Oral Language
Name one way families can build oral language at home.
Talking during daily routines (mealtime, car rides, shopping).
What is the first stage of reading development?
Emergent stage.
What comes after scribbling in the writing stages?
Letter-like forms.
What is directionality?
Reading left to right, top to bottom.
Give one example of a print-rich classroom environment.
Word walls, labels, anchor charts.
What is the foundation of literacy development?
Oral language.
At what stage do children use both decoding and sight words but still make error
Transitional stage.
Why is invented spelling valuable?
It shows phonics knowledge in action and risk-taking with sounds/letters.
How can teachers model spacing between words?
Use fingers between words during shared writing.
Give one example of a print-rich home environment.
Labeling kitchen items, family reading corner.
Give one predictor of early literacy that connects to oral language.
Vocabulary knowledge.
Which stage involves recognizing environmental print (like McDonald’s or Target signs)?
Emergent stage.
What is the final stage of writing development?
Conventional spelling.
What tells a child the book is upside down or backwards?
Print orientation concepts (cover, page order).
How can community spaces support literacy?
Library programs, signs, menus, environmental print.
How can teachers model oral language for families?
Role-play conversations, model open-ended questions, encourage storytelling.
In the fluent stage, what major shift happens in reading?
Focus moves from decoding to comprehension.
Give an example of a writing sample at the phonetic stage.
Writing “MT” for “mommy.”
What’s one way to teach punctuation naturally?
Point out periods, question marks, and exclamation marks during read-alouds.
What is one non-negotiable message families should leave with?
Reading, talking, and writing daily builds literacy — even in small moments.