High-quality preschool programs are essential to improving children's outcomes in reading achievement and leveling language and literacy disparities among students from diverse backgrounds. Grounded in state-of-the-art research evidence, this practice-oriented book demonstrates how preschool professionals can create, evaluate, and sustain exemplary programs. Chapters from leading authorities cover coaching, assessment, and differentiation, as well as explicit strategies for teaching English language learners and helping at-risk readers. Discussion questions and suggested activities for professional development are included, as are reproducible assessment forms and planning tools for use in the classroom.
A devastatingly large number of people in America cannot read as well as they need for success in life. With literacy problems plaguing as many as four in ten children in America, this book discusses how best to help children succeed in reading. This book identifies the most important questions and explores the authoritative answers on the topic of how children can grow into readers, including: What are the key elements all children need in order to become good readers? What can parents and caregivers provide all children so that they are prepared for reading instruction by the time that they get to school? What concepts about language and literacy should be included in beginning reading instruction? How can we prevent reading difficulties starting with infants and into the early grades? What to ask school boards, principals, elected officials, and other policy makers who make decisions regarding early reading instruction. You'll find out how to help youngsters build word recognition, avoid comprehension problems, and moreâ€"with checklists of specific accomplishments to be expected at different ages: for very young children, for kindergarten students, and for first, second, and third grade students. Included are 55 activities to do with children to help them become successful readers, a list of recommended children's books, and a guide to CD-ROMs and websites. Great strides have been made recently toward identifying the best ways to teach children to read. Starting Out Right provides a wealth of knowledge based on a summary of extensive research. It is a "must read" for specialists in primary education as well as parents, pediatricians, child care providers, tutors, literacy advocates, policy makers, and teachers.
Your all-in-one guide to selecting the very best early literacy materials! Learning to read and write is too important to be left to chance, so it′s absolutely critical that the early literacy curriculum and literature you use in PreK and kindergarten environments reflect the very best research and instructional practices. But, with the proliferation of new products, what′s the best way to start? What criteria should the curriculum meet? Which research-based best practices should be represented? Early Literacy Materials Selector (ELMS)—the first dedicated evaluation tool for early childhood literacy materials—provides all the answers. Step by step, this one-of-a-kind toolkit will help you: Recognize the characteristics of high-quality literacy materials Work in teams or individually to evaluate your resources Understand the importance of the research base Establish a baseline against which new literacy materials can be compared All in all, there′s no better resource to ensure we put our youngest students on the right path to school readiness and success. "Teachers, administrators, and curriculum directors will appreciate the clear guidance for conducting a systematic review of core program materials. A highly effective tool for examining the quality of early literacy materials, ELMS is the first of its kind, and will be a welcome resource." —Susan B. Neuman, Professor University of Michigan "A much needed resource for considering features of curriculum materials in a systematic way. I know of no other tool like it for early childhood materials." —Judith A. Schickedanz Boston University
Offering the wisdom that only experience and expertise in the field can bring, this book takes a critical look into the present and the future of literacy as envisioned by leading reading researchers. The lead author of each chapter, and in some cases more than one, of the authors, is a distinguished reading researcher elected by their peers into the Reading Hall of Fame. In this book these distinguished literacy leaders extend their role as researchers to speak directly to issues of practice and policy. All chapters address the theme of literacy and the teaching of literacy as being in a constant state of change. The authors are theoretical as they describe literacy, literacy acquisition, and the teaching of literacy; they are practical as they examine the issues that classroom teachers and reading specialists engage with on a daily basis; and they are political as they advocate for informed policy at the local, state and national levels. A key message in this book is that literacy professionals must take an active role to shape change.
Learn how to make the most of shared reading with this practical guide, filled with strategies for creating an enriching atmosphere and actively engaging children during storybook reading.
Comprehensive and authoritative, this forward-thinking book reviews the breadth of current knowledge about early education and identifies important priorities for practice and policy. Robert C. Pianta and his associates bring together foremost experts to examine what works in promoting all children's school readiness and social-emotional development in preschool and the primary grades. Exemplary programs, instructional practices, and professional development initiatives?and the systems needed to put them into place?are described. The volume presents cutting-edge findings on the family and social context of early education and explores ways to strengthen collaboration between professionals and parents.
This edited collection provides an in-depth exploration of different aspects of contemporary early childhood literacy research and the implications for educational practice. Each chapter details how the research was conducted and any issues that researchers encountered in collecting data with very young children, as well as what the research findings mean for educational practice. It includes photographs of effective literacy practice, detailed explanations of research methods so the studies can be replicated or expanded upon, and key features for promoting effective literacy practice in early childhood settings. This book is an essential read for everyone who is interested in exploring the complexities and challenges of researching literacy acquisition in the youngest children.
Written expressly for preschool teachers, this engaging book explains the "whats," "whys," and "how-tos" of implementing best practices for instruction in the preschool classroom. The authors show how to target key areas of language and literacy development across the entire school day, including whole-group and small-group activities, center time, transitions, and outdoor play. Detailed examples in every chapter illustrate what effective instruction and assessment look like in three distinct settings: a school-based pre-kindergarten, a Head Start center with many English language learners, and a private suburban preschool. Helpful book lists, charts, and planning tools are featured, including reproducible materials.
Now in its second edition, the Handbook of Research in School Consultation provides the field of school-based consultation with a comprehensive volume examining research perspectives and methodologies, models of practice, and future research directions. Revised and updated, this collection brings together leading experts in the field, offering both producers and consumers of school consultation an invaluable snapshot of the current boundaries and rapidly growing content of the discipline. It touches upon not only the scientific progress of the field, but also upon the variety of cutting-edge techniques and approaches currently being developed with an eye toward a changing world. Perfect for school psychologists, and also appropriate for researchers, trainers, and school-based professionals such as special educators and school counselors, this handbook is an absolute necessity for those keeping pace with the innovating, evolving world of school consultation.
The third edition of Early Childhood Curriculum provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to curriculum theories and approaches in early childhood and early primary settings. Drawing on a cultural-historical framework for education, the text explores a variety of approaches to learning and teaching and equips readers with the tools to effectively plan, design and implement curriculum strategies. Thoroughly revised and updated, this edition features up-to-date coverage of national curriculum documents, including the Early Years Learning Framework and Te Whāriki, and expanded content on play-based curriculum, assessment and documentation. Key domain areas of the curriculum are explored in depth and have been revised to include updated discussions of environmental factors, digital knowledge and multiliteracies. Each chapter is enriched with learning intentions, definitions of key terms, reflection points, links to current curriculum documents and illustrative case studies to help readers connect theory to practice.
