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This book presents current, research-based best practices for supporting young children's development as readers and writers. From leading figures in early literacy, the book demonstrates that scientifically grounded instruction need not be dull, drill-oriented, or one-size-fits-all. Rather, it describes language-rich approaches to engaging with children's existing levels of knowledge while moving them to more complex literacy understandings. Topics covered include the impact of home literacy experiences, teaching English learners and culturally diverse children, phonemic awareness and word knowledge for preschoolers, new uses for communication technologies and informational text, and fluency instruction. Also addressed are professional development issues, including teacher training practices that support change. Exemplary teaching strategies and activities are clearly depicted and illustrated with samples of student work, providing Pre-K-3 teachers with many useful ideas that can be readily applied in the classroom.
List of contents
Introduction
Part I. Foundations for Early Literacy Learning and Instruction1. Staff Development for Early Literacy Teachers: A Plan to Facilitate Change
Lesley Mandel Morrow, Heather Casey, and Courtney Haworth2. Questions About Early Literacy Learning and Teaching That Need Asking--And Some That Don't
William H. Teale3. A Multidimensional Approach to Beginning Literacy
Irene W. Gaskins4. The Learner, the Teacher, the Text, and the Context: Sociocultural Approaches to Early Literacy Instruction for English Language Learners
Shelley Hong XuPart II. Home Literacy Experiences of Children5. What Hannah Taught Emma and Why It Matters
Lisa Lenhart and Kathleen Roskos6. Learning About the Literate Lives of Latino Families
Jeanne R. Paratore, Gigliana Melzi, and Barbara Krol-SinclairPart III. Phonemic Awareness, Code Learning, and Book Acting7. Engaging Preschoolers in Code Learning: Some Thoughts About Preschool Teachers' Concerns
Judith A. Schickedanz8. Concepts, Sounds, and the ABCs: A Diet for a Very Young Reader
Marcia Invernizzi9. Book Acting: Storytelling and Drama in the Early Childhood Classroom
Lea M. McGeePart IV. Recent Trends in Literacy Research: Technology, Fluency, and Informational Text10. Early Literacy in a Digital Age: Moving from a Singular Book Literacy to the Multiple Literacies of Networked Information and Communication Technologies
Rachel A. Karchmer, Marla H. Mallette, and Donald J. Leu, Jr.11. No More Madfaces: Motivation and Fluency Development with Struggling Readers
Steven A. Stahl12. How Can I Help Them Pull It All Together? A Guide to Fluent Reading Instruction
Melanie Kuhn13. Bridging the Gap between Learning to Read and Reading to Learn
Nell K. Duke, V. Susan Bennett-Armistead, and Ebony H. Roberts14. Immersing Children in Nonfiction: Fostering Emergent Research and Writing
Renée M. Casbergue and Mary Beth Plauché 15. Organizing Expository Texts: A Look at the Possibilities
Carol Vukelich, Christine Evans, and Bonnie Albertson16. Caution Apply with Care: Recommendations for Early Literacy Instruction
Diane M. Barone
Summary
This study presents research-based best practices for supporting young children's development as readers and writers.
Additional text
This volume provides a compass for research-based early literacy education. It offers panoramic views of classrooms and home literacy environments, with helpful examples of children's work that give special attention to individual differences in learning. The ideas in this book will lift teachers and students to wakeful and meaningful engagement with many literacies. Useful reading for anyone seeking a way through the labyrinth of educational reform, it is an essential text for advanced undergraduate- and graduate-level courses.--Pamela J. Rossi, PhD, Department of Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies, University of New MexicoA stellar and highly readable contribution to the field of early literacy. Each chapter takes up important questions of current practice that we need to resolve to meet the promise of literacy for all children. Leaving old rhetoric behind, the authors lead the way to reading research and instruction that will make a difference in our present and future classrooms. The volume goes way beyond phonics, laying out research, pedagogy, and technology that support fluency and comprehension, engage the very youngest learners and those whose first language is not English, and promote concept and vocabulary development through nonfiction. This book fills a void for both teachers and teacher educators. It builds and extends teachers' professional knowledge in early literacy, and as such, can be used in teachers' book clubs, study groups, and professional development activities, as well as undergraduate- and graduate-level teacher education courses.--Anne McGill-Franzen, PhD, School of Teaching and Learning, University of FloridaEarly childhood educators will find this book to be an indispensable resource. It contains clear, concise summaries of a wide range of topics connected with early literacy: home literacy learning, cultural diversity, 'best practice' teaching strategies, informational books for young children, new technologies, and staff development. Each chapter contains a summary of the most recent research and theory on a topic, followed by concrete suggestions on how to apply this information in real classrooms. The combination of current, state-of-the-art research and practical advice for teachers is what sets this book apart.--James Christie, PhD, Department of Early Childhood Education, Arizona State University-
