Creating Literacy Rich Preschools And Kindergartens

Reviewers Rave About This Book! "I would purchase this book for all of my intervention team and it would serve as a professional text for team meetings and discussions throughout the school year. It has the potential to support what is going on at the upper grade levels in the area of literacy instruction." -Felicia Hobbs, Gibbs Magnet School, Arkansas "The uniquely positive features of this text are its relevancy to preschool and kindergarten classrooms across the country and the ease and style in which it is written." -Patricia H. Kostell, Educational Consultant, South Carolina Filled with research-based ideas for creating a supportive climate for young children while engaging them in meaningful and useful instruction, this well illustrated and user-friendly book is just what teachers need to build strong foundations in early literacy. Take a Peek into the Book: Presents specific ideas to support English Language Learners. Features a full discussion on learning climates and environments Provides information on creating an atmosphere of trust and support and an organized environment so often missing from other literacy books that focus exclusively on language and literacy. (Chapter 2) Highlights actual teaching strategies and activities that can be implemented in terms of oral language and early reading and writing development. (Chapter 3) Focuses on how to involve families as partners in the literacy development of children. (Chapter 4) Includes useful and authentic assessment strategies paired with easy-to-use and camera-ready tools to evaluate growth and development. (Chapter 5)

"This acclaimed teacher resource and course text describes proven ways to accelerate the language and literacy development of young children, including those at risk for reading difficulties. The authors draw on extensive research and classroom experience to present a complete framework for differentiated instruction and early intervention. Strategies for creating literacy-rich classrooms, conducting effective assessments, and implementing targeted learning activities are illustrated with vivid examples and vignettes. Helpful reproducible assessment tools are provided. Purchasers also get access to a Web page where they can download and print the reproducible materials in a convenient 8 1/2" x 11" size. Subject Areas/Keywords: assessments, at-risk students, beginning readers, CCSS, classroom environments, classrooms, Common Core State Standards, differentiated instruction, early childhood reading, early literacy, ELA, emergent, English language arts, foundational skills, interventions, kindergarten, language, literacy development, preschool, prevention, programs, reading difficulties, response to intervention, RTI, struggling, teaching, writing Audience: Preschool and kindergarten teachers; reading specialists; school and child care administrators; instructors and students in early childhood education and early literacy"--

By developing an early love of reading and writing, children gain the key to a lifetime of enjoyment and achievement. The newest addition to the popular More Than ... Series by authors Sally Moomaw and Brenda Hieronymus, More Than Letters contains dozens of engaging ideas for creating a literacy-rich classroom. More Than Letters contains an extensive whole-language curriculum that creates classroom environments that surround children with meaningful print. The book explores how you can use big books, interactive charts, games, and manipulative materials to foster children's development in this domain. Each activity is accompanied by a photograph and a detailed explanation of how to set up the activity and construct materials. Also included are suggestions for comments and questions teachers can use to encourage phonetic awareness in their children. - Publisher.

For introductory courses in Early Childhood literacy. A well-known early childhood author joins with a literacy expert to offer a brand new approach to early literacy in preschool, leading into kindergarten reading. New research on how literacy emerges is put to use in chapters on setting up a literacy-friendly learning environment, music and art as natural languages, strengthening finger muscles for writing through 3-dimensional art, cooking, and woodworking, developing visual representational skills ( a la Reggio Emilia), developing the important sense of story sequence through role-plays, story reenactments, and flannel board stories. Teachers are asked to make a paradigm shift in regard to their opinion of children's books as mere sources of entertainment. This text uses picture books as keys to unlocking an entire curriculum of literacy activities, with cultural book characters like real children, leading preschool and kindergarten listeners into learning centers filled with exciting literacy activities for them to pursue on their own. (teacher-oriented) are discussed along with suggestions on how and when to use each. A discussion of the new early childhood curriculum standards suggests ways to incorporate them in early childhood classrooms.

This book describes effective, engaging ways to build young children's print concepts and alphabetic knowledge, which are crucial for both reading and writing development. Presenting shared reading, shared writing, and targeted instructional activities, each chapter features helpful classroom vignettes, a section debunking myths about preschool literacy, and Ideas for Discussion, Reflection, and Action. Strategies are provided for creating print-rich classroom and home environments and differentiating instruction for diverse students, including English language learners. The book also discusses how to assess preschoolers' reading and writing progress. Reproducible checklists and parent handouts can be downloaded and printed in a convenient 8 1/2" x 11" size.

Preschoolers are passionate about learning, and a high-quality preschool program offers rich learning experiences in the areas of language and literacy. This engaging book gives teachers and other professionals fresh ideas, inspiration, and practical tools for integrating age-appropriate literacy instruction into the preschool curriculum. Including helpful vignettes, sample lesson plans, and reproducibles, the book shows how to create a motivating classroom environment, balance child-initiated exploration with structured activities, and support students' developing skills in reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension. Essential topics include preschool assessment and working with English language learners.

As a resource book designed for teachers of preschool and kindergarten students, the text provides classroom strategies, case studies, classroom management techniques, and home-school connections to facilitate teaching the language arts. Strategies for the bilingual classrooms are also included.

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.