Building a Foundation for Preschool Literacy : Effective Instruction for Children's Reading and Writing Development

Early literacy has been thrust into the education spotlight with a flurry of recent research and U.S. federal initiatives focused on early reading and writing.

Now, more than ever, preschool teachers feel mounting pressure to increase children's literacy development.

This first book in the Preschool Literacy Collection will help preschool educators and administrators respond to these new challenges by providing the latest information on topics important to them and their young learners.

Authors Carol Vukelich and James Christie present the foundations - the core content and best-practice strategies - needed to provide preschoolers with balanced, effective early literacy instruction.

To help you develop this kind of instruction, the chapters offer ideas on how to read with young children, create a carefully planned print-rich environment, join children's play, plan a daily schedule that meets children's needs, and help parents help their children learn.

A chapter linking standards with assessment and instruction will help you tie together everything you've learned. Plus, a glossary of key terms and appendixes containing suggested materials for thematic play settings and examples of state preschool standards will further enhance your reading.

Preschool educators can use this book to ensure that their teaching reflects the developmentally appropriate content and strategies young children need to learn to be successful readers and writers.

Preschool administrators can use this book to offer professional development opportunities that will help all teachers become more effective.