Research shows that literacythe ability to listen, speak, read, and write - begins developing long before children enter elementary school. This book helps early childhood educators nurture that development. It begins with an argument for offering children literacy-rich activities and creating an environment for carrying out those activities. It then focuses on enjoyable and effective ways to build essential skills, such as oral language and phonemic awareness, and create dramatic play areas, book nooks, writing centers, and other literacy-rich spaces. Includes photographs, student work, and...

This highly readable handbook synthesizes the best research on K-8 literacy instruction and distills key implications for classroom practice. Noted contributors provide clear recommendations for creating effective, motivating classroom environments; teaching core components of literacy; integrating literacy with content-area instruction; and building a schoolwide literacy program that helps all students succeed. Helpful figures, tables, resource lists, reflection questions, and concrete examples from real classrooms make the book an ideal tool for teacher training and professional...