Early Literacy: Emerging Perspectives

This paper reviews the historical and theoretical contexts that have contributed to the concept of readiness, in particular reading readiness. It provides a comparison of influential emerging perspectives on early literacy and suggests that an exploration of the assumptions that undergird early literacy instruction can be a useful starting point for discussion of the nature of literacy and the processes of learning. Further, because these perspectives have varied perceptions about how children are viewed in American society and suggest different futures for young children's education, their implications for research and practice are of interest.