Emergent Literacy and Learning Theories

2. Definition of Emergent Literacy
Teale
Own initiative
of child to
reading and
writing
Clay
 Stages of
development
as he grows
Sulzby
 Development
of knowledge

3. Definition of Emergent Literacy
Marie Clay (1996) was the first one who used
the term emergent literacy.
Emergent Literacy is based on an assumption
that a child acquires some knowledge about
language, reading and writing even before
attending any formal education.

4. Definition of Emergent Literacy
Teale (1982) viewed literacy as the result
Of children’s involvement in reading activities
facilitated by literate adults.
All children who come to school already have certain
experiences and interests learning (Teale, 1987).
Thus, EMERGENT LITERACY refers to
competencies and literacy skills in early childhood.

5. Definition of Emergent Literacy
SULZBY(1991) defines LITERACY
as the reading and writing
behaviors of young children that
precede and develop into
conventional literacy.

6. 1. Basic Literacy – which
emphasizes the reading and
writing of young learners to
construct meaning for
themselves.

7. 2. Socio-cultural Literacy -
emphasizes the importance of
social interaction of children to
construct cultural-specific
meanings and to demonstrate
literacy practices as social events
and cultural phenomena; and

8. 3. Functional literacy - which
emphasize the use of technology
for instruction and literacy, and
the young learners use of
technology to produce meaning.

9. Emergent Literacy
Child
School Home Environment
Knowledge Literacy
Environment
Skills
Vocabulary
Training
Influence
Skills
Acquired

10. Concepts on Emergent Literacy
BEFORE NOW
Early literacy was somewhat
neglected
A great deal of attention to
literacy development in early
childhood
Little attention given to a
child’s literacy was in grade 1
Acquisition of given
information about literacy
begins at birth and continues
at the course of early
childhood
Assumed that the beginning
of literacy was in grade 1
Development of literacy in a
child’s earliest years
Speaking and listening will
learned in early childhood
while reading and writing will
learned in school age
Simultaneous development of
language-related abilities

11. Concepts on Emergent Literacy
BEFORE NOW
Reading instruction was
ignored in pre-school
education
Emphasis on oral language
development and preparation for
reading
No advocacy for formal
reading instruction in early
childhood
Capitalized on child’s existing
knowledge, information about
literacy and reading and
writing experiences
Pre-schoolers were not
perceived as readers and
writers
Children are active constructor
of their own learning
Waiting for a child natural
maturation to unfold
Nurture emergent literacy
from birth to kindergarten to
grade 1

12. Concepts on Emergent Literacy
BEFORE NOW
Preparation for literacy was
through the acquisition of a
set of prescribed hierarchy
of skills
Continuous building of knowledge
on oral language, reading and
writing
Progression from part to
whole, a set of skills as
prerequisites to reading
Children learn from meaningful
and functional situations
Drills from contrived Children are interested and
attempt early to communicate
in writing reading and writing
are cultivated concurrently
Writing had been certainly
missing writing develops after
reading

14. Jean Jacques Rosseau (1712–1778)
Natural Learning
• Activities: Allowing children
to grow and learn with the
freedom to be themselves
• Emphasis: Child’s learning
unfolds naturally; learning
through curiosity.
• Strategies: meshed the
child’s readiness to learn;
little adult intervention

15. Johann Heindrich Pestalozzi (1746–1827)
Natural Unfolding of Child
• Activities: Informal activities
that eventually lead to
learning, manipulating
objects and learning about
them through
• Emphasis: Natural learning with
informal instruction, natural
potential of a child develops
through senses.
• Strategies: Providing informal
instruction, providing
manipulative experiences and
learning about them.

16. Friedrich Froebel (1782–1852 “Father of Kindergarten”
Natural Learning of Child through planned environment
• Activities: Teacher-facilitated
activities, guided-play,
manipulative for learning
certain, concepts and providing
opportunity for circle-time for
singing.
• Emphasis: The adults’ responsibility for the
education of the child needs to be concerned
with the child’s natural unfolding; emphasis on
the fullest benefits of playing to learn; requires
adult guidance and direction and a planned
environment.
• Strategies: Providing adult guidance and a
planned environment, guided play, providing
manipulative materials to learn concepts,
allowing “circle-time” which is an opportunity
to sing and to learn new ideas thru discussion.

17. John Dewey (1966)
Progressive Education
• Activities: Manipulative toys,
arts, music, story reading, free
and outdoor play, snack, rest,
circle time, informal reading
and writing
• Emphasis: Early childhood learning
is child-centered; is built around
the interest of the child; child
learns best through play because
of social interaction.
• Strategies: Allowing time for play
and learning; providing a relaxed
atmosphere; informal activities for
learning.

18. B.F. Skinner (1954)
Behaviorism
• Emphasis: The outcome of learning is
a permanent change in behavior that
is caused by a response to an
experience or stimulus.
• Behaviorists suggest that we learn
through imitation and association,
and through conditioning, or a series
of steps that are repeated so that the
response becomes automatic.

19. Maria Montesorri (1965)
Senses and Systems
• Activities: Allowing children to use
manipulative toys; working with
carefully designed and specific
materials for specific skills; work
instead of play; activities for skill
mastery
• Emphasis: Children need early, orderly,
systematic training in mastering one skill
after another; auto-education.
• Strategies: Specific concepts meeting
specific objectives; learning materials
are self-correcting; learning during
‘sensitive period’, designing activities
and experiences for learning.

20. • Emphasis: Children at certain stages are
capable of only certain types of intellectual
endeavors; acquire knowledge by
interacting with the world; active
participants in their own learning
• Strategies: Providing real life setting and
materials, opportunity to play explore and
experiment and allowing kids to use their
curiosity, inquisitiveness and spontaneity
to help themselves to learn.
Jean Piaget (1969)
Cognitive Development
• Activities: Natural problem-solving
situation, playing, exploring and
experimenting, planning one’s own
activities and cooperating with
teachers and peer in planning
evaluating learning.

21. • Emphasis: Mental functions are acquired
through social relationship; learning takes
place when the child interacts with peers
and adults in social setting as they act
upon the environment.
• Strategies: Providing meaningful and
interactive activities, providing activities
that allow a child to internalize, exposing a
child to new situations for actively interact
with others.
Lev Vygotsky (1981)
Schema Acquisition
• Activities: Story reading
story retelling, directness
listening- thinking activities.

22. Lev Vygotsky (1981)
Schema Acquisition
Jean Jacques Rosseau (1712-1778)
Natural Learning
Johann Heindrich Pestalozzi
(1746– 1827)
Natural Unfolding of Child
Friedrich Froebel (1782–1852)
Natural Learning of Child through
planned environment
John Dewey (1966)
Progressive Education
B. F. Skinner (1954)
Behaviorism
Jean Piaget (1969)
Cognitive Development
Maria Montessori (1965)
Senses and Systems