Development Of Orthographic Knowledge And The Foundations Of Literacy

This volume unites spelling and word recognition -- two areas that have largely remained theoretically and empirically distinct. Despite considerable advances in the investigation of processes underlying word perception and the acknowledgement of the seminal importance of lexical access in the reading and writing processes, to date the development and functioning of orthographic knowledge across both encoding and decoding contexts has rarely been explored. The book begins to fill this void by offering a coherent and unified articulation of the perceptual, linguistic, and cognitive features that characterize an individual's advancing word/orthographic knowledge, providing evidence for a common knowledge base underlying spelling in writing and word recognition in reading. From a developmental perspective, the studies and syntheses presented in this volume blend insights from psychology and language study with those from clinical and classroom observations. These insights help explain how individuals, from preschool through adolescence, develop knowledge of the orthographic system underlying word structure in English and how they apply this knowledge in actual writing and reading contexts. Implications are drawn for the assessment and teaching of spelling, vocabulary, and word analysis from primary through middle grades.

In Volume III, as in Volumes I and II, the classic topics of reading are included--from vocabulary and comprehension to reading instruction in the classroom--and, in addition, each contributor was asked to include a brief history that chronicles the legacies within each of the volume's many topics. However, on the whole, Volume III is not about tradition. Rather, it explores the verges of reading research between the time Volume II was published in 1991 and the research conducted after this date. The editors identified two broad themes as representing the myriad of verges that have emerged since Volumes I and II were published: (1) broadening the definition of reading, and (2) broadening the reading research program. The particulars of these new themes and topics are addressed.

The role of orthography in reading and writing is not a new topic of inquiry. For example, in 1970 Venezky made a seminal contribution with The Structure of English Orthography in which he showed how both sequential redundancy (probable and permissible letter sequences) and rules of letter-sound correspondence contribute to orthographic structure. In 1980 Ehri introduced the concept of orthographic images, that is, the representation of written words in memory, and proposed that the image is created by an amalgamation of the word's orthographic and phonological properties. In 1981 Taylor described the evolution of orthographies in writing systems-from the earliest logographies for pictorial representation of ideas to syllabaries for phonetic representation of sounds to alphabets for phonemic representation of sounds. In 1985 Frith proposed a stage model for the role of orthographic knowledge in development of word recognition: Initially in the logographic stage a few words can be recognized on the basis of partial spelling information; in the alphabetic stage words are. recognized on the basis of grapheme-phoneme correspondence; in the orthographic stage spelling units are recognized automatically without phonological mediation. For an historical overview of research on visual processing of written language spanning the earliest records of writing to the early work in experimental psychology, see Venezky (1993).

Teaching reading is a complex task without a simple formula for developing quality instruction. The authors present a deep and thoughtful conversation about what is meant by effective reading instruction for all students. Rather than build on or alter existing models, this book considers how educators and policymakers might think about rebuilding and reconceptualizing reading education, perhaps from the ground up.

When severe reading and spelling problems are not detected at an early stage in the school context, students may not be able to overcome them even in adulthood. Such problems in the worst cases may lead to developmental dyslexia or developmental dysorthographia, which are severe learning disabilities. Early intervention, though, can prevent these problems. Consequently, involving students in an active writing programme and providing them with ample opportunities to use spelling words in frequent writing can be the answer to such an inquiry. Meaningful writing can further facilitate spelling acquisition since in this manner, they can gain control over their work and learn to focus on the writing process and not exclusively on the final product. The book addresses these issues in order to help educators and clinicians identify such problems early, while it also acts as a practical guide to instruction and assessment.

This new edition of the much-loved Handbook of Early Childhood Literacy has been revised and updated to retain its cutting-edge focus on emergent and important areas of research. This comprehensive work guides the reader through current social, cultural and historical analysis on a global scale. The new edition contains a greater range of methodologies, and chapters on: - space and literacy - disabilities and early childhood literacy - digital literacies - indigenous literacy - play and literacy - policy In the Handbook, readers will find coverage of all the key topics in early childhood literacy. The exceptional list of contributors offers in-depth expertise in their respective areas of knowledge. The Handbook is essential for Undergraduate students; Masters students; PhD students; CPD students; researchers, and literacy-centre personel. ′The second edition of this internationally respected and widely used text encompases a myriad of new issues and insights, both through new contributions and thoughtfully revised chapters which raise fresh questions and challenges for research and practice. In pushing the boundaries still further, the handbook retains its rightful place at the forefront of research into early childhood literacy practice in the 21st century′ -Professor Teresa Cremin, Open University UK ′This handbook provides in-depth knowledge of insights and theories about the dynamic process of how children come to know literacy as thinking humans in social and cultural spaces. There is a rich array of research perspectives of children′s meaning-making through family and digital liteacies, play and literacy, and in-school and out-of-school literacy experiences′ - Yetta Goodman, Regents Professor, University of Arizona

Providing an overview of contemporary research into early childhood literacy, this handbook deals with subjects related to nature, function and use of literacy and the development, learning and teaching of literacy in early childhood.

Showcasing assessment practices that can help teachers plan effective instruction, this book addresses the real-world complexities of teaching literacy in grades K-8. Leading contributors present trustworthy approaches that examine learning processes as well as learning products, that yield information on how the learning environment can be improved, and that are conducted in the context of authentic reading and writing activities. The volume provides workable, nuts-and-bolts ideas for incorporating assessment into instruction in all major literacy domains and with diverse learners, including students in high-poverty schools and those with special learning needs. It is illustrated throughout with helpful concrete examples.