Early childhood classrooms have the potential to create countless opportunities for rich and varied language experiences; ones that target the fundamental skills and knowledge children need for the transition to formal schooling and literacy instruction. Unfortunately, early childhood educators seldomly design their classrooms and curricula to maximize this potential fully. By embedding direct and indirect opportunities for practice into regular classroom activities (e.g., circle time, puppets/drama play, pretend play centers, etc.), teachers can support and enhance all aspects of oral and written literacy development.

Here are some evidence-based strategies for enhancing emergent literacy using classroom literature:

With the right tools, early childhood educators can make an invaluable contribution to the literacy development of the children they teach. In the following module, we will explore ways to utilize and embed these strategies into your classroom instruction, activities, and routines, starting with joint book reading.