Literacy is a Specific Area of Learning and it is broken into two three aspects:

• Comprehension
• Word Reading
• Writing 

Literacy is used to develop a child's ability read and write. Children show this in range of ways including understanding simple sentences, familiarity with phonics, demonstrating understanding of what they have read, the ability to write spoken sounds and words and even simple sentences.

Reading, along with writing, makes up literacy, one of the four specific areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Reading's Early Learning Goal (End of Reception) is:

Children at the expected level are able to:

• Say a sound for each letter in the alphabet and at least 10 digraphs; -
• Read words consistent with their phonic knowledge by sound-blending; -
• Read aloud simple sentences and books that are consistent with their phonic knowledge, including some common exception words.

To be ready to start reading, children need to have a variety of skills in place. These early reading skills include matching, rhyming, awareness of phonics and the skills associated with language development such as listening, attention, alliteration and sound discrimination.

Writing, along with reading, makes up literacy, one of the four specific areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The Early Learning Goals for writing come from both literacy and physical development. They are:

Children at the expected level of development will:

• Write recognisable letters, most of which are correctly formed;
• Spell words by identifying sounds in them and representing the sounds with a letter or letters;
• Write simple phrases and sentences that can be read by others.

Before children are able to form letters, they need to learn how to make marks. These marks can be with their finger in yoghurt on their high chair tray or pictures they've drawn or painted. They're working out how writing works, how to hold their pencil, what pressure to put on the paper and how to control the marks they make.

It's important to have mark making and writing resources available for children to use in every area of the early years provision in your setting - including outside. Children need space to explore making marks and boys in particular may enjoy making large scale marks on the floor where they can stretch out. You could use the backs of rolls of wallpaper for this or use chalk or water on the floor outside.