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Effective Literacy Practices

Literacy Standards

The following indicators outline the developmental benchmarks and literacy behaviors that most children display at a particular age/grade. All are aligned with guidelines and standards established by the Arizona Department of Education. Seen together, they show the progression of development over time, but it is important to remember that all children develop at a different pace and follow varied patterns of development.

For very young children, key components of language and communication development include modeling conversations, book handling, and picture/story comprehension. For preschool and K-3 students, indicators of developing language and emergent literacy provide a clear overview of the learning goals to be achieved by the end of each year. Across the higher grades, indicators may have similar wording, but they are to be applied with increased focus to progressively more challenging texts and tasks.



Listening and Understanding 

  • Child shows interest in listening to sounds; may:
    • Identify new or unusual sounds such as sirens, animals.
    • Actively participate in rhymes, rhythms, and music.
    • Acknowledge and show anticipation when hearing familiar sounds.

  • Child listens with interest to language of others; may:
    • Respond to nouns and verbs in native language with greater interest than other words.
    • Listen and respond to others by participating in simple games.
    • Point to their body parts upon request.
    • Make simple choices upon request.
    • Understand more words than they can speak.

Communicating and Speaking 

  • Child uses sounds, gestures, or actions to communicate for a variety of purposes; may:
    • Use two- and three-word sentences that contain only the most necessary of words to convey meaning (e.g., “juice please,” “want more,” “no, me!”).
    • Shake head or use words to respond to yes or no questions.
    • Point at objects when saying or signing their name.
    • Use words or signs to tell what is happening.
    • Use a vocabulary of 50 or more words or signs consistently.

  • Child imitates  sounds, signs, gestures, or words for a variety of purposes; may:
    • Imitate new words or repeat news words to gain needs or wants.
    • Repeat simple rhymes or songs.
    • Imitate movements in fingerplays.
    • Make sounds like animals, cars, or trucks.

  • Child shows reciprocity in using language in simple conversations; may:
    • Show enjoyment in sharing conversation with caregivers.
    • Begin to exhibit turn-taking in verbal and sign language exchanges.
    • Initiate conversations, ask and answer questions with two- or three-word phrases responses.

Emergent Literacy 

  • Child shows interest in songs, rhymes, and stories; may:
    • Know and sing along with several simple songs or rhymes.
    • Follow along and interact with familiar stories.
    • Bring favorite books for caregivers to read.

  • Child shows interest in photos, pictures, and drawings; may:
    • Describe and talk about favorite objects, animals, or people in photos, pictures, or drawings.
    • Bring favorite picture books for caregivers to read.

  • Child develops interest in and involvement with books and other print materials; may:
    • Talk about favorite objects, animals, or people in books, photos, pictures, or drawings.
    • Bring favorite picture books for caregivers to read and ask for them to read and re-read over and over again.
    • Scribble on paper with a large crayon or marker.

  • Child may begin to pay attention to specific print, such as first letters of name.

  • Child listens with comprehension and follows two-step directions.

Source: Arizona Department of Education, Arizona’s Infant and Toddler Developmental Guidelines

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