Pre-service and in-service teachers get sound instructional strategies for teaching the language arts to young children from birth to kindergarten and enhancing their reading, writing, speaking and listening development in this unique book that places children at the center of all good language and literacy teaching.
This book is about teaching the language arts–about facilitating young children’s reading, writing, speaking, and listening development. In a very readable manner, the book places children at the center of all good language and literacy teaching, while focusing on four central themes that run throughout the book:
1. The authors provide rich descriptions of two perspectives in children’s language and early literacy learning: emergent literacy and scientifically based reading research, and equip early childhood teachers with the know how to use the instructional strategies supported by the research in both perspectives.
2. The authors acknowledge and take into account the increasing diversity of our society and schools by providing numerous illustrations of how teachers can work effectively with diverse learners, providing special features at the end of chapters that explain how to adapt instruction for English Language Learners and children with special needs, and by providing information on the tools teachers can use to discover what each child knows and can do, in order to build on that child’s prior knowledge.
3. The authors stress that assessment cannot be separated from good teaching and they describe strategies that teachers can use to understand children’s language and literacy knowledge in the context of specific learning and teaching events, while also focusing on today’s increasingly important “accountability” function of assessment and standardized testing instruments.
4. The authors acknowledge the importance of the family in young children’s language and literacy development and include descriptions of how early childhood teachers can connect with families and engage caregivers in their children’s school or center.
Contents
Preface
chapter1 Foundations of Language and Literacy
Before Reading This Chapter, Think About . . .
Focus Questions
Language and Literacy: Definitions and Interrelationships
A Continuum of Instructional Approaches
Emergent Literacy Approach
Scientifically Based Reading Research Approach
Blended Instruction–A “Value-Added” Approach
A Blended Literacy Instructional Program
Effective Early Childhood Teachers Provide Children with a Print-Rich Classroom Environment
Effective Teachers Demonstrate and Model Literacy Events
Effective Teachers Explicitly Teach Children Skills that Research Supports as Key Elements of Reading, Writing, and Speaking
Effective Early Childhood Teachers Provide Opportunities for Children to Work and Play Together in Literacy-Enriched Environments
Effective Early Childhood Teachers Link Literacy and Play
Effective Early Childhood Teachers Encourage Children to Experiment with Emergent Forms of Reading and Writing
Effective Early Childhood Teachers Provide Opportunities for Children to Use Language and Literacy for Real Purposes and Audiences
Effective Early Childhood Teachers Make Use of Everyday Activities to Demonstrate the Many Purposes of Reading and Writing
Effective Early Childhood Teachers Read to Children Daily and Encourage Them to Read Familiar Books on Their Own
Effective Early Childhood Teachers Know the Nation’s and their State’s Birth to Kindergarten Standards and Provide Instruction Linked to These Standards
Effective Early Childhood Teachers Use Multiple Forms of Assessment to Find Out What Children Know and Can Do
Effective Early Childhood Teachers Respect and Make Accommodations for Children’s Developmental, Cultural, and Linguistic Diversity
Effective Early Childhood Teachers Recognize the Importance of Reflecting on Their Instructional Decisions
Effective Early Childhood Teachers Build Partnerships with Families
Summary
n Linking Knowledge to Practice
chapter 2 Oral Language Development
n Before Reading This Chapter, Think About . . .
n Focus Questions
Perspectives on Children’s Language Acquisition
Behaviorist Perspective
Nativist Perspective
Social-Interactionist Perspective
Neuro-Biological Perspective
Linguistic Vocabulary Lesson
Phonology
Morphology
Syntax
Semantics
Pragmatics
Observing the Development of Children’s Language
Birth-One Month
Two to Three Months
Four to Six Months
Six to Nine Months
Nine to Twelve Months
Twelve to Eighteen Months
Eighteen to Twenty-four Months
Twenty-four to Thirty-six Months
Three to Five Years
What Is Normal Language Development?
Factors Contributing to Variations in Rate of Language Acquisition
Gender Differences
Socioeconomic Level
Cultural Influences
Medical Concerns
Congenital Language Disorders
DISFLUENCY
PRONUNCIATION
Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners: Learning Two Languages by Luisa Araújo
Family Focus — Developing Language over Time
Summary
n Linking Knowledge to Practice
chapter3 Family Literacy and Language Development
n Before Reading This Chapter, Think About . . .
n Focus Questions
Home Literacy Experiences
Adult Demonstrations of Literacy Behavior
Supportive Adults
Independent Engagements with Literacy
Storybook Reading
Case Studies
Tiffany
Alicia by Irene Serna and Sarah Hudelson
Home Talk: A Natural Context for Learning and Using Language
Encouraging Personal Narratives
Reading Storybooks
Family Focus: Parent Workshops
Summary
n Linking Knowledge to Practice
chapter4 Organizing Early Language and Literacy Instruction
n Before Reading This Chapter, Think About . . .
n Focus Questions
Why Classroom Environments Are Important
Designing a Print-rich Classroom Environment
The Classroom Library Center
BOOKS
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The Writing Center
GATHER THE NEEDED MATERIALS
ARRANGE THE MATERIALS
COMPUTERS AND WORD PROCESSING
WRITING IN OTHER CENTERS
Literacy-Enriched Play Centers
Environmental Print and Functional Print
ENVIRONMENTAL pRINT
fUNCTIONAL pRINT
Organizing the Classroom’s Daily Schedule: Using Time Wisely
What Happens During Whole-Group Time?
What Happens During Small-Group Activity Time?
What Happens During Center or Activity Time?
Transitions
Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners: Modifying the Classroom Environment by Myae Han
Strategies for Teaching Children with Special Needs: Adjusting the Daily Schedule
Summary
n Linking Knowledge to Practice
chapter5 Facilitating Early Language Learning
n Before Reading This Chapter, Think About . . .
n Focus Questions
Explicit Vocabulary Instruction
Encouraging Personal Narratives
Teacher Discourse
Reciprocal Discussions and Conversations
Contexts that Encourage Language Use
GROUP ACTIVITIES
LEARNING CENTERS
DRAMATIC PLAY
Language-Centered Activities for Children
SHARING
STORYTELLING
LANGUAGE PLAY
SONGS AND FINGER PLAYS
Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners: Helping Children Develop Conversational and Academic Language Skills by Luisa Araújo
Strategies for Teaching Children with Special Needs: Speech Delays by Karen Burstein and Tanis Bryan
Family Focus — Sharing the Fun and Language Learning
Summary
n Linking Knowledge to Practice
chapter6 Sharing Good Books with Young Children
n Before Reading This Chapter, Think About . . .
n Focus Questions
The Selection of Books to Share with Young Children
Sharing Literature with Children
Effective Story-Reading Strategies
ADULT BEHAVIORS WHILE READING
CHILD BEHAVIORS DURING READING
CULTURAL VARIATIONS IN STORY READING 85
CLASSROOM READ-ALOUDS
SHARED BIG-BOOK READING
Extending Literature
CREATIVE DRAMATICS
PUPPETS
FELT OR FLANNEL BOARDS AND CHARACTERS
STORY DRAMA
COOKING
ART PROJECTS
WRITING
AUTHOR STUDY
Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners: Storybook Time by Myae Han
Strategies for Teaching Children with Special Needs: Reading Storybooks with Children with Disabilities by Laura M. Justic
Family Focus: Sharing Instructional Materials and Offering Guidance
Summary
n Linking Knowledge to Practice
chapter7 Teaching Early Reading Skills
n Before Reading This Chapter, Think About . . .
n Focus Questions
Scientifically Based Reading Research
Phonological and Phonemic Awareness Instruction
Phonological Awareness
WORD AND SYLLABLE SEGMENTING
RHYME
ALLITERATION
ONSET AND RIME SUBSTITUTION
Phonemic Awareness
PHONEME ISOLATION
PHONEME BLENDING
PHONEME SEGMENTING
PHONEME MANIPULATION
Alphabet Instruction
Songs
Letter Charts
Alphabet Word Walls
Games
Phonics Instruction
Print Awareness Instruction
Teaching Concepts about Print
Key Words
Strategies for English Language Learners: Vocabulary and Phonological Awareness
Strategies for Children with Special Needs by Karen Burstein and Tanis Bryan
On Your Mark
Get Set
Go
Family Focus: Creating a Book Nook and Author’s Corner by Allison Mullady
Summary
n Linking Knowledge to Practice
chapter8 Teaching Early Writing
n Before Reading This Chapter, Think About . . .
n Focus Questions
Children’s Development as Writers
Early Forms of Children’s Writing
Shared Writing
The Shared Writing Chart
Interactive Writing
Individual Experience Stories
Classroom Newspaper
The Writing Workshop
Focus Lessons
Writing Time
Group Share Time
Journals and Interactive Forms of Writing
Journals
Dialogue Writing
Pen Pals
Publishing Children’s Writing
Handwriting
Family Focus: Connecting Home with Early Care and Kindergarten Programs
Summary
n Linking Knowledge to Practice
chapter9 Assessment Young Children’s Language and Early Literacy: Finding Out What They Know and Can Do
n Before Reading This Chapter, Think About . . .
n Focus Questions
Determining What Children Know and Can Do
What Is Important for Teachers to Know about Children’s Literacy Development?
Two Kinds of Assessment
Ongoing Assessment
Ongoing Assessment Tools
Addressing Storage Problems
On-Demand Assessment
Using Assessment Data to Plan Early Literacy Instruction
Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners: Assessing Young English Language Learners’ Language and Literacy by Sohyun Han
Family Focus: Sharing Assessment Results with Parents
Summary
n Linking Knowledge to Practice
References
Author Index
Subject Index
Here’s what’s new in this third edition:
· NEW! Information on organizing the classroom and creating time schedules that maximize children’s learning opportunities is now included in a new chapter (Ch. 4), rather than embedded with content as in previous editions. This gives teachers information on a print-rich classroom and time for learning–conditions necessary for the information in chapters 5-9.
· NEW! The importance of meeting the needs of children whose home language is not English is emphasized and several chapters include a section called “Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners” to help readers apply the information in the chapter to their teaching of English Language Learners.
· NEW! The importance of early childhood teachers connecting with their young learners’ families is a focus of the new edition, and moved to the front of the book (Ch. 3). In addition, a Family Focus section has been added to most chapters.
· NEW! A case study of a young English-speaking child’s early literacy acquisition is presented in Chapter 3 to allow readers to compare and contrast this child’s and a Spanish-speaking child’s early literacy acquisition.
· NEW! The book stresses the importance of national and state standards in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten education by including exemplars of language and early literacy content standards, ensuring that teachers are alert to new expectations regarding what children my know and be able to do after kindergarten.
· NEW! Information in each chapter has been extensively updated including the addition of 135 new references and the deletion of 125 references from the second edition, giving readers access to the newest research information in the field.
· NEW! Information on assessment of young children’s language and literacy development has been organized into one chapter (Ch.9), highlighting the importance of early childhood teachers knowing a range of assessment tools to plan instruction to address each child’s needs.
- NEW! MyEducationLab Prepare with the Power of Classroom Practice easy-to-assign homework and activities will engage your students and ensure that they come to class more prepared. It saves you the class time that is often spent reviewing the basics and lets you devote that time to higher level learning experiences. To provide your students access to MyEducationLab, please give your bookstore the ISBN 0132706423
· The unique focus of this book integrates emergent literacy, scientifically based instruction, diversity, and instruction-based assessment and translates principles into practice for teachers of early literacy.
· Renowned and highly respected authors Vukelich, Christie, and Enz describe a continuum of approaches to reading instruction, ranging from emergent literacy to scientifically based reading research, while also presenting their vision of a “blended” approach to teaching literacy that includes the best elements of these diverging views.
· A wealth of pedagogical features ensure that the concepts are clear:
· Focus questions at the beginning of each chapter alert readers to the big ideas in the chapter.
· The focus questions are revisited at the end of the chapter, giving readers brief summaries of the key points presented in the chapter, specific to each question.
· Definitions of key terms appear in a box at the beginning of each chapter to put the main points in front of readers as they get into the chapter’s content.
· Outstanding early childhood teachers share a description of what a strategy looks like in action in their classroom as a kind of “Trade Secret” that helps readers visualize what the strategies look like and sound like when in actual use.
· A Facilitators Guide includes concepts, objectives, activities, and assessment questions for each chapter.
Ø Each of the Facilitators Guide chapters begins with a summary of four or five main concepts, followed by instructional objectives associated with each concept. Activities are provided for each objective to further enhance the readers‘ conceptual understanding.
Ø Power point presentations are included for each chapter to help the instructor provide a comprehensive direct instruction lesson.
Ø Several field-based activity suggestions are included at the end of each chapter to help theory come alive in practice.
Ø All of the highly engaging activities and student handouts are explicitly referenced in the facilitator guide and have been used successfully in classroom and on-line classes.
Ø Assessment items are included for each chapter and answer keys are provided. Both objective and reflective questions are included for each chapter.