Welcome to the Language & Literacy Development in Early Childhood website.
Below you will find links to videos, podcasts, blogs and other media relevant to each chapter.
Note: The downloadable resources are available to adopters of the book, and require a username and password. Please contact Cambridge University Press if you require a password, and provide details of course, semester and enrolment as well as your name, university and position. If you do not wish to be added to our contacts database and receive email marketing, please state this in your email.
>> Email to request password access
Instructor resources
Download: Questions on resources
General literacy links
These are some excellent links for literacy in general.
- The Book Chook
- Aussie Educator – Education podcasts
- Copyright Agency –
Reading Australia: Videos
This site has great video interviews with Australian authors. - The
Picturebooking Podcast
Contains a variety of interviews about picture books and their authors. - Soundcloud – ACER
podcast
The Australian Council for Educational Research have a podcast page here.
Chapter 2 Learning how to mean: Dimensions of early language development
This chapter explores the wonderful way that young children begin to communicate with others from the very moment they are born, start to make meaning of their worlds and understand their environment. The interviews, video and blog below enable you to delve into this in more detail.
Video 1
Deb Roy: The birth of
a word
This is an interesting TEDTalk about language development. MIT researcher Deb Roy wired up his house with video cameras to catch 8–10 hours a day of his son's life and language development over two years. He wanted to understand how his infant son learned language. He parsed 90 000 hours of home video to watch 'gaaaa' slowly turn into 'water'. Astonishing, data-rich research with deep implications for how we learn to talk. Roy then continues by discussing how this initial project has expanded.
Video 2
Zero to Three: From cries to conversations
Podcast
On Being: Interview with Jean Berko Gleason
This interview with linguist Jean Berko Gleason, Unfolding Language, Unfolding Life, looks at how language emerges and what it tells us about how we think and who we become.
Blog
New York Times: Bedtime stories for young brains
New research and recommendations about young children using mobile phones and iPads.
Chapter 3 Playing with language: Imaginative play, language development and technology
Chapter 3, co-authored with Lisa Kervin (University of Wollongong), considers the importance of building on children's innate creativity and imagination. It explores the critical role of imaginative play in language and literacy development and the relationship between traditional play and digital play.
Video 2
Grow and learn
together
There are six videos in this series produced by the Raising children website. The series begins by examining 0–6 months and finishes with 6–8 years.
Video 3
Language Development
and Literacy – 36 to 48 months
Examples of how children are learning language for ages 36 months (3 years) to 48 months (4 years) are provided here.
Article
The American Academy of Pediatrics says iPads are okay for
infants
Podcast
Balancing screen time with green time
In this audio podcast Dr Kristy Goodwin discusses balancing screen time with green time.
Chapter 4 Talking to learn: Listening to young children's language
In this chapter we explore how we use language to explore the world and to share our thoughts and feelings with others; the purposes for communicating and how these are related to the audience and the mode of communication. Supporting young children to develop their oral language is dependent on a thorough knowledge of language development and how this provides the basis for literacy and learning. We consider talk as both performance and process; the continuum from spoken to written language and three aspects of language: field, tenor and mode. Practical strategies for supporting children to make the most appropriate choices are also provided.
Video 1
Early years in action – Listening
skills for staff
This workshop explores some wonderful strategies for developing language and encouraging learning for very young children. You will need to register to access the content on this site. The video can be found under the 'Early childhood' menu.
Video 2
Literacy: The whole story. Early
years foundation stage learning
Demonstrates how detailed planning of structured play can assist young children to learn. The development of oral language is foregrounded as the basis for literacy development. You will need to register to access the content on this site. The video can be found under the 'Early childhood' menu.
Podcast
Kindergarten Kiosk – Episode #8 Oral Language
Mother and daughter Kathy Crane and Lyndsey Jarman talk about oral language development with young children, both English and non-English speakers. This is a relaxed discussion of a range of approaches to developing language in the early years.
Chapter 5 Difference and diversity in language and literacy development
The focus of chapter 5 is the diversity in language and literacy development in Australia, a reflection of the multicultural and multilingual nature of contemporary society. The relationship between language, culture and identity, and how language helps to shape identity, is examined. Some of the unique aspects of language learning for bilingual children are discussed. We also look at the need for these young learners to learn English, learn through English and learn about English.
Video 1
No child left
monolingual: Kim Potowski at TEDx University of Illinois
Chicago
Some of the common myths about learning English and the benefits or perceived deficits of bilingualism are explored and analysed with reference to peer reviewed research.
Video 2
Bilingual Language
Acquisition
Liam is very young and has not yet mastered speaking in either of his two languages, Spanish or English. However he clearly demonstrates that he is able to understand and make meaning in both languages.
Video 3
Bilingual kids
rock
Parents discuss some ideas that might be of help to you in your classroom. These ideas may also be of help to other parents, especially if their first language is not their children's.
Media release
'Language app
the talk of childcare' The Australian 14 April
2016
This is an interesting media release about the government's new app to support preschoolers' learning of a 'foreign' language.
Chapter 6 Indigenous perspectives in the early childhood literacy classroom
The need for all early childhood educators to develop a rich understanding of and respect for Aboriginal cultures and languages is considered in chapter 6, along with how this respect can be shared with young children. We also explore the importance for Aboriginal children of reflecting on Aboriginal culture and language in early childhood settings. Listening to authentic Aboriginal voices through the use of quality children's literature that genuinely reflects contemporary Aboriginal culture and language is an important focus.
Video 1
NITV News: Early
Aboriginal childhood education looking brighter
A project for Aboriginal children from South Australia's APY Lands, supporting language and learning from birth.
Video 2
Indigenous Literacy
Foundation
Author Andy Griffiths is just one of the ILF's supporters as the organisation provides books for Aboriginal communities and promotes reading in remote communities.
Podcast
Unpacking the Blak: Anita Heiss, ABC Radio National
Well-known author Anita Heiss has written books for both children and adults. Here she discusses the importance for all Australians of reading the literature produced by Aboriginal authors.
Chapter 7 Reading with children: Quality literature and language development
Video 1
Draw
with Bronywn Bancroft (first 5 minutes)
Tom Tilley interviews Bronwyn Bancroft about her drawings and illustrations, and how she links Aboriginal culture and lore to her work.
Video 2
Key links shared
reading
In this video Jill Eggleton discusses her approach to shared reading and how it is used to enable children to read and enjoy books that they are not yet able to read independently.
Video 3
Australian Literacy Educators' Association
Contexts for Reading explores ways of creating activities and spaces that encourage children to develop a love of reading.
Podcast
The impact of dads reading to children
This podcast reports on research by an early childhood educator from Wollongong University about the impact of father's reading with children, and the different ways parents read with their children.
Blog
Trevor Cairney blog – The lived through experience of literature:
What brain research is teaching us
In this particular post, Trevor Cairney discusses the new research that demonstrates the connections between reading and real life experiences.
Chapter 8 Supporting the emergent reader
Building on the importance of children's literature discussed in previous chapters, chapter 8 explains the reading process and the role of language development, with a focus on the meaningful integration of letter–sound knowledge. Using a rich selection of texts with explicit guidance and support, children can develop the various skills and reader roles that lead to successful literacy learning.
Video 1
Literacy – The whole story: KS1
teachers
In this short lesson, the school philosophy of enjoyment as key to reading and writing is demonstrated by the use of role-play when exploring the ancient Chinese Willow Pattern story. The six- and seven-year-old children ask the main characters questions, then write and draw to further extend their ideas.
Video 2
Teachers TV – Reading, writing and role-play
The use of role-play is featured in this video.
Video 3
KS1 Phonics –
Cracking the code
A number of phonics activities are shown in the first section of this video. The commentary shows that teachers emphasise teaching phonics in engaging ways, in order to support reading for meaning.
Video 4
Reading comprehension
(Note access to this video requires a member login for the Australian Literacy Educators' Association.)
Video 5
Improving children's
literacy matters to Robyn Ewing
Robyn Ewing discusses educational drama, the School Drama Program and the use of drama techniques in the classroom to improve children's literacy and life skills.
Podcast
Katie McKnight Podcast Series #8: Reaching and teaching reluctant
readers
This short podcast with animation talks about reluctant and struggling readers.
Chapter 9 Storying and the emergent storyteller and writer
We live storied lives. This chapter, co-authored by Dr Victoria Campbell (University of Sydney) looks at how oral storying is critical for developing a child's sense of self and identity, and how oral storying and drawing can facilitate the writing process.
Video 1
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The danger of a single story
Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice – and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.
Video 2
Communicating:
Example of a told story
This video provides an example of how teachers can tell story to encourage children's communication in kindergarten.
Blog 1
The science of storytelling: What listening to a story does to our
brains
Blog 2
Eight ways early writing reinforces reading
Chapter 10 Making meaning with image and text in picture books
Picture books not only offer opportunities for shared and meaningful learning experiences for young children as they become readers, writers and literate individuals, they are also objects of art, design and literary study in their own right. Given time to explore the layers of meaning, children begin to develop some intuitive knowledge about how pictures and text work, where texts teach what readers (and viewers) might learn. At the same time we know that knowledgeable teachers will extend and enhance this expertise, inviting readers 'down the rabbit hole', to not only explore the stories and characters, but also to give them insider knowledge about words and pictures.
Video 1
Oliver Jeffers author
video #2
Oliver Jeffers is a well-known author and illustrator. Here he explains how he became an illustrator and author, and shows his various books. He explains his writing and drawing process, moving from sketch to layouts to the use of watercolour, ink, gouache paints, pencil and mixed media.
Video 2
Martin Scorsese on the
importance of visual literacy (2.58–5.00 min)
Celebrated film director Martin Scorsese talks about the importance of visual literacy, particularly having a visual grammar with which to talk about images and movies.
Podcast
Joseph Kuefler – Inspiration beyond picture books
An interview with Joseph Kuefler, creator of the picture book Beyond the Pond, where he discusses his work and the power of imagination. See a sample from the story here.
Blog
The place of picture books for readers of all ages
Professor Trevor Cairney's blog Literacy, Families and Learning is a very valuable blog, providing practical and highly relevant support for parents, caregivers, educators and teachers. This particular entry is very relevant for our focus in this chapter.
Reading Australia Resource
Partnering with a number of Australian professional associations – ALEA, AATE, ETANSW and PETAA – Copyright Agency's Cultural Fund has supported the creation of teacher resources for Australian works. Many of the early years resources in the primary section are also useful for early childhood contexts.
Australian Literacy Educators' Association – Reading Australia
Chapter 11 Digital literacies in the lives of young children
This chapter looks more closely at the types of digital resources that are integral to children's lives and their literacy landscape. Rather than seeing digital texts as additional to traditional literacy resources, they are in fact core texts, along with books and other media. Digital texts and experiences are intertwined into young children's lives, from popular culture to multimedia production.
Video 1
It's a Book by Lane Smith –
book trailer
This book trailer for Lane Smith's It's a Book highlights the many changes in what we understand a text to mean.
Video 2
How to use
iPads in early childhood education
A preschool teacher discusses her use of technology in early years settings.
Video 3
How do we teach young children about social media? Tweeting
tots
New York teacher Jennifer Aaron explains how she tweets with her kindergarten at PS 150. 'We tweet as a whole class three times a week.' This film presents the context, learning and results.
Blog
Supporting digital kids in the early learning years
This blog stresses four main points:
- Interactivity is key for young children.
- It's essential to 'match use with age' and be aware that children's needs change as they develop.
- Fun and engagement are important aspects of children's media.
- Adults must model appropriate behavior when using technology and consistently promote digital literacy.
Chapter 12 Language literacy assessment in early childhood contexts and classrooms
In a context where the concept of literacy is being narrowed and where achievement is increasingly measured by testing, this chapter focuses on the central role that formative and educative assessment should play in early childhood contexts and classrooms. It draws on the Early Years Learning Framework to show how observing what a child already knows and understands will help plan for future learning in early childhood contexts and classrooms.
Videos 1–3
Amazing learners
These three videos highlight and showcase selected examples of significant learning in the birth-to-three-years period to make babies' and toddlers' learning visible.
Video 4
Parents take a stand
against standardized tests
In this video parents in New York stand up against standardised testing.
The Literacy Educators Coalition has a website that includes a range of useful resources and critique on contemporary issues.
Blog
The
over-achieving parent: It could be you!
Unfortunately we see over-achieving parents in early childhood settings as well as in school contexts. This post gives us much food for thought.