Plant stories and the world will bloom: Supporting literacy in the early years
"Early literacy does not mean teaching children how to read in early childhood – it focuses on building the foundations." — Dr Tessa Weadman.
2 April (also World Autism Awareness Day!) is International Children's Book Day. Established in 1967 by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), this year's theme is ‘Plant stories and the world will bloom’.
It's a theme that resonates deeply with early childhood intervention (ECI). Because for children with disability and developmental concerns, growing up surrounded by stories, language and books isn't just joyful, it's profoundly important.
Building foundations, not teaching reading
The foundations of literacy begin long before school. In the rhythm of a parent's voice, the warmth of a shared bedtime story, the pointing at pictures and the naming of things. These everyday interactions build vocabulary, comprehension, narrative understanding and, perhaps most importantly, a love of books that can last a lifetime.
For children with disability or developmental concerns, early literacy experiences are just as vital. Language and communication differences, sensory sensitivities, or varying approaches to attention and engagement can make accessing books and stories a different experience, but with the right support and adaptations, every child can be a story lover.
Early childhood professionals play a crucial role in helping families discover literacy experiences that work for children — whether that means exploring tactile or sensory books, incorporating a child's special interests into storytelling, or simply sharing strategies for making read-aloud time meaningful and fun.
Deepen your practice, register for ‘Supporting literacy development in the early years’ masterclass series
Understanding the building blocks of language and communication is essential to support them learning to read and write later on.
If you're wanting to build your skills to supporting communication and literacy development in young children, we strongly encourage you to join our upcoming three-part online masterclass series coming up on 13, 20 and 27 May with Dr Tessa Weadman as she unpacks the science behind early literacy through Snow's Language House and Scarbrough's Reading Rope (pictured below, click to view).