Observing Emergent Literacy in Action: Reading with a Toddler and a Preschooler

by | May 4, 2024 | psychology

 

Overview: The purpose of this assignment is to observe emergent literacy in action. Reading is a social activity and young children enjoy engaging with a caregiver who is reading a book. In this activity, you will observe how a toddler responds to a book and interact with a preschooler who is supposed to listen quietly during one reading, and then engage during the second reading.

Required Length: Between 500-750 words, double-spaced, APA format

Procedures:

Read a book with two children: a toddler and a preschooler
Engage in a book reading with the toddler. Observe how the toddler interacts with you and with the book. What evidence of emergent literacy did you notice? For example, does the toddler watch you or look at the book? Does the toddler look at the words or the pictures? Does the toddler discuss anything in the book and expand on it.
Engage in a book reading with the preschooler. Read two storybooks (can be the same or different). The first time, require the preschooler to sit silently and attend, while you simply read the book. The second time, use dialogic reading techniques discussed in class; ask questions, invite input, and welcome comments.
Develop a report of your observation (see table below and refer to Rubric as needed)
Procedures: Reading with the toddler: Identify how the caregiver socializes and engages the child to build his/her use of language. Document each socialization strategy each caregiver used with their child.

Reading with the preschooler:  Identify the child’s stage of development as described in the textbook and developmental charts, giving specific examples to support your conclusion. Comment about the development of the child as it relates to language and social interactions.

Describe similarities and differences in the reading with both children in terms of their abilities to engage the book. Compare and contrast how the pre-schooler reacted differently to listening quietly to engaging interactively.
Develop a report of your observation in APA format: Including a Title page, Abstract, Main Body, and Reference

 

Sample Answer

Sample Answer

 

Title: Observing Emergent Literacy in Action: Reading with a Toddler and a Preschooler

Abstract

This report presents observations from reading sessions with a toddler and a preschooler to explore emergent literacy behaviors. The interactions with the children were analyzed to understand how they engaged with the books and how their responses differed based on their developmental stages.

Introduction

Emergent literacy is a vital aspect of early childhood development, laying the foundation for future reading and language skills. Reading with young children provides insights into their cognitive and social development, as well as their emerging literacy skills. This report details observations from reading sessions with a toddler and a preschooler, focusing on their interactions with books and the caregiver.

Reading with the Toddler

During the reading session with the toddler, I observed that the child displayed interest in both the caregiver and the book. The toddler actively looked at the pictures in the book and occasionally pointed at objects. While not yet able to read words, the toddler seemed to be making connections between the images and the caregiver’s words. This behavior indicates an early stage of emergent literacy, where the child is developing an understanding of storytelling and visual cues.

The caregiver effectively engaged the toddler by asking simple questions about the story, prompting the child to respond non-verbally through gestures or vocalizations. By providing a supportive and interactive reading environment, the caregiver facilitated the toddler’s language development and comprehension skills.

Reading with the Preschooler

In the first reading session with the preschooler, where the child was asked to listen quietly, I noticed that the child sat attentively but showed minimal engagement with the book. The preschooler seemed passive and did not exhibit active participation in the storytelling process. This behavior aligns with the developmental stage of preschoolers, where they are beginning to grasp language and narrative structures but may not yet have fully developed expressive language skills.

In the second reading session, where dialogic reading techniques were employed, the preschooler’s response was notably different. The child became more animated, asking questions about the story and sharing personal experiences related to the plot. This interactive approach elicited more language output from the preschooler, demonstrating a deeper level of engagement and comprehension.

Comparison of Reading Sessions

The observations from reading with both children highlight distinct differences in their abilities to engage with books. While the toddler focused on visual elements and basic story comprehension, the preschooler showed a greater capacity for interactive dialogue and narrative understanding.

The preschooler’s transition from passive listening to active participation underscores the importance of interactive reading techniques in promoting language development and social interactions. By encouraging dialogue and inviting input from the child, caregivers can enhance a child’s emergent literacy skills and foster a love for reading.

Conclusion

Reading with young children provides valuable insights into their emergent literacy behaviors and developmental progress. By observing how toddlers and preschoolers interact with books and caregivers, we can better understand their evolving language skills, social interactions, and cognitive abilities. Engaging children in dialogic reading practices can significantly impact their language development and create a positive foundation for future literacy success.

 

 

 

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