It is important that when considering
an early education facility, caregivers and teacher in the facility have
knowledge of the cultural supports for the language and literacy learning of
the children and families they are serving. They need to have sufficient skills
in guiding small groups of children in order to give full attention to
individual young children’s language and literacy efforts. They need to be able
to draw out shy children while they help very talkative ones begin to listen to
others as well as to speak. Caregivers or teachers need to arrange environments
that are symbol rich and interesting without being overwhelming to infants and
toddlers. Even the simplest exchange becomes a literacy lesson when it includes
the warmth of a relationship coupled with words, their concepts, and perhaps a
graphic symbol.
