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Developing Early Literacy Skills Among Pre-Primary Children Through Scaffolding
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Abstract
Early childhood is a critical period for development of foundational literacy skills. Using secondary research, the study synthesises evidence on effective instructional practices that support the development of oral language, alphabet knowledge, phonemic awareness, print concepts, reading fluency and word recognition. The review identifies seven instructional techniques: materialisation, private speech, repeated interactive read aloud, joint writing activities, prompts and supports, expert-modelling and ongoing assessment. The findings suggest that the intentional and systematic application of these techniques enables children to function at the upper limits of their developmental potential. The study concludes that the effective scaffolding depends on teacher–child interaction, developmentally appropriate support, and continuous formative assessment to adjust instruction according to learners’ needs. It further recommends embracing multilingualism, improvisation of learning materials, team teaching, and small-group instruction to address socio-cultural and contextual challenges in pre-primary education settings.
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