This document discusses early literacy development from birth through elementary school. It outlines stages of literacy development including awareness, experimental reading/writing, early reading/writing, and independent reading/writing. Factors that influence literacy development are also examined, such as exposure to books and print at home, interactions with family, and exposure to literate environments. The document provides recommendations for developmentally appropriate practices to promote literacy, including creating literacy-rich environments, language experience activities, reading aloud, role playing, and building on students' diverse backgrounds.

1. Chapter 3 Early Literacy from Birth to School By: Vanessa Tobon and Jaclyn Clark

8. Designing Literacy-Related Play Centers Literacy play centers in preschool and kindergarten: provide an environment where children may play with print on their own terms; provide natural context for beginners to experiment with literacy; and promote literacy by giving children opportunities to observe one another using literacy for real reasons. 1986 Roskos study of closely observing eight children during free-play situations makes three recommendations: 1. create and frequently use play centers that facilitate sustained pretend play and prompt experimentation with reading and writing; consider developing play centers that stimulate young children to explore the routines, functions, and features of literacy 2. ask children to share pretend-play stories, record them on chart paper, and use for extended language-experience activities 3. observe more closely the literacy at work in pretend play... observations may guide our instructional efforts to connect the unknown and known about written language

14. Beginning readers benefit from developmentally appropriate practices that are home-centered, play-centered, and language-centered. Developmentally appropriate practices must be age appropriate, individually appropriate, and socially and culturally appropriate. “ To make a difference in children's literacy development, be aware of the learning environment of the home, respect the diverse cultural milieus from which children learn to use language, and develop strategies to build on family strengths.” As each child contributes different kinds of knowledge, values, attitudes and strategies for literacy learning to school, appropriate school experiences are key in realizing their full potential as literacy learners.