When we hear the word literacy, it’s easy to think about reading, writing, and school readiness.
But in early childhood, literacy begins long before a child ever picks up a pencil or reads their first book.
It begins with relationships, communication, and everyday moments.
Why Talking Matters
The early years are a time of rapid brain development. In fact, around 80% of neural connections are formed in the first 1000 days, including during pregnancy.
What this means is that every interaction, every conversation, and every moment of connection is shaping a child’s brain.
Babies are already communicating from birth, and even before. They recognise familiar voices, respond to tone, and use eye contact, gestures, and facial expressions to connect with others.
This is where literacy begins.
Not with flashcards or worksheets, but with responsive, back and forth communication.
Oral Language Comes First
Children are biologically wired to develop oral language.
They are not, however, wired to read and write, that part of the brain has to be built over time.
Strong oral language skills, like vocabulary, listening, and the ability to express ideas, form the foundation for later literacy development.
In other words, the more opportunities children have to engage in meaningful conversations, the stronger their foundation for reading and writing will be.
It’s Not About 'Teaching' Literacy
One of the biggest shifts in thinking is recognising that literacy isn’t something we add in, it’s already happening.
It happens when:
- a baby babbles and an adult responds
- a toddler points and someone names what they see
- a child tells a story through play
- an educator sits alongside and has a conversation
These everyday moments are where the real learning takes place.
In Te Whāriki, relationships are central to learning.
“Children learn through responsive and reciprocal relationships with people, places and things.” (Ministry of Education, 2017).
Language doesn’t develop through instructions or constant questioning.
It develops through connection.
Through:
- back and forth conversations
- shared attention
- trust and emotional safety
When children feel safe, heard, and valued, they are far more likely to communicate.
Shifting Our Practice
In many early childhood settings, we can fall into patterns of:
- giving instructions
- asking closed questions
- focusing on “right answers”
But these don’t always support language development in meaningful ways.
Instead, we can shift towards:
Descriptive Commenting
Talking about what a child is doing in the moment
“You’re mixing the sand and water, it’s getting really wet!”
Self Talk
Describing what we are doing
“I’m pouring the water slowly… it’s filling up the cup.”
Parallel Talk
Observing and narrating without expecting a response
Practicing the Pause
Giving children time to respond, verbally or non verbally
Open Ended Language
Instead of:
“What colour is this?”
Try:
“Tell me about what you’re making.”
These small shifts turn everyday interactions into rich language opportunities.
Literacy in Everyday Moments
Literacy isn’t limited to books or group times. It lives in:
- play and exploration
- role play (shops, building, cafes)
- mark making (drawing, chalk, mud, paint)
- care routines (kai time, dressing, nappy changes)
- conversations about real life experiences
Even something as simple as narrating what’s happening during a nappy change or talking through putting on a jacket becomes an opportunity for language development.
Rethinking “School Readiness”
There’s often pressure to prepare children for school through structured activities or early academic learning.
But real school readiness doesn’t come from worksheets or practicing formal skills early.
It comes from:
- strong relationships
- confidence and emotional security
- curiosity and exploration
- the ability to communicate
Children prepare for school through play, connection, and meaningful experiences, not by replicating a school environment.
Final Thoughts
Early literacy is not about pushing children to read and write earlier.
It’s about creating environments where language can grow naturally, through relationships, play, and everyday interactions.
When we slow down, listen, and engage in genuine conversation, we are supporting not just literacy, but a child’s overall development and wellbeing.
Because in early childhood, literacy doesn’t start with books.
It starts with connection.
Reference:
Ministry of Education. (2017). Te Whāriki He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna
o Aotearoa early childhood curriculum.