What Texas’s PreK Guidelines says about language and literacy development
Texas’s early learning framework, the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines (2022) and Texas Infant, Toddler, and Three-Year-Old Early Learning Guidelines (ITELG, 2013), is the official standards document used by licensed childcare and development programs across the state. Administered by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), the Texas PreK Guidelines defines what healthy development looks like for children from birth through kindergarten entry — and language and literacy development is a core domain of that framework.
The Texas PreK Guidelines addresses language and literacy development through a set of standards and indicators that capture children’s developmental progress from infancy through kindergarten entry. These indicators are organized to help educators observe, document, and support children’s growth in language and literacy development through intentional, play-based curriculum experiences.
Texas requires licensed childcare programs to use a curriculum aligned to the Texas PreK Guidelines and to document children’s developmental progress across all domains. This documentation informs individualized curriculum planning and is evaluated as part of the Texas Rising Star quality rating system.
The most rapid period of language acquisition occurs between birth and age five. Children who enter kindergarten with strong oral language skills — including vocabulary breadth, sentence structure, and phonological awareness — are significantly more likely to become proficient readers by third grade, according to longitudinal research from the National Early Literacy Panel.
Developmental milestones
Language & Literacy Development milestones by age group
Understanding where children are developmentally helps educators plan meaningful activities and document progress accurately. These milestones align with Texas’s PreK Guidelines indicators and nationally recognized frameworks including NAEYC’s Developmentally Appropriate Practice and the CDC’s Milestone Moments.
| Age group | Key Texas PreK Guidelines milestones | What educators can do |
|---|---|---|
| Infants Birth–18 months | Responding to familiar voices; vocalizing and babbling; joint attention with caregivers; beginning to understand frequently used words | Narrate routines aloud; read simple board books daily; respond to vocalizations with imitation; name objects and people consistently |
| Toddlers 18–36 months | Rapidly expanding vocabulary; two-word then three-word phrases; listening to short stories; beginning interest in print and books | Engage in back-and-forth conversations; introduce rhymes, songs, and finger plays; label images in books; use environmental print intentionally |
| Preschool 3–5 years | Complex sentences; retelling familiar stories; phonological awareness; alphabet letter recognition; early writing attempts; print concepts | Shared reading with think-alouds; phonological awareness games; interactive writing; alphabet wall; dramatic play rich in language |
Curriculum alignment
How Experience Curriculum supports Texas’s PreK Guidelines Language & Literacy Development standards
Experience Curriculum builds language and literacy development into every monthly theme through intentional, play-based activities aligned to the Texas PreK Guidelines. Rather than treating language and literacy development as a separate subject, the curriculum embeds relevant skills into daily activities across every age band — so children are developing across all Texas PreK Guidelines indicators throughout the day.
Every Experience Curriculum kit ships with a verified alignment to state early learning standards. The downloadable Experience Curriculum Alignment PDF maps each curriculum activity and skill to the specific standard indicator and developmental level it targets — saving teachers significant documentation time.
Language & Literacy Development skills covered
- Receptive and expressive vocabulary
- Phonological awareness (rhyme, syllable, phoneme)
- Print awareness and concepts of print
- Alphabet knowledge and letter recognition
- Early writing and mark-making
- Story comprehension and retelling
How it’s delivered
- Monthly kits with read-alouds and book extension activities
- Vocabulary cards and word walls built into kit materials
- Phonological awareness games with teacher guides
- Early writing trays, stamps, and mark-making tools
- Brightwheel digital documentation tied to state language and literacy indicators
- Family take-homes for literacy practice at home
Experience Curriculum’s approach to language and literacy development is grounded in peer-reviewed early childhood research and aligns to NAEYC’s Developmentally Appropriate Practice guidelines and the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework. An independent psychometric evaluation found the linked Experience Assessment exceeds standards for validity and reliability across all eight developmental domains.
Skills spotlight
Key language and literacy development skills in the Experience Curriculum framework
Experience Curriculum’s 35-skill framework maps directly to state standard domains. Here are four skills that feature prominently in every age-band kit and align directly to Texas’s PreK Guidelines indicators.
Vocabulary
Building a rich store of words through intentional, repeated exposure in context. Embedded in read-alouds, dramatic play, and science exploration activities.
Phonological Awareness
Recognizing and manipulating the sounds of language — rhyme, syllable clapping, initial sound isolation. Reinforced through songs, chants, and word games.
Print Concepts
Understanding that print carries meaning, how books work, and directionality. Taught through shared reading, environmental print, and early writing invitations.
Oral Language
Expressing thoughts, questions, and stories with increasing complexity. Developed through Morning Meeting, dramatic play, and structured conversations.
Implementation guidance
Practical tips for embedding language and literacy development into your Texas program
1. Read aloud every day — interactively
Daily interactive read-alouds are the single highest-impact literacy practice in early childhood. Use dialogic reading techniques: ask open-ended questions, make predictions, connect stories to children’s lives. Experience Curriculum kits include book selections aligned to each month’s theme.
2. Saturate the environment with print
Environmental print — classroom labels, a Word Wall, sign-in sheets, and child-authored books — develops print awareness naturally. Post high-frequency words at child eye level and update them regularly.
3. Build phonological awareness through songs and play
Phonological awareness develops through oral language, not print. Rhymes, syllable-clapping games, and initial-sound sorting activities develop this critical pre-reading skill through transitions, outdoor time, and circle routines.
4. Share reading progress with families
Family literacy engagement amplifies classroom learning significantly. Experience Curriculum includes family take-home materials in every kit that extend the theme’s vocabulary and literacy activities into the home.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Texas PreK Guidelines and language and literacy development curriculum
Related resources
Texas Social-Emotional standards
Texas’s PreK Guidelines Social-emotional domain alignment
Texas Mathematics & Reasoning standards
Texas’s PreK Guidelines Mathematics and reasoning domain alignment
Texas early learning standards
Overview of Texas’s PreK Guidelines framework and all 8 domain alignments
Texas Texas PreK Guidelines resource guide
Official Texas PreK Guidelines resources from the Texas Education Agency (TEA)
Experience Curriculum overview
Research-based, state-aligned curriculum delivered to your door every month