Early language and literacy domains
Foundational early literacy skills are essential for learning to read and write.
These skills include: phonological awareness, alphabet and letter knowledge, concepts of print, oral language and vocabulary, background knowledge and print motivation.
Each section below focuses on a specific early language and literacy domain. Learning objectives for children and strategies for public library staff are listed under each domain and are organised according to age.
Phonological awareness
Phonological awareness refers to the ability to identify, analyse and manipulate the auditory aspects of spoken language.
Having fun with rhymes, songs and word games helps to build phonological awareness, children’s ability to distinguish different sound patterns (intonation, rhythm, rhyme) and break speech into sound units of different sizes (words; onset-rime; syllables; individual speech sounds/phonemes).
- Birth to 12 months
Literacy learning objectives for children
- Listen to the patterned language of nursery rhymes.
- Respond physically to the rhythm and beat of rhymes and songs (e.g., kicking legs, moving arms, bouncing).
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Invite caregiver to interact face-to-face with infant.
- Share "tips" with caregivers on ways to interact with infant.
- 12 to 24 months
Literacy learning objectives for children
- Begin to do actions during simple finger games and songs.
- Vocalise during group songs and rhymes.
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Use simple rhymes when greeting and farewelling children.
- Allow plenty of time for children to make transition from one activity to the next.
- 2 -3 years
Literacy learning objectives for children
- Join in chants of familiar stories and rhymes.
- Respond physically to action songs and rhymes.
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Read books which involve action words, animal noises and other playful language.
- Ask simple questions (e.g. What sound does a dog/cat/snake/other animal make?).
- 3 -5 years
Literacy learning objectives for children
- Act out rhymes in a variety of volumes and speeds (e.g. clapping loudly and softly, or slowly and fast, whispering).
- Fill in missing word of familiar rhymes.
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Pause during familiar rhymes for children to fill in missing word (oral cloze).
- Ask children to name objects in pictures starting with a particular letter (e.g. b for ball, bat, baby and bottle).
Alphabet and letter knowledge
Alphabet and letter knowledge includes knowing the names of the letters of the alphabet and their corresponding sounds.
Knowledge of letter names and shapes is a strong predictor of success in learning to read. Knowing letter names is strongly related to children's ability to remember the forms of written words and their ability to treat words as sequences of letters.
- Birth to 12 months
Not applicable
- 12 to 24 months
Not applicable
- 2-3 years
Literacy learning objectives for children
- Recognise that there is a connection between words and pictures.
- Label familiar objects in books.
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Invite children to name objects in pictures.
- Have environmental print (e.g., "Exit" sign, labels, print on packaging) of different kinds visible in library space.
- 3-5 years
Literacy learning objectives for children
- (Begin to) identify some letters (e.g. the first letter of their name).
- Guess the beginning sound of some words.
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Draw attention to letters on the page.
- Finger point to some words in books as you read them aloud.
Concepts of print
Concepts of print involves understanding how books and print function and their conventions and the ability to distinguish print from images and understanding that both can (co)construct meaning.
Concepts of print means that children understand reading flows from left to right across the page, from top to bottom and sweeps from one line to the next. (Noting that in some scripts including Arabic, Hebrew and Chinese the orientation is different). It also means understanding that the letters and words on the page convey a message and the illustrations in a book correspond to the print. Every book has a front, back, and an author.
- Birth to 12 months
Literacy learning objectives for children
- Physically touch, explore and manipulate a range of board books.
- Watch other children and adults handling books.
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Have attractive books readily available for babies to touch and handle.
- Talk to caregivers about the value of sharing books with babies.
- 12 to 24 months
Literacy learning objectives for children
- Recognise that print and pictures are visually distinct on the page.
- Develop book handling skills (e.g. turning pages).
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Model book handling skills.
- Use language for talking about language, books, print and literacy (e.g. ‘page’, ‘book’, ‘pictures’ and ‘words’).
- 2-3 years
Literacy learning objectives for children
- Begin to understand that print conveys meaning.
- Further develop concepts such as orientation and directionality.
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Point out environmental print in library (e.g. ‘Exit’, ‘Loan Returns’ signs) and explain its meaning.
- Read books in which print is visually distinct from picture and draw children’s attention to print.
- 3-5 years
Literacy learning objectives for children
- Develop concepts of authorship, illustration, and book layout.
- Verbalise responses to characters and other textual elements.
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Allow wait time for children to respond.
- Share your own responses to book with children.
Oral language and vocabulary
Oral language and vocabulary include knowledge of words and ability to use them and other features of oral language to communicate effectively in different situations.
- Birth to 12 months
Literacy learning objectives for children
- Engage in one-to-one interactions with caregivers.
- Participate in turn-taking games with caregiver.
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Explain to caregivers the importance of talking to babies.
- Model ways of talking to babies.
- 12 to 24 months
Literacy learning objectives for children
- Recognise that pictures in books relate to real world objects and events.
- Enact actions depicted in books (e.g. touch your toes; turn around).
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Read simple books which represent familiar objects and events.
- Allow plenty of time for children to make connections between the pictures and words.
- 2-3 years
Literacy learning objectives for children
- Enjoy simple narratives about familiar experiences e.g. meals, playing, losing a favourite toy.
- Hear new words used in context.
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Read both narrative and concept books, with different artistic styles and content areas.
- Explain new concepts necessary to comprehend meaning in book.
- 3-5 years
Literacy learning objectives for children
- Encounter unusual words in books.
- Gain experience with the language features of different genres.
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Read both narrative and information books.
- Explain unusual words before reading to enhance comprehension.
- Talk about words and concepts after reading and re-read book at least once.
Background knowledge
Background knowledge refers to knowledge of the physical, biological and social world and human experience in it.
Background knowledge is essential for reading comprehension. The more children understand and know about their world, the easier it will be for them to acquire new knowledge
- Birth to 12 months
Literacy learning objectives for children
- Touch or handle a variety of picture books.
- Look at pictures of familiar scenes from their local community.
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Encourage caregivers to interact with babies in their home language(s) (e.g. nursery rhymes, lullabies).
- Explain to caregivers the importance of talking to babies.
- 12 to 24 months
Literacy learning objectives for children
- Recognise their own lives in the picture books they see.
- Listen to songs and rhymes in home language(s) and English.
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Provide books about topics and experiences familiar to all toddlers (e.g. babies, animals).
- Provide multilingual and multicultural books and other materials.
- 2-3 years
Literacy learning objectives for children
- Make links between their experiences and the experiences described and depicted in picture books.
- Point out and name things they know about in the pictures.
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Choose books where pictures give clues to meanings of words, especially for children from diverse backgrounds.
- Make connections between pictured objects and children’s lives (e.g. Do you have a pet? Have you seen a fire engine?)
- 3-5 years
Literacy learning objectives for children
- Discover new information about topics of interest e.g. dinosaurs.
- Enjoy more complex and diverse narrative texts.
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Talk about book content before reading.
- Ask children questions about their experiences in relation to the picture book.
Print motivation
Print motivation refers to the willingness to engage in literacy practices that involve print such as reading and writing.
- Birth to 12 months
Literacy learning objectives for children
- Enjoy looking at pictures and vocalising.
- Engage with caregivers by moving to the rhythm of songs and rhymes.
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Demonstrate enthusiasm through voice and body language.
- Choose books which are relevant to children’s and their families’ culture and language.
- 12 to 24 months
Literacy learning objectives for children
- Enjoy watching other children and being part of the group.
- Physically respond to patterned language (e.g. finger rhymes).
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Demonstrate your enthusiasm for books and reading.
- Choose books that invite children to respond physically (e.g. clapping, stamping, wriggling).
- 2-3 years
Literacy learning objectives for children
- Be able to identify with characters in books who are like themselves.
- Choose a book to borrow and take home.
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Choose books which are free from gender bias and cultural bias.
- Choose books where pictures give clues to meanings of words, especially for children from diverse backgrounds.
- 3-5 years
Literacy learning objectives for children
- Have the opportunity to talk about their responses to books.
- Choose a book in an area of interest to borrow and take home.
Strategies for public library staff to support children's learning
- Talk about your own responses to books and make your thinking “visible” (e.g. ‘poor bear’).
- Make the books you read available to children for exploration after the session.
Templates
Use the templates below to describe and detail literacy learning objectives and strategies for your community.
Notes
Learning objectives for children and strategies for public library staff overlap, especially in relation to the youngest children. Although the framework is organised according to age, many of the teaching strategies are similar across the age ranges and are relevant to all situations (for example, to model and demonstrate enthusiasm for books and pleasure in reading). The framework has been designed specifically for use in libraries, where the size and composition of the literacy sessions are unknown in advance. For this reason, it is not possible to provide detailed learning objectives and teaching/educator strategies for adult-child interaction.
The term strategies refers both to specific approaches and broad practices you may employ in order to help children achieve different language and literacy learning objectives.