(Evans, 2011, p. 318) Evans (2011), although evidently focused on print, embraces the strong links between language and play as pivotal to developing children as readers. Moreover, Roskos et al., (2010) argue that there are positive outcomes when young children link their play with talk, stories and the wider literacy practices situated in real, meaningful experiences. Essentially, there appears to be a lack of literature focused on under-threes in supporting and developing early reading practices. The main focus for under-threes appears to be on emergent literacy, discussed previously in this chapter. Subsequently, many definitions and perceptions of reading with very young children appear to be influenced by the discourse on decoding print as emergent literacy and the discourse of phonics (Goswami, 2015; Whitehurst and Lonigan, 2002; Sénéchal and Lefevre, 2002). Policy discourse is firmly situated in viewing reading as decoding (DfES, 2007; Johnson and Watson, 2005; Ofsted, 2014; Rose, 2007; Torgeson et al., 2006). In addition, Ofsted publications such as you ready? Good practice in ‘Are school (Ofsted, 2014) and by six: how the best schools do readiness’ ‘Reading (Ofsted, 2010) advocate children reading early and view reading as the it’ decoding of text. Moss (2013) describes this school readiness term as “fitting a dominant narrative of normativity and performativity, in which the purpose of education is conformity to predetermined performance (p. 5). The criteria” discourse of is a feature in several Education Reviews and ‘school readiness’ Statutory children: access and achievement 20 Guidance Documents (‘Unseen years on’, Ofsted, 2013, Years DfE, 2013, Coghlan et al., ‘Early Outcomes’, 2010) and within the EYFS. The EYFS (DfE, 2014) states that three prime “the areas reflect the key skills and capacities all children need to develop and learn effectively, and become ready for (p. 9). school” In contrast, Swedish governments have a particular focus on pre-school being the first step in a lifelong learning perspective and a part of the “unique”, “valid
(Evans, 2011, p. 318) Evans (2011), although evidently focused on print, embraces the strong links between language and play as pivotal to developing children as readers. Moreover, Roskos et al., (2010) argue that there are positive outcomes when young children link their play with talk, stories and the wider literacy practices situated in real, meaningful experiences. Essentially, there appears to be a lack of literature focused on under-threes in supporting and developing early reading practices. The main focus for under-threes appears to be on emergent literacy, discussed previously in this chapter. Subsequently, many definitions and perceptions of reading with very young children appear to be influenced by the discourse on decoding print as emergent literacy and the discourse of phonics (Goswami, 2015; Whitehurst and Lonigan, 2002; Sénéchal and Lefevre, 2002). Policy discourse is firmly situated in viewing reading as decoding (DfES, 2007; Johnson and Watson, 2005; Ofsted, 2014; Rose, 2007; Torgeson et al., 2006). In addition, Ofsted publications such as ‘Are you ready? Good practice in school readiness’ (Ofsted, 2014) and ‘Reading by six: how the best schools do it’ (Ofsted, 2010) advocate children reading early and view reading as the decoding of text. Moss (2013) describes this school readiness term as “fitting a dominant narrative of normativity and performativity, in which the purpose of education is conformity to predetermined performance criteria” (p. 5). The discourse of ‘school readiness’ is a feature in several Education Reviews and Statutory Guidance Documents (‘Unseen children: access and achievement 20 years on’, Ofsted, 2013, ‘Early Years Outcomes’, DfE, 2013, Coghlan et al., 2010) and within the EYFS. The EYFS (DfE, 2014) states that “the three prime areas reflect the key skills and capacities all children need to develop and learn effectively, and become ready for school” (p. 9). In contrast, Swedish governments have a particular focus on pre-school being “unique”, the first step in a lifelong learning perspective and a “valid part of the
120200555%20Thesis%20Final%20Karen%20Boardman%20April%202017.docx