EMERGENT VS. CONVENTIONAL LITERACY INSTRUCTION
When working with emergent literacy learners, it is recom- mended that instructors spend 90-135 minutes daily using strategies, including shared reading, predictable chart writing, alphabet knowledge and phonological awareness, indepen- dent writing, and self-selected reading. Of this, 20-30 minutes should be spent focusing on alphabet and phonological aware- ness skills. EXPLICIT VS. EMBEDDED INSTRUCTION When focusing on alphabet knowledge and phonological awareness, it is critical to ensure that we include both explicit and embedded instruction throughout the day. Explicit instruc- tional strategies are those which follow a specified scope and sequence and are relatively short in duration (about 15-20 minutes). Explicit instructional strategies for alphabet instruc- tion include the explicit alphabet instructional routine (Jones, et al, 2013), which focuses on letter identification, letter sound identification, recognizing the letter within text, and producing the letter form. Letters are targeted throughout six instructional cycles (e.g. alphabetic order, frequency of use, order of sound acquisition). However, embedded instructional strategies, which will be the primary focus of this article, provide learners with context and meaning. It is often the application of embedded instruc- tional strategies where we see students make connections between what they are learning and its practical use within their immediate lives. We know from experiences within our instructional settings that learners require ongoing exposure, embedded instruction, and repetition with variety. Embedded instruction often occurs outside of the confines of tabletop classroom activities, which is what makes it so powerful.
While all students are entitled to receive comprehensive literacy instruction, implementation will vary depending on the current skill set of the learner. When determining what instruc- tional strategies will be most effective in teaching literacy, we defer to the following four questions taken from Comprehen- sive Literacy for All (Erickson & Koppenhaver, 2020) to guide the decision making process. • Does the student understand that print has meaning? • Does the student know most of the letters, most of the time? • Does the student actively engage during shared reading? • Does the student have a means of communication and interaction? (Erikson & Koppenhaver, 2020) If answers to the above questions are all “yes”, then the student’s literacy instruction will include conventional literacy instructional strategies (guided reading, independent writing, independent reading, and word study). Additional information regarding conventional literacy instruction can be found in the resources section. However, if the answer is “no” to any of the above four ques- tions, emergent literacy strategies are recommended to estab- lish a solid foundation of skills. This will foster further literacy growth as students transition from emergent to conventional instruction as literacy skills continue to develop and evolve over time.
WHAT IS ALPHABET KNOWLEDGE AND PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS?
Letters and language naturally occur during comprehensive literacy instruction. Knowing how we define alphabet knowl- edge and phonological awareness is necessary to identify what instruction your learners may need. Educators must know what skills are targeted within each. Just as we use the most common ingredients to bake a cake, educators must know the elements of alphabet instruction and phonological awareness. Alphabet knowledge is, “the ability to name, distinguish and produce the shapes, and identify the sounds of alphabet letters.” (Erickson & Koppenhaver, 2020) This includes: • letter identification • letter sounds
• recognizing letters in text • producing letter forms.
Jane Farrall’s emergent literacy graphic organizer
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