Literacy and Young Children

Diane M. Barone, PhD, is Professor of Literacy Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno. Lesley Mandel Morrow, PhD, is Professor in the Department of Learning and Teaching, Graduate School of Education, Rutgers University, and President-Elect of the International Reading Association. Her recent publications include Organizing and Managing the Language Arts Block.

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-

• Introduction Part I. Foundations for Early Literacy Learning and Instruction1. Staff Development for Early Literacy Teachers: A Plan to Facilitate ChangeLesley Mandel Morrow, Heather Casey, and Courtney Haworth2. Questions About Early Literacy Learning and Teaching That Need Asking--And Some That Don'tWilliam H. Teale3. A Multidimensional Approach to Beginning LiteracyIrene W. Gaskins4. The Learner, the Teacher, the Text, and the Context: Sociocultural Approaches to Early Literacy Instruction for English Language LearnersShelley Hong XuPart II. Home Literacy Experiences of Children5. What Hannah Taught Emma and Why It MattersLisa Lenhart and Kathleen Roskos6. Learning About the Literate Lives of Latino FamiliesJeanne 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' ConcernsJudith A. Schickedanz8. Concepts, Sounds, and the ABCs: A Diet for a Very Young ReaderMarcia Invernizzi9. Book Acting: Storytelling and Drama in the Early Childhood ClassroomLea 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 TechnologiesRachel A. Karchmer, Marla H. Mallette, and Donald J. Leu, Jr.11. No More Madfaces: Motivation and Fluency Development with Struggling ReadersSteven A. Stahl12. How Can I Help Them Pull It All Together? A Guide to Fluent Reading InstructionMelanie 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 PossibilitiesCarol Vukelich, Christine Evans, and Bonnie Albertson16. Caution Apply with Care: Recommendations for Early Literacy InstructionDiane M. Barone