This smart, practical guidebook shows preschool, kindergarten, and primary teachers how to refine their literacy evaluation practices through careful kidwatching. By observing and recording children's literacy development, teachers also develop new understandings of the ways children think and learn. Ultimately, through kidwatching, teachers plan curriculum and instruction that are tailored to individual strengths and needs. Gretchen Owocki and Yetta Goodman are the perfect pair to guide teachers through the kidwatching process. Yetta coined the term in her seminal article in 1978 and has spearheaded the use of miscue analysis as a window into the reading process. Gretchen, Yetta's former graduate student, is an outstanding educator and published author on the ways young children develop literacy. Together, they have written a book that will serve as a professional development tool as well as a kidwatching handbook. In each chapter, they provide a clear description of how kidwatching enhances teaching and learning specific guidelines and suggestions for kidwatching practical tools and resources to be used in documentation and analysis empowerment for children--a chance to evaluate and revalue themselves by partnering with teachers to document and reflect on their knowledge. Kidwatching provides a framework for engaging in systematic, yet very personalized, data collection in all areas of literacy. High-quality kidwatching gives teachers the information they need to teach effectively and to share detailed, factual information with families and administrators. Kidwatching can also be used to strengthen school reform, to develop a common set of principles and practices that are in tune with local needs and interests. Learn to watch kids and see how effective you can be on these fronts.

The importance of the early years in young children’s lives and the rigid inequality in literacy achievement are a stimulating backdrop to current research in young children’s language and literacy development. This book reports new data and empirical analyses that advance the theory of language and literacy, with researchers using different methodologies in conducting their study, with both a sound empirical underpinning and a captivating analytical rationalization of the results. The contributors to this volume used several methodological methods (e.g. quantitative, qualitative) to describe the complete concept of the study; the achievement of the study; and the study in an appropriate manner based on the study’s methodology. The contributions to this volume cover a wide range of topics, including dual language learners; Latino immigrant children; children who have hearing disabilities; parents’ and teachers’ beliefs about language development; early literacy skills of toddlers and preschool children; interventions; multimodalities in early literacies; writing; and family literacy. The studies were conducted in various early childhood settings such as child care, nursery school, Head Start, kindergarten, and primary grades, and the subjects in the studies represent the pluralism of the globe – a pluralism of language, backgrounds, ethnicity, abilities, and disabilities. This book was originally published as a special issue of Early Child Development and Care.

Widely recognized as a leading text in its field, this popular guide explores literacy development beginning in infancy and through fourth grade. The latest edition continues to prepare teachers to create and implement literacy-rich curricula in early childhood classrooms, while providing updates to federal legislation and highlighting the impact of state standards on educational settings. Recent technology is integrated into activities used to enhance literacy competencies. Throughout the book, the author’s approach to reflective teaching empowers teachers to become effective decision makers and thoughtful mediators in children’s transactions with literacy. A conceptual and theoretical foundation for describing reading and writing processes is followed by research-based descriptions of the signs of emergent literacy and developmentally appropriate instructional strategies. The emphasis on linguistic and cultural diversity includes an array of approaches for supporting English language learners. Chapter extension activities challenge readers to apply concepts through observation, research, curriculum development, and discussion. Sample observation and assessment forms assist in determining children’s progress in developing literacy.

"This book emphasizes an integrated language arts approach to teaching young children literacy, focusing on balanced, constructivist and direct instruction." Literacy Development in the Early Years presents a theoretical and research-based rationale for its contents, as well as practical applications based on that theory. It embraces integrated language arts and an interdisciplinary approach to literacy development as it addresses developing writing, reading, and oral language in the home and school curriculum. The use of children's literature is emphasized as the most important instructional materials and the joy of early literacy experiences is stressed to ensure lifelong reading habits. Literacy development is viewed as an active process between children and adults to create meaning and real purpose." For anyone interested in early childhood language arts.

(sponsored by the Family School Community Partnership Issues SIG) Promising Practices for Engaging Families in Literacy fulfills the need from parents and teachers to improve home/school assistance in every child’s literacy development. Literacy skills are required and valued in all academic areas and at all levels of education from preschool through adulthood. This volume provides suggestions and support to improve parent/child involvement in literacy activities from preschool through teacher education programs. Research is provided to undergird the documented practices that increase student academic achievement through improved literacy skills across academic areas. Practices include connections between home and school across age groups, developmental needs groups, universities, community groups, and technologies.

This introduction to child literacy development looks at the subject from an international perspective and is appropriate for students and professionals across a wide-range of disciplines.

One of two parents' guides based on the revised National Curriculum, this book is intended as an introduction to Key Stages 1 and 2. The need for parents to be involved in their children's education has taken root in recent years. To be able to make choices, however, parents need to be informed. This book is intended to enable them to get to grips with the elements of the National Curriculum and topical issues.