The Whole Child Alphabet: Stacy Benge to inspire play-based literacy

International early childhood expert and author Stacy Benge will bring her passion for child-led play and literacy development to the 2025 Early Childhood Australia (ECA) National Conference, encouraging educators to reconnect with the authentic foundations of learning.

 

With a Master of Science in Human Development and Family Studies, Ms Benge spent a decade teaching children from birth to five before moving into research, authorship and professional development. Over the past 20 years, she has worked with educators across the United States, offering practical, evidence-based insights into how young children grow and thrive.

 

At this year’s conference, she will present a keynote session titled “The Whole Child Alphabet: How Young Children Actually Develop Literacy”, drawing on her acclaimed book of the same name.

 

“Literacy begins long before children sit at a table or trace letters,” Ms Benge explains. “It grows from their whole-body experiences climbing, building, playing, talking and imagining. These authentic, child-led moments are the building blocks of reading and writing.”

 

Ahead of the conference, The Sector sat down with Ms Benge to explore her career, her book, and the message she hopes to share with Australian educators.

 

Exploring the inspiration behind her work

 

Asked what continues to inspire her work in early learning, Ms Benge says her motivation comes from the children themselves.

 

Fiona: Your career has spanned classroom teaching, research and professional development. What continues to inspire your work in early learning?

 

 

Stacy: Spreading the message of child development. When looking at what young children need to be successful in literacy (and school and life), the answer is not early academics. Instead, children thrive with lots of child-led play which develops the strong foundations children need for future reading and writing. Knowing this, and firmly believing it, keeps me inspired. 

 

Fiona: What motivated you to write The Whole Child Alphabet?

Stacy: Over a decade ago, I created a training titled “Do This, Not That: Alphabet Knowledge”. The purpose of this training was to look at literacy beyond just the alphabet, emphasizing the importance of the whole child for future literacy practices. This training reflected my passions for language development, physical development, and child-led play and how those lay the foundations for future reading and writing. Every time I presented it, people repeatedly would tell me, “You need to write a book about this.” So, in 2020 during COVID, I took the time to sit down and start writing. I signed a publishing deal with Exchange Press, and the book was officially released in 2023.

 

Rethinking literacy through play

Ms Benge’s keynote at the ECA conference will challenge common misconceptions about literacy.

 

Fiona: In your keynote, you argue that literacy begins in play. Can you explain how movement and exploration lay the foundations for reading and writing?

 

 

Stacy: I believe that physical development is the key to future reading and writing, yet it is often overlooked. We tend to limit literacy to recognizing the alphabet, associating the sounds, and writing the letters, but there is so much more to it than that. The brain and the body must learn to work as a team to coordinate and regulate the tasks involved in reading and writing. The vestibular system needs to develop to keep the eyes steady while tracking text on a line and the hand steady when writing. The proprioceptive system is essential for regulating strength and pressure necessary for turning pages and holding a pencil while writing. The body needs to be capable of crossing midlines so the eyes and hands can move left to right when reading and writing. And this is just naming a few. There are numerous foundational skills that need to develop to support literacy, and these don’t develop by sitting still. These fundamentals develop best when children are constantly up, moving and playing. 

 

Fiona: What are some of the most common misconceptions you see about early literacy development?

Stacy: Two of the most widespread misconceptions I see are: “earlier is better” and “one size fits all curriculum and instruction”. And these two frequently go hand in hand.  

 

There is a myth that introducing literacy instruction at a young age will provide children a head start, ensuring they will become better readers and writers in the future. The problem with “earlier is better” is that it disregards the developmental foundations necessary to support literacy. Just as a house needs a solid foundation to stand, reading and writing depends on whole child development to thrive. 

 

Standardised curriculum is often used to introduce literacy at an early age. The issue with this is it neglects what is important to the child. All development, growth, and learning begin with the child, and every child is a unique individual. When designing environments, experiences, and interactions, everything must be relevant to the child for the information and/ or concept to resonate with them. Standardized instruction does not do this. For example, a child doesn’t learn a letter because the curriculum introduces it, a child learns a letter because it is meaningful and serves a purpose in their life. 

 

Practical strategies for educators

 

For conference delegates, Ms Benge’s session will offer both inspiration and practical tools.

 

Fiona: What are the key strategies you hope educators will take away from your session?

 

 

Stacy: Understanding the role the whole child plays in early literacy and how child-led play is crucial in that development. But in addition to that, being able to explain all this to stakeholders and decision makers so they can also embrace child-led play and recognize its importance in future reading and writing. 

 

Fiona: How can services embed these approaches within the National Quality Framework, particularly around programming and practice (Quality Area 1)?

 

Stacy: My mission is to transform how we approach literacy in the early years, moving from a mindset of teaching to one focused on development. What needs to develop to support future reading and writing and how do we foster that? Viewing literacy through that lens moves us away from standardization and towards experiences that respect each child’s unique developmental journey. Most importantly, this approach embraces child-led play as the core of developing literacy foundations. Knowing and understanding this guides our curriculum decisions and helps us explain the why behind our practices. 

 

A timely voice for Australia

 

With Australia navigating preschool reform, workforce challenges and heightened expectations around school readiness, Ms Benge’s message is particularly relevant.

 

Fiona: What similarities or differences do you see between US and Australian approaches to early literacy?

 

 

Stacy: I believe both countries face challenges due to unrealistic expectations placed on children during their early years when it comes to literacy. They both encounter the often exhausting task of consistently promoting developmentally informed practices while hoping that stakeholders truly grasp that earlier is not better when it comes to reading and writing. I feel both nations struggle to justify play as the optimal way to develop literacy, not standardized curriculums.  

 

However, I remain optimistic for all of us. In my discussions with professionals in Australia as I prepare for my upcoming trip, I have encountered the same tenacity and commitment that I see among my colleagues in the U.S. We are fighting similar battles, yet we share the same dedication to create change. I truly believe we can all make a difference.

 

Fiona: What lasting impact do you hope your keynote will have on the Australian ECEC community?

 

 

Stacy: I hope everyone walks away embracing child-led play as the best approach to building literacy foundations. I want everyone to feel inspired and confident when discussing with stakeholders the significance of whole child development for future reading and writing. Most importantly, I hope everyone shares the message that early literacy is not early reading and writing; rather, early literacy is child-led play. 

 

As the countdown to the 2025 ECA National Conference continues, Ms Benge’s keynote promises to be a highlight for delegates seeking to balance reform pressures with authentic, child-led practice. Her message is clear: play is not just preparation for learning, it is learning.

 

The Sector thanks Stacy Benge for sharing her insights and looks forward to hearing more when she takes the stage in October.

 

The 2025 ECA National Conference will be held from 1–4 October, bringing together educators, leaders, researchers and policy makers from across Australia and beyond.

 

For more information and to register, visit https://www.ecaconference.com.au/2025/