All children are ready to learn: an emergent versus readiness perspective in early literacy assessment

Assessment of emergent literacy is relatively new to the field of communication disorders. Traditional approaches to reading assessment evaluated mastery of reading readiness skills. By contrast, emergent literacy assessment evaluates the increased awareness and understanding of print that begin early in development. One of the most influential figures in emergent literacy assessment has been Marie M. Clay. She has defined critical components of emergent literacy and, in so doing, has played an integral role in the paradigm shift from a reading readiness to an emergent literacy perspective. This article is intended to distinguish emergent literacy from reading readiness, explicate Marie Clay's contribution to our current understanding of effective emergent literacy assessment, and provide some guidance in using her assessment techniques with children with significant disabilities.