MTEL Reading Specialist (62)

Emergent literacy recognizes that literacy development begins long before formal instruction. Children develop concepts about print, language, and reading through early experiences with books, writing, and oral language. Emergent literacy is a continuous developmental process rather than a discrete readiness stage.

Oral language development provides the foundation for literacy. Vocabulary, syntax, and narrative skills developed through conversation transfer to reading and writing. Phonological awareness emerges through language play, rhyming, and attention to sounds.

Print awareness develops through exposure to environmental print, shared book reading, and exploration of writing. Children learn that print carries meaning, print is organized in specific ways, and print represents spoken language.

Alphabet knowledge includes letter name knowledge, letter-sound knowledge, and letter writing. Letter knowledge predicts early reading success.

Rich language environments support emergent literacy through interactive read-alouds, engaging children with books through discussion and response, abundant conversation using sophisticated vocabulary, language play (rhymes, songs, word games), access to varied print materials, and opportunities for writing exploration.

Jeanne Chall described six stages of reading development:

Linnea Ehri described phases of word reading development:

Fluency includes three components: accuracy (correct word recognition), rate (appropriate speed), and prosody (expression reflecting meaning).

Accuracy depends on word recognition skills. Rate depends on automatic word recognition and text difficulty. Prosody depends on comprehension and syntactic knowledge.

Oral reading fluency (ORF) measures accuracy and rate through timed oral reading of grade-level passages. Scores are words correct per minute (WCPM). National norms and curriculum-based benchmarks indicate expected fluency.

Prosody is measured through rating scales assessing phrasing, expression, pace, and smoothness. The NAEP Fluency Scale and Multidimensional Fluency Scale are commonly used.

Cut points differ slightly between published inventories, so use the criteria in the manual of the tool you are giving. Compare a student's WCPM with grade-level benchmarks or norms for the same time of year; a student with low accuracy needs decoding work first, while an accurate but slow reader needs fluency practice.

Fluency develops through practice reading accessible text. Instructional approaches include:

LaBerge and Samuels' automaticity theory explains how fluency supports comprehension. Attention is limited. When word recognition requires attention, insufficient capacity remains for comprehension. Automatic word recognition frees attention for meaning construction.

Automaticity develops through extensive practice. Decodable text provides practice applying phonics patterns. Repeated reading builds sight word automaticity. Wide reading expands automatic recognition to more words.