Early childhood education majors Ashley Ardon and Katelyn Hurst at Weber State University explained on Apr. 3 that literacy in children begins well before they learn to read or write. The two students emphasized that foundational skills such as pattern recognition, storytelling, and social interactions play a key role in early literacy development.
This approach matters because it broadens the understanding of how young children acquire the abilities needed for future academic success. By focusing on these pre-literacy experiences, educators can better support children’s growth from an early age.
“It doesn’t just come from opening a book and learning how to read or learning the alphabet,” Ardon said. “Literacy is all around children at all times. Just by coming to school and having conversations with teachers and peers, they’re learning how to read and write.” She described her experience working at The Melba S. Lehner Children’s School, where individualized instruction encourages curiosity and independence among children. “The children show us what they need and how to go about lesson-planning for them,” Ardon said.
Hurst also shared her perspective after student teaching at the same school: “It’s so cool to see how the children learn through play,” she said. “We can see their growth in literacy with scribbling as they’re starting to learn how to write. Or when they’re making their own stories by drawing pictures.” Hurst highlighted that seeing children’s moments of understanding makes her work rewarding.
Sheila Anderson, director of WSU’s early childhood education program, described the school’s emergent literacy approach: “We conceptualize literacy not as a discrete skill, but as the process of becoming part of a community,” she said. Anderson noted that this method grows from children’s desire to express themselves while connecting with others.
The Melba S. Lehner endowment supports both higher education for future educators and high-quality experiences for young learners at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. According to its official website, Weber State advances community transformation through civic engagement and public service while providing educational offerings such as teaching, research, experiential learning, and civic engagement. The university operates on the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains. It is Utah’s first comprehensive regional university authorized under Utah Code to confer degrees. The institution focuses on educating diverse students through supportive learning environments designed to transform lives through creativity, belonging, individualized pathways, and participation in civic life.