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Early Childhood: Language and Literacy Development

Children’s communication is encouraged, valued and supported in an environment where children share ideas and learn from each other. Teachers listen to and observe what children are saying and doing; they give children time to express themselves.  Children are immersed in a print-rich environment which supports and strengthens language learning. Children demonstrate their growing competence as communicators as they express their needs, feelings and ideas in a range of different situations and for different purposes. Children are beginning to demonstrate an awareness of their own and others’ communication needs, and to express thoughts creatively using an increasing variety of media such as blocks, artistic activity, drawing or pretending. They comprehend language through contexts in written, spoken, visual and/or tactile form. They are supported to use language to explain their thinking and reasoning. Children learn that forms of communication for everyday life include listening, speaking, symbols and print.  Opportunities are provided in meaningful play, inquiry based projects and real-life situations for children to engage with texts and experiment with print as a source of pleasure and sharing information. Children are encouraged to use language to discuss features of books, pictures, stories and drawings. Language skills are the medium through which children develop socially, emotionally, physically and intellectually.