Emergent Literacy: Ways to Foster These Skills in Preschool Children from Low-Socioeconomic Backgrounds

Abstract

Emergent literacy skills are important for children's academic achievement. Many preschool children from low-socioeconomic backgrounds have limited access to experiences that allow them to acquire emergent literacy skills such as letter knowledge, concepts of print, and phonological awareness. This article describes purposeful and age-appropriate instructional strategies that can be used by parents, teachers, and health care providers to ensure that preschool children from such backgrounds receive adequate literacy experiences. These instructional techniques may also be an effective tool for reducing the achievement gap in children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Keywords:

• literacy
• poverty