Literacy Milestones

Happy June! This month we’ll be talking all about books, language, & literacy, and I couldn’t be more excited! I practically grew up in a library, so books hold a special place in my heart (and my therapy office). Let’s talk about developmental literacy skills before diving too deep into using books to enhance communication skills. The following information was pulled from LinguiSystems Guide to Communication Milestones, 2008.

Up to 1 Year of Age:

Likes to chew and touch books

Is able to focus on large, bright pictures in books

Shares books with an adult as part of a routine

Prefers pictures of faces

1-2 Years of Age:

Listens to simple stories

Enjoys turning the pages of a book

Can attend to book for 1-2 minutes

Points to and labels simple vocabulary in books independently

Holds books independently

Hands book to adult to read

2-3 Years of Age:

Listens to stories for longer periods of time

Holds book correctly

Answers simple questions about story

May ‘read’ familiar stories to self

Recites whole phrases

Differentiates writing from drawing

3-4 Years of Age:

Begins to pay attention to specific font, such as first letter of his/her name

Talks about the characters in the book

Likes to ‘read’ to self or others

Protests if adult changes the story

Begins to produce scribbles which represents letters

4-5 Years of Age:

Knows many letter names

Understands function/purpose of book

Understands story sequence

Of course, there are many only language and literacy skills that develop within the first 5 years of life. This is a basic overview of skills that are typically developed during this time.

Happy reading and talk soon, Kim