Resources found here cut across multiple aspects of early language and literacy. Examples could be position papers, policy documents, foundational readings, and so on.

The ELI website is trying to not turn into a “resource dump”. Therefore, if you are looking for something specific, and a thematic discussion related to that topic is not underway, it is likely that you won’t find it up here (yet). In that case, please send us a message at eli@tiss.edu / earlyliteracyinitiative@gmail.com and we will be happy to respond to you in private.

On the other hand, if you have a General Interest resource to share, please do send it to us. Please find below links to some of the resources uploaded in this section.

Authors: Berntsen, M., Akhilesh, S., Choudhury, R., Anuradha, P. 

Source: Early Literacy Initiative, TISS Hyderabad

Year: 2020

Suitable audience: Teachers, practitioners, students

The Telugu Intervention Project of Early Literacy Initiative, TISS Hyderabad has created a Telugu primer for language learning in early years. 

Link for primer

Cover Page - Primer for Beginning Literacy in Telugu

Authors: Sarada, M., Sharma-Sen, R., Menon, S., Sacchdeva, S., Singh, S., Kaul, V.

Source: Ambedkar University, Delhi

Year: 2016

Suitable audience: Academics, Practitioners, Policy Makers

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Link: Click here to download in English and Hindi.

This is India’s first position paper on Early Literacy, co-sponsored by USAID and CARE and anchored by CECED, Ambedkar University, Delhi. It addresses issues related to early language and literacy learning for children in the age group of 3-8 years in India. It builds upon previous policy documents related to early language learning while articulating new positions on issues related to early literacy. The document highlights the connectedness of the pre-primary age group of 3-6 years with the early years of schooling (6-8 years) in the area of language and literacy learning. It pushes for a “principle based approach” to designing early language and literacy classrooms, rather than a search for the “best method”, no matter how comprehensive. It also links early language and literacy learning to the broader aims of education.

The position paper hopes to enable policy makers and educators - which includes academicians and practitioners - to develop a set of informed actions based upon robust principles of language and literacy development in young children.

Title: Position Paper: National Focus Group on Teaching of Indian Languages

Year: 2006

Authors: Prof Ramakant Agnihotri (Chairperson), Prof D.P. Pattanayak, Prof. Ramesh Kumar Pandey, Prof Shamim Hanfi, Dr. Apoorvanand, Dr. Mukul Priyadarshini, Shri Tara Singh Anjan, Dr Jamini Devi, Dr. Sylvanus Lamare, Shri A R Venkatchalapathy, Dr P.P. Giridhar, Dr CHandra Kant Patil, Dr. P Basheer, Shri Prahalad Roy, Prof Ram Janma Sharma (Member Secretary), Prof K.K. Mishra
Source: National Council of Education Research and Training
Difficulty Level: Moderate

Suitable Audience: Policy Makers, Practitioners, Teacher Educators, Students

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Links: Click here to download in English and in Hindi.

NCF-2005 was followed by a series of Position Papers on specific topics. This is one of the more specific position papers of the most recent NCF, which examines the role of Indian Languages in the child’s education. The executive summary of the paper seeks to establish a variety of ideas, chief amongst which are the gross neglect and misunderstanding of the role of languages in school learning, especially in educational planning. The multilingual competencies of Indian children are not effectively built upon in classrooms, leading to both disengagement and drop-outs. Further, the role of language across the curriculum is not sufficiently appreciated. It advocates the position that multilingual capabilities of children be used purposefully in classrooms, by including mother tongues of students, and by providing “comprehensible inputs” in other languages that children are exposed to. Eliminating biases of various kinds within the language learning environments is also seen as essential for successful language learning.

The paper is organized into nine sections that deal with a variety of topics, such as, the nature of language and language learning, the three-language formula, issues in the school curriculum, multilingualism, methods of teaching, teaching-learning material, the role of a teacher, assessment, and so on.

Nisha Butoliya has presented a lesson plan showing us how the idea of "Language across the Curriculum" can be used in such a way that is helps dissolve 'subject boundaries'.

http://www.teachersofindia.org/en/lesson-plan/language-across-curriculum

Nisha Butoliya in this paper titled "Language across Curriculum: Principle to Practice", makes a compelling argument on why language is an important tool across the curriculum if we want to ensure meaningful engagement across the curriculum. Read on to find more.

http://cdn.tridz.in/s3fs-public/Language%20across%20Curriculum_Principle%20to%20Practice.pdf