Life-long benefits
Oral language and literacy play a key role in our ability to communicate, create and express meaning. From before birth, children are developing the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to use, enjoy and benefit from language and language symbols. Language provides a solid foundation for learning to read and write and is essential to meaningful societal participation. It also contributes to identity formation, belonging and wellbeing (McNaughton et al., 2018).
Given the strong link between learning language and later learning to read and write, it is important for children to have many and varied opportunities to see, hear and use language, as well as engaging with a wide range of texts.
Aspirations for children
The importance of oral language and literacy is articulated within the vision of Te Whāriki, that all children grow to be “competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society” (Te Whāriki, p. 6).
Broad, responsive approach
Kaiako, in partnership with whānau, play a key role in the provision of learning opportunities that are responsive to children’s growing capabilities and build on their social and cultural funds of knowledge.
A varied learning environment and responsive teaching practices, grounded in Te Whāriki principles, offers a strong foundation for language and literacy learning that is both meaningful and engaging. Providing a broad range of meaningful experiences is important as evidence shows that in the early years, “there are risks associated with a narrowed curriculum focus, direct training approaches and a focus on a small range of school readiness skills” (McNaughton, 2020, p.13).
