Early Childhood - Connecticut State Department of Education

Language And Literacy Development Chapter 5
Principles
There are literacy skills and
concepts appropriate to early
childhood curriculum.
Early childhood teachers must
be prepared in the science of
teaching literacy.
The scope and sequence
of the early childhood
literacy curriculum must be
developmentally appropriate for
the age and stage of the children.
Early childhood teachers
recognize that multiple teaching
strategies are best practice.
Quote From Research
“An essential understanding for
teachers is how to design the
organization of activity to create
patterns that steadily enliven and
invigorate children’s literacy
learning in the classroom.”
“All teachers of young children
need good, foundational
knowledge in language
acquisition, including secondlanguage
learning, the processes
of reading and writing, early
literacy development and
experiences and teaching
practices contributing to
optimal development.”
“Early childhood educators
should not try to replicate the
formal reading instruction
provided in schools; instead,
their job is to help children
develop the basic knowledge,
interest and understandings that
will allow them to flourish once
it is time for such instruction.”
“Research suggests that many
teaching strategies can work.
Both direct instruction and
child-initiated instruction,
teaching through play, teaching
through structured activity, and
engagement with older peers
and with computers are effective
pedagogical devices.”
72
Source
Dickinson & Neuman, (2002)
Neuman, Copple, & Bredekamp,
(2000)
National Research Council,
(1999)
National Research Council,
(2001)
(Continued on page 73)