What are some early signs of literacy development in young children?

Recognizing letters, beginning to decode words, and understanding that print carries meaning are foundational skills that reflect early literacy development in young children. At this stage, children start to make connections between their spoken language and the written word, which is crucial for developing reading and writing skills.

Being able to identify letters demonstrates an understanding of the alphabetic principle, while beginning to decode words indicates that they can sound out letters to form words. The awareness that print carries meaning is an important cognitive leap; children understand that the marks on a page convey ideas, stories, and information, which is integral to their literacy journey.

In contrast, writing lengthy essays and reading chapter books independently are milestones that occur later in a child's educational development, reflecting advanced literacy skills that build upon the foundational skills indicated by the correct option. Additionally, only listening to stories does not engage children in the active processes of recognizing letters or decoding words, which are essential components of early literacy.