ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on language interactions and children's acquisition of their native language as the foundation for early literacy learning. Early literacy is promoted when children acquire a rich vocabulary. Early literacy includes letter identification, awareness of the sounds in words and later sound–symbol correspondence. The preschool teachers' way of working with early literacy takes place when they participate in children's play, read aloud in small groups, sit with them at the table during meals, and take part in any activity the children are engaged in. Children acquire important forms of verbal communication, oral language, through interactions with parents and teachers in preschool. Through language interactions with preschool staff and parents, children learn about language, and, by talking about different themes, they obtain knowledge about their environment. One of the great challenges in preschools in Norway is to raise the staff's attention to the language they present to the children.
