Literacy for Babies

Carla Mason

Early Literacy• Early literacy is everything children

know about reading and writing before they can actually read and write

• Early Literacy is more that just books• Early literacy does not mean teaching

reading to infants and toddlers• Learning to read is a fluid process that

begins at birth

Early literacy Literacy begins on the lap of

a loved parent or caregiver. As you sing, rhyme, and tell stories, babies develop listening skills and an interest in and love of words (“Zero to Three Literacy”)

.

First Steps to Developing Literacy

Book-handling—touching or handling books, playing with books. 

Looking and recognizing (a picture, character or scene). 

Understanding pictures and stories. 

Story-reading behaviors. 

Encouraging Literacy Development

Keep it short Repetition is key Express yourself Let baby explore Provide appropriate

resources

Reading Milestones

Birth – Toddlers

Birth to 6 Months Old Listener, Observer, Cooer

Lullabies and nursery rhymes are first stories

Begins to recognize a song or rhyme if repeated often

By 4 months begins to show interest in books

Needs sturdy vinyl or cloth books

6 to 12 Months Old

Cooer, Babbler• . More interested in the

story Promote interest by

looking at books and talking about the pictures

Invite 8- or 9-month-old baby to turn the pages

Introduce objects and pair with words

12 to 18 Months Old

Word Maker Enjoys reading with

adults Turns pages and

names pictures of familiar objects

Interested in books which they can touch and sniff

Toddlers

Phrase Maker Will invite others to

read to them Show preferences

and will ask to have books read over and over

May use “storybook language” in everyday conversations

Advantages of Reading to Babies

Reading…… Promotes bonding Stimulates the brain Promotes listening Increases vocabulary Develops literacy

fundamentals Helps word meaning

Develops attention span

Develops concept of print

Instills love of reading

Increases knowledge of the world (“Readtoyourbaby”)

Building Blocks for

Literacy SkillsPrint motivation

Print awarenessLetter knowledge

Phonological awareness

Narrative skillsVocabulary (“icpl”)

What Research SaysEarly Language & Literacy

DevelopmentBrain DevelopmentPlay-Based LearningOral LanguageLiteracy at Home(“Babyconnections”)

References•Babies > Emergent Literacy - Grow Up Reading•www.growupreading.org/babies/index.php?section=120

•Babies Love Books: Early Literacy•www.babieslovebooks.org/early-literacy.html

•Early literacy: birth to six | Multnomah County Library•https://multcolib.org/birthtosix

•Early Literacy | United for Libraries•www.ala.org › UNITED › Products & Services › Books for Babies

•50 Literacy Activities for Babies - Room to Grow: Making Early ...•earlyliteracycounts.blogspot.com/.../50-literacy-activities-for-babies.h...

•How to Create a Literate Home: Baby and Toddler . Reading ... - PBS•www.pbs.org/.../how-to-create-a-literate-home-baby-and-toddler/

•ICPL - KidSpace: Early Literacy•www.icpl.org/kids/early-literacy.php

References Continued

•Literacy Development For Babies | LIVESTRONG.COM•www.livestrong.com › ... › Literacy Development for Babies

•Play and literacy for babies and toddlers | The Monkey Speaks•themonkeyspeaks.wordpress.com/.../play-and-literacy-for-babies-and...

•Raise a Baby Bookworm - Parenting.com•www.parenting.com/article/raise-a-baby-bookworm

•Read, speak, sing to your baby: How parents can promote literacy ...•www.caringforkids.cps.ca › Home › Pregnancy & Babies

•Read To Your Baby - Reading Tips, Literacy Begins at Birth•www.readtoyourbaby.com/read_literacy.html

•What is Early Literacy? - Baby Connections•www.babyconnections.ca/what-is-early-literacy.html

•ZERO TO THREE: Early Literacy Skills from Birth to 12 Months•www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_par...literacy