WHAT IS LITERACY AND LANGUAGE?
Literacy is “reading, writing, speaking, listening and viewing, and involves the knowledge and skills required to engage in activities required for effective functioning in the community.” (Hill, 2012, p.3)
Language is complex and can be presented in both verbal and non-verbal ways. Language is also a social practice linked to social and cultural practices. Verbal language is about constructing and sharing meaning.
Literacy comes in many forms and is taught not only through reading and writing, but through a child’s everyday surrounding environment. Beginning literacy involves the use of all the senses.
Babies and children explore books by touching, looking, tasting, smelling and listening to the words spoken and read to them. Concepts about print and book language are learned through turning the pages, looking at the pictures, retelling favourite parts of stories, rhymes or songs again and again. Writing begins with children modelling writing behaviour with crayons, paints or pencils and creating marks to invent letters and copy some letters.
Children develop speaking, listening, reading and writing as a developmental process and therefore “language and
literacy are simultaneously learned.” (Stylianakis, 2013)
WHY LEARN ABOUT LINGUISTICS AND LANGUAGE?
In order for you to educate your child about language, you, as the parent, need to know about language and how it works. Language can be viewed from two major perspectives, namely function and form. These two perspectives cannot be separated, and it is important to remember that all interactive aspects of language are directed to making meaning of language. The term 'grammar' translates as all the rules of language. At school, your child is taught the various aspects of grammar in accordance with the Australian Curriculum. At home, you can use several activities with your child to improve their language and grammar skills no matter what age they are. It is important for you to remember that "learning language is a process of making connections, identifying patterns, and organizing previously unrelated bits of knowledge, behaviour and activities into new patterned wholes." (Emmit, 2010, p. 15). Modelling your language behaviour and immersing your child into a literacy rich environment is the best start to language and literacy learning.