Synopses & Reviews
Review
"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 Mexico
"A 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 Florida
"Early 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
Synopsis
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.
About the Author
Diane M. Barone, EdD, is Professor in the Department of Educational Specialties at the University of Nevada, Reno, where she teaches courses in literacy and qualitative research methods. Her research has focused primarily on young children's literacy development, particularly in high-poverty schools. She has conducted two longitudinal studies of literacy development: a four year study of children exposed prenatally to crack/cocaine, and a seven year study of children in a high-poverty school. Her publications include journal articles, book chapters, and a number of books. Dr. Barone served for eight years as the Editor of Reading Research Quarterly, and is currently a board member of the National Reading Conference, and the International Reading Association, as well as the principal investigator of the Reading First grant in Nevada.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Part I. Foundations for Early Literacy Learning and Instruction
1. Staff Development for Early Literacy Teachers: A Plan to Facilitate Change
Lesley Mandel Morrow, Heather Casey, and Courtney Haworth
2. Questions About Early Literacy Learning and Teaching That Need Asking--And Some That Don't
William H. Teale
3. A Multidimensional Approach to Beginning Literacy
Irene W. Gaskins
4. The Learner, the Teacher, the Text, and the Context: Sociocultural Approaches to Early Literacy Instruction for English Language Learners
Shelley Hong Xu
Part II. Home Literacy Experiences of Children
5. What Hannah Taught Emma and Why It Matters
Lisa Lenhart and Kathleen Roskos
6. Learning About the Literate Lives of Latino Families
Jeanne R. Paratore, Gigliana Melzi, and Barbara Krol-Sinclair
Part III. Phonemic Awareness, Code Learning, and Book Acting
7. Engaging Preschoolers in Code Learning: Some Thoughts About Preschool Teachers' Concerns
Judith A. Schickedanz
8. Concepts, Sounds, and the ABCs: A Diet for a Very Young Reader
Marcia Invernizzi
9. Book Acting: Storytelling and Drama in the Early Childhood Classroom
Lea M. McGee
Part IV. Recent Trends in Literacy Research: Technology, Fluency, and Informational Text
10. Early Literacy in a Digital