Young children’s language development moves from the emergence of speech, to the proliferation of vocabulary, and from the appreciation of books, to the recognition of letters and sounds. Children develop language skills to convey wants, needs, ideas, thoughts, and feelings and express themselves through words, drawings, stories, and dramatic play. Engaging in meaningful conversation with peers and teacher builds children’s listening and thinking skills. A print-rich environment, rhyming and word games, and multiple experiences with literature and non-fiction books help children gain an understanding of the relationship between the spoken and written word.
