Literacy development begins at birth and is socially constructed through children’s everyday interactions, play, and relationships. This course explores how young children build their literacy skills long before formal schooling—through listening, speaking, drawing, pretend writing, recognising environmental print, and engaging with stories.

You will discover the stages of early drawing and writing, from symbolic marks and letter-like forms through to invented spelling and conventional print. The course also highlights the importance of rich, meaningful exposure to texts, storytelling, songs, and cultural literacies, and shows how literacy can be embedded into play environments such as dramatic play, construction areas, and technology use.

Grounded in emergent literacy theory, the course challenges outdated ideas of “reading readiness” and empowers educators to scaffold children’s literacy from infancy by recognising that literacy grows alongside language and communication.

Grounded in EYLF Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators, this course explores how:

• Literacy begins at birth and develops alongside language and communication.
• Emergent literacy is socially constructed through relationships, play, and cultural practices.
• Educators play a vital role in providing rich, meaningful exposure to texts, symbols, and stories.
• Literacy learning is strengthened when embedded naturally into daily routines and play.