using interesting words, and reading aloud.

And as your child gets older, she also needs to learn about the connection between letters on a page and spoken sounds. For this to happen, she needs plenty of experience with:

  • pictures and objects – how you can use words to talk about them
  • letters and words – their shapes, sounds and names
  • sounds – how words can rhyme, and as she gets older, learning that words begin and end with the same letters, be broken up into parts like syllables, be formed by blending different sounds and so on.

You can help with all these areas of your child’s early literacy development by:

  • communicating with your child
  • reading together
  • playing with rhyme and other sounds with your child.

And the great news is that you can do this in ways that are fun for both of you.

The language experiences that children have before they start school form powerful brain connections. These connections are used for language, thinking and understanding. Without activities like talking, singing and reading, the brain doesn’t develop these important connections.

Communicating: its importance in literacy development

Back-and-forth communication with your baby helps to develop your child’s ability to speak, listen and understand as he gets older.

What you can do

  • Copy the sounds your baby makes. It’s OK to use baby talk.  Babies love it, and it helps babies understand how language is put together.
  • Sing with your child. 
  • Talk with your child about the everyday things you’re doing and seeing together. For example, ‘Let’s get the washing now’, ‘Look at the red bird’ or ‘Yum, what a nice lunch we’re having’.
  • Talk about feelings and chat about whether your child is happy or sad.
  • Share stories with your child. You could share stories from your childhood or tell your child about your family’s past. You could take turns creating a story together.
  • Listen to your child. If he asks a question, give him the chance to come up with answers before you step in. For example, if your child says, ‘What’s that box there?’, you could say, ‘What do you think it is?’

Reading: its importance in literacy development

Read with your child often. It’s best to start reading from birth, but it’s never too late to begin.

What you can do

  • Choose lift-the flap books, touch-and-feel books or books with rhyming or repeating words for younger children.
  • Make reading together a happy, interactive experience--say things like "Oh, what will happen next?" "See the girl with the ball?  You have a ball!"
  • Encourage your child to hold the book and turn the pages. This helps him start to understand that the book should be a certain way up, and that pages are always turned in the same direction.
  • With older preschoolers, sometimes slide your finger underneath the words as you read them, pointing out each word.
  • Point out pictures and talk about the pictures your child points to.
  • Make the sounds of animals or other objects in the book – have fun!
  • Visit the library. There are lots of different types of books you can borrow.

Rhyme: its importance in literacy development

Rhyming is a great way to teach children the connection between the sound of a word and how it’s written.

What you can do

  • Play games that involve rhyming. Rhyming games help children appreciate beginning and ending sounds – for example, ‘cat, pat and mat’. You can play them at any time – in the car, while shopping or at the dinner table.
  • Play games that involve the sound and rhythm of words. You could try ‘I spy’ and tongue twisters like ‘She sells seashells by the seashore’.
  • Read rhyming books like The Cat in the hat or Doodledum dancing.

You might like to read about more activities to encourage early language and literacy. And if you’re worried that your child might be having early literacy difficulties, it’s a good idea to talk with a professional, like your  health provider or your child’s early childhood teacher.