Lift Off For Early Literacy

"Created by teachers for teachers, this activity-based curriculum is based on Project ID, a 5-year pilot program in several Baltimore City public schools. Expertly organizing their lessons into one hands-on, step-by-step guide, the authors give pre-K teachers 10 complete units of small-group instruction." -- Page 4 of cover.

Updated curriculum with a friendly way to help enhance language and literacy skills in the early childhood classroom

Foster young children′s early literacy skills and build a strong foundation for reading! Emphasizing the importance of providing emerging readers with the skills for future literacy success, Early Reading First and Beyond is a comprehensive resource that helps early childhood educators develop children′s readiness for kindergarten by providing creative learning experiences based on the most current literacy research. In reader-friendly terms, Susan E. Israel illustrates how to create rich learning environments, provide activities to engage young minds, and promote the important language, cognitive, and early reading skills necessary to encourage learners′ self-confidence. Teachers will find proven practices, assessment tools, guidelines for meeting individual learning needs, examples, advice for professional development sessions, and connections to International Reading Association standards. This book presents essential information for understanding and implementing the core components of an Early Reading First program: Designing early childhood programs of excellence School-parent partnerships Oral language development Phonological awareness Print awareness Alphabetic knowledge Early metacognitive thinking Advocating strong connections between home and school, this accessible text offers teachers, early childhood education specialists, literacy coaches, administrators, and parents the appropriate tools to make a significant, positive difference in young children′s futures.

What are today's best practices in early literacy instruction--and what should schools and programs focus on in the future? More than 20 of the biggest names in early literacy research give you balanced, insightful answers, using the landmark NELP

Early Literacy Fundamentals offers powerful activities to develop the skills, concepts, and knowledge underpinning early literacy. It builds on the personal, social, emotional, creative, and physical development skills that are a traditional part of early childhood programs. Based on the latest research, the book recognizes that oral language is the bedrock upon which formal learning is based and that literacy: begins at birth and is part of an ongoing developmental process; develops concurrently with oral language development; is enhanced by adult models who expose children to print and how it works; is based on a systematic relationship between letters and sounds; is rooted in and connected to the child's culture and communication patterns. Each of the activities, organized around a seven-strand framework that reflects successful early childhood practices, is presented along with background research and practical advice on helping children initiate their own constructive play. The types of activities teachers will find include: learning activities appropriate to a young child's age and stage of development; quality pre-school activities that boost all children's language and literacy skills, and build a strong foundation for reading and literacy success in school; opportunities for children to use oral language in a variety of ways as they play and experiment with words; adult-initiated whole-group activities that can be extended into child-initiated play. Early Literacy Fundamentals provides a comprehensive overview of the language and literacy experiences children need, and helps teachers give them a strong base on which future reading and learning success can grow.

For introductory courses in Early Childhood literacy. To answer the question of what reading and writing activities are best for young children, a well-known early childhood author has joined forces with a literacy expert to explore the development of literacy in the preschool environment and its ongoing support through kindergarten. The results is a pragmatic, research-based text whose paradigm shift focuses future teachers on the use of "cultural characters" from picture books as the keys to an entire curriculum of literacy activities. Based on the latest theories of naturally emergent literacy, this text examines ways to create a literacy-friendly learning environment, using music and art as natural languages, and even strengthening finger muscles for writing through other hands-on activities.

Preschool teachers and early childhood professionals know that storybook reading is important, but they may not know how to maximize its benefits for later reading achievement. This indispensable guide presents research-based techniques for using reading aloud to intentionally and systematically build children's knowledge of print. Simple yet powerful strategies are provided for teaching preschoolers about book and print organization, print meaning, letters, and words, all while sharing engaging, commercially available books. Appendices include a detailed book list and 60 reproducibles that feature activities and prompts keyed to each text. The book will be a valuable resource for preschool teachers and early childhood professionals; reading coaches; principals; staff developers. It will also serve as a supplemental text in advanced undergraduate- or graduate-level courses such as Teaching Preschool.