Literacy development of primary school first grade students: questions, dilemmas and challenges

Igor Saksida

Summary:  The article focuses on some topical issues related to literacy development of students (above all of pupils in the first grade of primary school). By evaluating the approach to a literacy development model in Slovenia, the article demonstrates through various examples that children encounter various messages and manage to respond to some complex literary texts prior to their school attendance. The main body of the paper introduces some findings related to pupils’ pre-school literacy (six year olds) and compares English, Slovene and Italian curricular documents. In conclusion, the article consecutively establishes that formal learning of literacy in Slovenia begins much later than in other school systems and proposes reconsideration of the existing Slovene language curriculum.