Building literacy through language in preschool classrooms

David K. Dickinson

Lynch School of Education, Boston College

During the last quarter of the 20^th century there was extensive research on the emergent of literacy in the years before children begin to receive formal instruction in school. Other studies examined the stability of children’s levels of literacy from early in their schooling experience to the later years in school.  Work examining the roots of early literacy found that oral language plays a key role in early literacy development.  Studies of the stability of literacy found strong consistency in reading achievement levels between early and later achievement levels.  Thus, it is clear that it is very important that we support children’s language during the years before he begins to receive formal reading instruction. 

Research that I have been doing for the past decade has been examining the ways that preschool teachers can support young children’s language and literacy development in classrooms.  In studies of classrooms we have found that preschool teachers can have sizable impacts on children’s language development.  We identified specific strategies that are especially important in fostering children’s language growth in different settings.  Children benefit from conversations during large group times that are focused, introduce new ideas and information, and challenge children to think.   During small group times such as meals and free play, children benefit when teachers engage them in extended conversations and encourage children to express their ideas clearly.  In all settings children benefit when teachers use varied vocabulary.

Our findings about factors that support language in classrooms are consistent with much research on mother-child interaction; therefore they are not especially surprising.  What is surprising and disturbing is the limited extent to which children experience optimal conversations in preschool classrooms.  We have found that the quality of support for conversations can be improved through professional development and when this occurs children benefit as indicated by improved language and literacy performance.