Abstract
Literacy is a child’s ability to read and to write. In order for children to become literate, they must learn language. Children’s ability to learn language is innate. (For a detailed description of how children acquire language click here.) By listening to speakers in their environment children become familiar with language. They learn the phonemes of the language that they hear the most. They learn vocabulary and the syntax of oral language. Fox’s (1997) writings indicate that children exposed to language would have the skills necessary for literacy. Children learn language by hearing it, seeing people using it, and using it themselves.
Unlike language, literacy does not occur naturally. Literacy skills are learned as young age children become exposed to oral language, books, and writing. To be literate children must have access to a semantic system of language. Social reading experiences and dialogue help children learn to generate ideas and turn shared experiences into meaning. My research showed that just as language impacts reading, reading impacts language. I used shared book reading to improve grammatical structures in children with moderate language delays.
