The Impact of Teachers' Beliefs on the Literacy Experiences of Young Children: A New Zealand Perspective

There has been a growing focus in New Zealand on the early literacy learning of young children. This emphasis has challenged early childhood teachers to ensure there are appropriate literacy events within their programme. The aim of this study was to identify early childhood teachers' knowledge and beliefs about literacy learning and examine how these translated into literacy practices. Four early childhood settings were chosen--two sessional kindergartens and two full-day early learning centres. Eight early childhood teachers from four different centres were interviewed. All teachers held a recognized early childhood qualification and were working within the framework of Te Whaariki, the New Zealand early childhood curriculum. Five children in each setting were observed using narrative observations. All teachers were committed to providing meaningful and purposeful literacy experiences within a play-based programme. However, although teachers had created rich early literacy environments, there was some tendency toward formal skills-based interactions. The children themselves created many opportunities for authentic and rich literacy events.