Literacy Development - How does it happen?

This diagram shows how children develop in the area of literacy.  As you can see the first few stages happen with rich oral language.  Reading to children, speaking to them about their world, answering their questions and using a wide range of vocabulary is vital.  There is no need for children to be writing and learning to read in these stages.   Oral language is most important and is a key indicator for later progress.  Oral language grows phonological understandings which is a building block of literacy.