Alphabet and phonological awareness: can it be enhanced in the early childhood setting?

There is a growing body of evidence that children who possess both alphabetic and phonological awareness on school entry are in a good position to make the transition from emergent to conventional literacy (Nicholson, 2005; Whitehurst & Lonigan, 1998). One of the challenges is how teachers can foster emergent literacy, including alphabetic and phonological awareness, within a holistic curriculum framework, such as New Zealand's early childhood curriculum, Te Whariki. Drawing on our respective research studies into children's literacy (Arrow, 2007; McLachlan et al., 2006), we will discuss the implications for an early childhood intervention project which is aimed at promoting phonological awareness and alphabetic knowledge in children aged 3-5 years, through professional development of teachers. This paper examines the issues involved in challenging teachers' beliefs, the effectiveness of professional development, research with children and teachers and enhancing literacy opportunities in the curriculum.<div><br></div><div>International Research in Early Childhood Education, vol. 1, no. 1, p. 84-94