EDRD 3221: Literacy Midterm Exam

environmental print

the print found in everyday environments, such as signs, labels, and logos, that helps children recognize and understand written language in context. A balance of print is good. 

example of environmental print

includes letters, numbers, nursery rhymes, and symbols found in everyday life, such as signs, labels, and packaging that help children develop their literacy skills.

what are concepts about print?

Ideas and understandings that children have about how print works, including text directionality, letter recognition, and the understanding that print carries meaning.

what are the four language systems? 

The four language systems are phonology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, which together contribute to understanding and producing language.

phonology

The study of sounds in a language and how they function within that language's sound system. Sounds, phonemes, phonetic awareness, phonics

example of phonology

remembering words accurately, recalling known words, differentiating similar sounding words 

syntax

• Sentence structure (grammar, parts of speech, etc.)

examples of syntax

grammar, sentence variation, mechanics of language

semantics

• Overall meaning of a sentence or phrase (the relationships that exist between words); requires knowledge of vocabulary (e.g., synonyms, antonyms, homophones, homographs, etc.

examples of semantics

synonym, antonym, homonym, homophones, homographs

pragmatics

• Non-verbal language, social or cultural uses (following rules); changing language based on context or based on different purposes (e.g, humor, slang, idioms)

examples of pragmatics 

metaphors, slang, irony, sarcasm, euphemisms, jokes and humor, hyperbole

language development

• In general…

  • First Words - between 12 and 18 months

  • Complex Sentences - 4 to 4 ½ years

  • Fundamentals of Language - By the time they start kindergarten

• While these are average timelines, language acquisition is not typical.

Serve and return: children expect the give and take of serve and return as an early form of communication which lays the foundation of language learning and overall brain development. 

why is it so important to begin developing children’s oral language from birth?

because it lays the foundation of language learning and overall brain development. helps form. foundation for cognitive skills, communication skills, relationship building skills, etc. 

why is oral language important?

• Language skills predict literacy skills.

• Children with weaker language skills tend to have difficulty learning to read.

• Language is a primary system of communication. Children learn language naturally.
  Reading is a secondary system of communication. It must be taught.

how can teachers and families support the development of oral language? 

engaging in meaningful conversations, asking open-ended questions to encourage complex thought, reading aloud and discussing books, and providing opportunities for storytelling, dramatic play, and songs

what is phonemic awareness?

The ability to identifying the individual sounds in words

what is the most complex level of phonemic awareness?

substitution 

what is the difference between phonological awareness and phonemic awareness?

phonemic awareness is ability to identifying the individual sounds in words while phonological awareness is the understanding of the sound structure of our language

what is the difference between phonemic awareness and phonics?

phonemic awareness is the ability to identifying the individual sounds in words while phonics is the skill of connecting those spoken sounds to written letters

cracking the code 

This handout is a helpful guide with definitions and explanations.

what are phonemes?

Phonemes are the smallest units composing spoken language. Phonemes are represented in print with  slashes

what are graphemes?

• A letter (or group of letters) that symbolize a single phoneme (e.g., CAT = /k/ + /a/ + /t/

  SHED = /sh/ + /e/ + /d/

what is a consonant blend?

examples of consonant blend

bl- blue, cl-clap, fl-flag

what is a consonant digraph? 

examples of consonant digraph

what is the difference between a consonant blend and a consonant digraph?

what is an onset?

Beginning sound that comes before the vowel in a one syllable word

what is an rime?

Vowel and everything after in a one syllable word.

what is a rhyme?

Words that sound the same at the end. They may or may not be spelled the same

- These can be multisyllabic words.

examples of onset

cat, bat, sat, mat

examples of rime

-at, -en, -et, ig

examples of rhyme

mouse, house… cat, mat… pause, cause

what are phonograms?

examples of phonograms

what is a diphthong?

examples of diphthong

what is a schwa

examples of schwa

what are the defining characteristics of quality phonics instruction

what is the alphabetic code

• The set of relationships that exists between the most basic sounds of English (phonemes) and the letters that symbolize those basic sounds (graphemes).

why is dramatic play important

what are some of the connections between this course and your placement experiences?

homophones

2 or more words that are pronounced the same but different meanings and spellings (e.g., know/no; eight/ate)

phonics

Recognizing the relationship between the letters of written language and the sounds of spoken language.