preliteracy
Before learning letters
Preliteracy refers to the developmental stage before a person—typically a young child—learns to read and write.
It encompasses the skills and experiences that prepare someone for literacy: recognizing letters, understanding that print carries meaning, developing vocabulary.
Preliteracy programs focus on building the foundation children need before formal reading instruction begins.
Recounting events aloud
- folktalesTraditional oral narratives
- lullabiesSoothing songs for children
- chantsRepeated rhythmic phrases
- fingerplaysRhymes with hand motions
call-and-response · recitation · sing-alongs · riddles · tongue-twisters · griot · memorization · listening
Incoherent or infantile speech
Early childhood educational program
- kindergartenEarly schooling for youngsters
- nurseryRoom for infants
- phonicsSound-based reading instruction
- alphabetLanguage's letter system
flashcards · read-alouds · teacher · Montessori · head-start · play-based · manipulatives
Arranging into groups
- sequencingDetermining element order
- memoryMind's retention capacity
- attentionFocused mental awareness
- comprehensionMental understanding of meaning
association · abstraction · decoding · segmentation · tracking · directionality
storytelling
Recounting events aloud
- folktalesTraditional oral narratives
- lullabiesSoothing songs for children
- chantsRepeated rhythmic phrases
fingerplays · call-and-response · recitation · sing-alongs · riddles · tongue-twisters · griot · memorization · listening · retelling
babbling
Incoherent or infantile speech
naming · scribbling · mark-making · imitation · drawing
preschool
Early childhood educational program
- kindergartenEarly schooling for youngsters
- nurseryRoom for infants
- phonicsSound-based reading instruction
alphabet · flashcards · read-alouds · teacher · Montessori · head-start · play-based · manipulatives
categorization
Arranging into groups
- sequencingDetermining element order
- memoryMind's retention capacity
- attentionFocused mental awareness
comprehension · association · abstraction · decoding · segmentation · tracking · directionality
preliteracyliteracy
Ability to read, write
literate · reading proficiency · functional literacy · early literacy