More than ABC: Instructional Practices and Children’s Understanding of Literacy through English

Abstract

Although schoolchildren in India perform poorly in reading/writing tests, little attention is paid to early literacy instruction. This article describes literacy instruction in an English-medium school; through classroom observations and children’s artifacts, it documents what four children in Lower KG understand about literacy in English, a language they do not know. The data point to the need for curricular guidance and teacher training for the early years of formal school instruction in English.

Keywords

Early literacy alphabetic script literacy instruction instruction in India

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