Speech-language pathologists play a critical role in fostering early language and reading skills for individuals with communication disorders.1 By assessing a child’s current skills and encouraging the development of language and literacy skills, SLPs can help children acquire the skills necessary to read and communicate effectively with others.
Literacy development is a crucial element of overall child development: it enables children to read and expand their capabilities, which has significant implications for employment, economic situation and emotional and physical well-being.2 However, a key component of early literacy development is speech and language, which is where speech-language pathologists come in.
What is Literacy Development?
Literacy development is the evolving ability to understand, use and reflect on written language.2 It is the process of learning words, sounds and language and begins very early in a child’s life. Children begin acquiring early literacy skills as soon as their first year.3, 4
Language is the foundation of literacy.5 Language development refers to the ability to listen to and understand language as well as the ability to communicate through spoken means. Literacy development is the ability to read and write. While they are separate domains, they are highly interconnected.
Why is Literacy Important?
Strong early literacy skills can help children succeed in school and throughout their lives. For instance, literacy skills support cognitive tasks, including memory, attention and problem-solving.4 Literacy development can increase social-emotional skills, including confidence and communication, which in turn help children develop social relationships. Academically, literacy skills improve reading proficiency and overall performance.
Early childhood literacy is crucial for establishing a strong foundation in literacy, and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can be invaluable forms of support in this endeavor.1
The SLP’s Role in Language and Literacy Development
SLPs are highly trained through specialized programs to support children with language and literacy challenges.1 The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (MS-SLP) program prepares students to successfully support younger clients in developing a strong means of communication.
As for how SLPs help to identify and address early literacy development challenges and provide prompt and effective interference, the following are some of their roles:1
- Conduct early assessments for language or phonological challenges
- Identify children at risk of reading/writing problems
- Support children with expressive/receptive language needs
- Provide targeted interventions, such as phonological awareness training, vocabulary development and narrative skills
- Collaborate with parents and educators to create customized literacy goals
The Stages of Literacy Development: A Framework for SLPs
Literacy concepts are developed through stages, and SLPs can utilize each one to assess and support children.4, 6 For instance, by identifying the stage of literacy development that a child is currently in and understanding where they should be, SLPs can structure their sessions based on the skills needed to develop literacy.
The stages of literacy development begin with the most emergent forms of literacy, pre-reading, and progress through identifying letters and words until comprehension, rather than sight reading, is prioritized.6 In this way, literacy development shifts from the action of reading to reading with a higher purpose, such as learning and communicating with others.
SLPs can help children progress through these literacy development stages by enhancing their language skills. However, they must first understand the natural progression of literacy.1
Emergent Literacy
The earliest stage of literacy, emergent literacy, refers to the repetition and use of phrases, rhymes and song refrains by infants and toddlers.7 This early childhood literacy stage is characterized by holding books correctly, pretending to read and write and speaking or chanting letters, even if they cannot yet recognize them.
Alphabetic Stage
When children begin to understand printing, they can start identifying individual letters and associating each letter with its correct sound.6 SLPs can evaluate this literacy development stage by assessing whether their client recognizes letters, demonstrates phonemic awareness and applies basic decoding skills.
Words and Patterns
At this stage, a child’s reading fluency improves as they begin to recognize common spelling patterns, and their growth as a reader shifts to language comprehension.6 SLPs can assess how well children read without assistance, silently read (without vocalizing), recognize high-frequency words, and rely less on context clues to figure out the meaning of new words.
Intermediate
When children reach the intermediate stage of literacy development, they begin to acquire ideas from reading, experience new feelings through stories and explore issues from new perspectives.6 Children begin to read at a faster pace and can recognize that different types of writing (e.g., fiction vs. nonfiction) are uniquely organized.
Advanced
In the final literacy stage, children begin to develop critical thinking skills, interpret figurative language and write with complexity and structure.6 At this stage, children read for diverse purposes, such as for entertainment or to gain knowledge, etc. They also understand that what they read can influence their opinion.
How SLPs Promote Literacy in Early Childhood
SLPs can help promote early childhood literacy through:8
- Storybook reading: Through dialogic reading and interactive questioning, SLPs can assess the child’s comprehension and fluency while fostering a love of literacy.
- Play-based therapy: SLPs use puppets and role-playing to encourage storytelling and early literacy development.
- Phonological games: Games focused on rhyming and syllable clapping can help children entertainingly strengthen their phonological awareness.
- Language–rich environments: SLPs use print-rich visuals and structured conversations to create a space that encourages language exposure and usage.
- Parent coaching: SLPs teach parents to embed literacy into routines (e.g., reading recipes or signs) so that children practice their skills daily.
A Unified Approach to Language and Literacy Development
Literacy is a skill that requires a collaborative effort: SLPs, educators and families must work together to create consistent, literacy-rich experiences at home and school.9, 10 Language and literacy development should be addressed together to create a stronger foundation for lifelong success.
Early intervention is key to identifying language and reading difficulties before they hinder learning while also laying the foundation for lifelong literacy skills.1 By maintaining open communication between professionals and caregivers, the child’s progress can be tracked, and literacy development strategies can be adjusted as needed.
Literacy is a critical area of development that is connected to all other areas of well-being. Explore how USAHS’ speech-language pathology program equips you to create a fulfilling career helping children thrive through stronger early literacy skills.
Sources
- “Roles and Responsibilities of Speech-Language Pathologists With Respect to Reading and Writing in Children and Adolescents,” Asha.org, 2025, https://www.asha.org/policy/ps2001-00104/?srsltid=AfmBOorMYPlVngw-IuO3WDOd8juVEhOPSupwY0YjIxPGixzlioV-pLlk.
- “What you need to know about literacy,” UNESCO, 2025, https://www.unesco.org/en/literacy/need-know.
- “Read Together to Support Early Literacy,” NAEYC, 2025, https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/read-together-support-early-literacy.
- “Early Literacy: Policy and Practice in the Preschool Years,” Reading Rockets, 2025, https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/policy-politics-statistics/articles/early-literacy-policy-and-practice-preschool-years.
- “Language and Literacy,” HeadStart.gov, 2025, https://www.headstart.gov/school-readiness/effective-practice-guides/language-literacy.
- “Typical Reading Development,” Reading Rockets, https://www.readingrockets.org/reading-101/how-children-learn-read/typical-reading-development.
- “Emergent Literacy,” HeadStart.gov, 2024, https://headstart.gov/school-readiness/home-visitors-online-handbook/emergent-literacy.
- “Emergent Literacy: Know,” HeadStart.gov, 2024, https://www.headstart.gov/school-readiness/effective-practice-guides/emergent-literacy-know.
- “Role of Speech-Language Pathologists in Reading Achievement,” Reading Rockets, 2025, https://www.readingrockets.org/helping-all-readers/role-speech-language-pathologists.
- “Helping Your Child: Guidance for Families,” Reading Rockets, 2025, https://www.readingrockets.org/helping-all-readers/guidance-families.
