Introduction
Promoting literacy at home and at school is essential during children’s early developmental years. From the moment of birth to the beginning of formal reading and writing instruction in school, children develop emergent literacy (EL), the sum total of all knowledge, skills, and behavior related to reading and writing (Caroll et al., 2019). EL includes book handling, labeling pictures, and listening to stories and typically occurs at home in the context of parent-child interactions (Terrell & Watson, 2018). The presence of easily accessible reading materials and adult modeling positively impacts school-age reading development (Terrell & Watson, 2018). In order to create an opportunity for families to participate in literacy learning in the school environment, a preK-K literacy night will be held at the local school.
Main body
There are certain key characteristics of EL skill development in the preK-K years that education researchers have identified. Firstly, it has been confirmed that phonological awareness is the strongest independent predictor of early reading outcomes (Kenner et al., 2017). This concept involves sentence and word awareness, rhyming, syllabication, and the ability to discern which individual sound units form words (Kenner et al., 2017). The second skill that predicts subsequent literacy development is print/alphabet awareness, the ability to recognize alphabet letters and associate sounds with them (Terrell & Watson, 2018). Fostering phonological and print/alphabet awareness are the most important components of effective, research-based reading instruction.
The first two activities at family literacy night will revolve around the cornerstone of EL skill development: shared book reading. Firstly, a parent volunteer will host a reading circle at the beginning of literacy night using a published picture book selected by the teacher. After the reading, a range of questions will be asked to evaluate the children’s listening comprehension. This is crucial for developing both phonological and print/alphabet awareness (Hoyne & Egan, 2019). Secondly, a craft center will be set up, and families will be invited to create their own picture books with their children to read at home. The content can range from a simple narrative of everyday events to significant family history. This activity will result in relevant, functional, and culturally appropriate books (Terrell & Watson, 2018). Children will develop their print/alphabet awareness during the book’s creation and be exposed to authentic literacy experiences that reflect their everyday reality.
The final stage of family literacy night will be parents and children learning nursery rhymes together. Exposure to rhyming is considered an excellent strategy to develop phonological awareness, build vocabulary, and introduce narrative conventions of storytelling, such as characters, plot, and setting (Mullen, 2017). Parents will be encouraged to ask the children to recite the rhymes at home since recitation has been confirmed to advance preK-K language proficiency and EL skills (Eghbaria-Ghanamah et al., 2020). Other extension activities to promote literacy include creating an at-home museum and restaurant. The children’s favorite toys can be compiled into a themed exhibition with labels and tours. The parents can write a home menu so children are encouraged to read through the options and select their preferred meal before dinner.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the two most important components of EL skills development that predict early reading outcomes are phonological and print/alphabet awareness. However, promoting these skills necessitates the involvement of both teachers and family. In order to encourage families to participate in literacy-building activities in the home environment, a family literacy night will be held at the local school. A parent volunteer will host a group reading circle, and then families will be invited to create their own picture books at the crafts center. Finally, parents and children will learn nursery rhymes together and recite them later at home. Other extension activities include creating a themed museum and restaurant menu.
References
Carroll, J. M., Holliman, A. J., Weir, F., & Baroody, A. E. (2019). Literacy interest, home literacy environment and emergent literacy skills in preschoolers. Journal of Research in Reading, 42(1), 150-161.
Eghbaria-Ghanamah, H., Ghanamah, R., Shalhoub-Awwad, Y., Adi-Japha, E., & Karni, A. (2020). Recitation and listening to nursery rhymes in the familiarization with a literacy language in kindergarteners: Not kids’ stuff. Developmental Psychology, 56(12), 2195–2211.
Hoyne, C. & Egan, S.M. (2019). Shared book reading in early childhood: A review of influential factors and developmental benefits. An Leanbh Og, 12(1), 77-92.
Kenner, B. B., Terry, N. P., Friehling, A. H., & Namy, L. L. (2017). Phonemic awareness development in 2.5-and 3.5-year-old children: an examination of emergent, receptive, knowledge and skills. Reading and Writing, 30(7), 1575-1594.
Mullen, G. (2017). More than words: Using nursery rhymes and songs to support domains of child development. Journal of Childhood Studies, 42(2), 42-53.
Terrell, P., & Watson, M. (2018). Laying a firm foundation: Embedding evidence-based emergent literacy practices into early intervention and preschool environments. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 49(2), 148-164.