Understanding American Preschool Teachers’ Teaching Beliefs About Literacy Instruction

Abstract

The theory of “early literacy†or “emergent literacy†supports the practice of developing young children’s early literacy skills in preschool period. This study took one preschool teachers from a city in California, US, as a single case to discuss her teaching beliefs and practices regarding literacy instruction. It revealed that teachers believed it’s necessary to develop children’s early literacy in preschool, early literacy is not limited to sounds and letters, children learn best through play and teachers act as guiders and supporters of children in their learning of early literacy skills.