This book introduces a variety of inclusive strategies for teaching language and literacy in kindergarten through 2nd grade. Readers are invited into classrooms where racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse children’s experiences, unique strengths, and expertise are supported and valued. Chapters focus on oral language, reading, and writing development and include diverse possibilities for culturally relevant and inclusive teaching. Featured teaching strategies foster academic success, cultural competence, and critical consciousness—leading students to read their worlds and question educational and societal inequities. Early childhood teachers will find this book invaluable as they consider effective ways to teach diverse children. The hands-on examples and strategies portrayed will help educators expand their thinking and repertoires regarding what is possible—and needed—in the language and literacy education curriculum. Unique in its focus on equitable, fully inclusive, and culturally relevant language and literacy teaching, this important book will help K–2 teachers (re)think and (re)conceptualize their own practices. “Offers us a great opportunity to explore pedagogical strategies that are diverse and inclusive.” —From the Foreword by Gloria Ladson-Billings, University of Wisconsin–Madison “Readers will discover a treasure of teacher and student collaborative experiences to engage diverse learners.” —Yetta and Ken Goodman, University of Arizona “The authors offer rich vignettes and pragmatic guidance for learning about, responding to, and respectfully building community among children. We readers are in their debt.” —Anne Haas Dyson, University of Illinois “A beautifully written book filled with powerful examples. . . . I heartily recommend it for all teachers lucky enough to work on a daily basis with our brilliant early elementary students.” —Ernest Morrell, Teachers College, Columbia University

The more teachers understand about how children learn to talk, the more they can help children become avid, joyful readers and writers. Drawing on a large body of research and her own volunteer work at a family shelter, Lindfors concisely identifies several important commonalities across oral and written language. Taking the compelling perspective that it’s all language, she traces children’s emergent literacy from infancy through the early school years. The book incorporates abundant examples from a diverse range of children engaged in authentic literacy experiences. Lindfors describes a set of principles that teachers can build on as they help young students learn to read and write using the oral language processes they already know. “A valuable resource for teacher educators.” —Gail Perry, New Books Editor, Young Children “Children’s Language offers a return to sanity in children’s early literacy development—an appeal for ‘joy in a literate community’ with logic and evidence to support it.” —Peter Johnston, the University at Albany–SUNY “Once again, with her unique insights, Judith Lindfors describes and updates children’s oral and written language development to inform those of us who work with young children.” —Yetta M. Goodman, Regents Professor Emerita, University of Arizona, College of Education “Children’s Language gives us a front row seat at a spectacular show. This book should appeal to anyone who has ever been intrigued by young children’s language learning.” —Carole Edelsky, Arizona State University

This book invites readers to consider ways in which their language and literacy teaching practices can better value and build upon the brilliance of every child. In doing so, it highlights the ways in which teachers and students build on diversities as strengths to create more inclusive and responsive classrooms. After inviting readers to consider and better understand the diverse language and literacy practices of diverse chidlren, it offers invitations for teachers to make these practices foundational in their own classrooms and to consider meaningful possibilities for learning authentically with young children in primary grades. It features chapters that focus on oral language, reading, and writing development, all while recognizing that these are not separate. In each of these chapters, readers are invited to consider diverse possibilities, perspectives, and points of view in practice within primary grades classrooms. Throughout, it offers ways to foster classroom learning communities where racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse chidlren are supported and valued.

Coming in June 2016! Today's early literacy programs are more demanding than ever. No longer is it sufficient to teach letters, letter sounds, sight words, and simple texts in kindergarten through second grade. Children are expected to read and comprehend texts in a variety of genres with increasing complexity. Then they must integrate the ideas and concepts from those texts into their own writing. Two Books are Better Than One: Reading and Writing (and Talking and Drawing) Across Texts in K-2 helps teachers meet those demands. Each chapter contains an anchor lesson focused on a different way of connecting texts, including: by theme, characters, perspective, structure, or genre. The lessons feature research-based and common core aligned strategies: interactive read-alouds; shared reading and writing; scaffolded small group reading; accountable talk; close reading; and opinion, narrative, and explanatory writing. Each anchor lesson features two high-quality children's books, and each chapter is rounded out with a list of other recommended book pairs to support you in creating your own lessons.

This practical book offers teachers a comprehensive approach to literacy instruction that puts students at the centre of the learning process. Based on the latest learning theories, the book provides: an overview of the nuts and bolts of reading instruction ; techniques for supporting writers ; poetry, storytelling, and drama activities that foster alternate ways of learning ; language experiences that guide students from traditional learning to our complex digital world. This book offers the background and strategies teachers need to encourage students to question, discover, and learn. Thoughtful and inspiring, the book helps educators reflect on their role as teacher and better meet the literacy needs of all their students.

Until now, there has been no systematic analysis or review of the research on gender and literacy. With all the media attention and research surveys surrounding gender bias and the inequities that continue to flourish in education, a synthesis of the research studies was needed to raise awareness of gender issues in learning and literacy, to provide successful interventions and recommendations to educators, and to point out the direction for future inquiries by examining the unanswered questions of the existing research. For the convenience of readers, the studies are organized by genre: gender and discussion, reading, writing, electronic text, and literacy autobiography. Published by International Reading Association

This new edition of the bestseller, Reading, Writing, and Talk, responds to the urgent need for creating language and literacy pathways that are inclusive, intentional, and center wholeness and belonging. The authors explain, show, and offer critical reflections on the development, teaching, and learning of reading, writing, and talk in early childhood and the early grades--across language practices, dis/abilities, and contexts. This second edition troubles whose reading, writing, and talk belongs in schools, offering insights into and examples of fostering belonging in the classroom. It elucidates the racialization of academic language and analyzes school-sponsored language and literacy curricula to demonstrate the power of expansive literacies and linguistic justice in practice. Readers will enter classrooms where teachers learn from and alongside children, families, and communities about identities, practices, values, funds of knowledge, and more. This update of the popular text offers a wealth of knowledge and examples to help educators truly and fully teach reading, writing, and talk for equity and justice. Book Features: Offers a warm invitation to shift mindsets and consider possibilities for furthering language and literacy development with young children. Brings to light powerful concepts like linguistic justice and communicative belonging through powerful classroom scenarios. Centers Black, Indigenous, and other children, teachers, families, and communities of color. Explains how oral language, reading, and writing develop and can be taught in the early grades across languages (bilingual, multilingual), abilities, and contexts. Focuses on constructing classrooms that foster belonging and on teaching for equity and justice.