Oral Language Development:
* Phonological awareness: This is the ability to hear and manipulate the sounds of language. Examples include rhyming, identifying syllables, and recognizing the beginning and ending sounds of words. Amira's exposure to nursery rhymes, songs, and story telling would significantly influence this.
* Vocabulary: The size and depth of her vocabulary, including understanding of word meanings and relationships between words. Exposure to books, conversations, and diverse language experiences would be key.
* Narrative skills: The ability to tell and understand stories. This includes sequencing events, understanding characters and plot, and using descriptive language. Storytelling within the family or through exposure to books and media would have played a role.
* Print awareness: Understanding that print carries meaning, recognizing different forms of print (books, signs, menus), and understanding the directionality of print (left to right, top to bottom). Observing adults reading and writing, playing with books, and pointing out print in the environment would contribute.
Early Writing Experiences:
* Scribbling: Early attempts at drawing and making marks on paper, representing an exploration of writing tools and the act of writing itself.
* Drawing with intent: Starting to relate drawings to meaningful representations, possibly even labeling drawings with invented spelling or letter-like forms.
* Dictation: Communicating ideas verbally to a caregiver who then writes them down. This can build understanding of the relationship between spoken and written language.
The level of Amira's pre-literacy skills would depend on many factors including:
* Socioeconomic background: Children from higher socioeconomic backgrounds often have more access to books, stimulating environments, and verbal interaction.
* Home language environment: The richness and diversity of language spoken at home greatly affects oral language development. Exposure to multiple languages can be beneficial.
* Access to books and reading materials: Early exposure to books and other reading materials is strongly linked to later literacy success.
* Parental involvement and interaction: Parents who engage in reading and language activities with their children tend to have children with more developed pre-literacy skills.
In short, Amira's literacy development *before* formal instruction is a complex tapestry woven from her environment, interactions, and inherent abilities. Understanding these pre-literacy skills is crucial for educators to effectively support her continued learning.