Early Literacy & Language: It Starts with Listening, Not Letters

Because before they can read a book, they need to hear your voice — 7,000 times a day.

Wait, So Reading Starts With… Ears?

Yup. Before a child can read a single word, they need to soak in the sounds of language. That’s how babies and toddlers begin the incredible process of learning to talk, understand meaning, and later, learn how to read and write.

Forget phonics worksheets — the true foundations of literacy are built when a baby listens to your voice, watches your facial expressions, and hears you narrate life like you’re hosting a daily podcast called “Let’s Change This Diaper Again.”

So What Is Early Literacy?

Early literacy isn’t about memorising letters or writing perfect circles at age two. It’s about the skills that come before reading and writing:

• Listening and understanding spoken language

• Recognising patterns and rhythm in speech

• Noticing that pictures and print carry meaning

• Copying sounds, gestures, and eventually, words

• Having back-and-forth “conversations” — even if it’s just babble and giggles

Think of early literacy as language + love + interaction — the invisible scaffolding that supports everything that comes later in school.

It Starts With Talking (A Lot)

Want to raise a reader? Talk to your baby. Talk to your toddler. Talk to your pre-verbal gremlin while they throw snacks on the floor. Your voice is their curriculum.

And here’s the twist: it doesn’t matter what you say — it matters that you say it.

• Narrate daily life: “Now we’re washing your feet. One stinky foot… two stinky feet!”

• Respond to babble like it’s a real convo

• Use real words, not just baby talk — but throw in some silliness for fun

• Let them hear you express feelings: “That made me laugh!” “Hmm, I feel a bit tired today.”

Even one-sided conversations (like explaining why we don’t lick sockets) help them tune into tone, vocabulary, and rhythm.

Reading Together = Language Gold

Reading with children, even before they can talk, boosts vocabulary, imagination, and emotional bonding. They’re learning:

• That words carry meaning

• That books follow a sequence

• That pictures connect to stories

• That turning pages is fun (even if they chew them first)

Pro tip: Don’t just read to your child — read with them.Ask questions. Point to pictures. Use silly voices. Let them turn the page. It’s not about finishing the book — it’s about sparking connection.

“What’s that?”“Where’s the bear?”“Oh no! What do you think will happen next?”

That’s literacy in action.

Listening Comes Before Letters

There’s a reason most kids can sing songs before they can name a single letter. Listening is the foundation of language development — and that’s what builds the skills needed for:

• Rhyming

• Sound blending (“c-a-t” becomes “cat”)

• Vocabulary

• Understanding how stories work (beginning → middle → end)

So if your child isn’t “interested in letters” yet — that’s okay. Focus on listening games, storytelling, conversation, and music. The sounds come before the symbols. Always.

What You Can Do (Without Flashcards)

Here’s how to support early literacy without turning your home into a tuition centre:

✅ Sing songs and nursery rhymes

✅ Tell family stories — even the embarrassing ones

✅ Play with sounds: “What rhymes with duck?”

✅ Repeat words often and naturally

✅ Follow their lead — if they want to talk about dinosaurs, go full dino nerd

✅ Label things around the house (yes, even the fridge)

✅ Celebrate all attempts at talking and “reading” — even if it sounds like “blubba jibbla moo”

Final Word:

Your child doesn’t need to “know their ABCs” by age 2 to be smart. They need rich language, real conversations, storytime cuddles, and space to express themselves.

Early literacy is rooted in relationships, not repetition drills. It starts with connection — eye contact, shared laughter, and listening.Because when a child knows they’re heard, they learn that their voice matters.And that, more than any worksheet, is the real beginning of literacy.