Early Literacy Development

Early literacy refers to the natural unfolding of a child’s ability to talk, listen, write, and interact with books and other sources of print, the capacities of which begin at birth and evolve throughout the early childhood years. Formerly referred to as emergent literacy, the term early literacy acknowledges that literacy development is a developmental, ongoing process, whereas emergent literacy is now viewed as implying that there is a finite point in time at which literacy begins to emerge. This entry provides information about the relationship between language development and early literacy development, a summary of current best practices in early literacy, and policy recommendations for supporting early literacy development in preschool and kindergarten.