Early Childhood Experiences in Language Arts: Early Literacy

Cover......Page 1
Title Page......Page 7
Copyright......Page 8
Contents......Page 10
Preface......Page 15
CHAPTER 1 Beginnings of Communication......Page 21
Infant Actions Prompt Caregiver Behaviors......Page 23
Definitions......Page 24
Influences on Development......Page 25
Theories of Language Emergence......Page 29
Research on Infants’ Brain Growth......Page 32
Additional Communicative Abilities in Infancy......Page 35
Infant Signaling/Signing......Page 41
Understanding......Page 42
First Words......Page 43
Implications for Infant Center Staff Members......Page 44
Baby Games and Explorations......Page 49
Musical Play......Page 50
Reading to Infants......Page 51
Early Experience with Writing Tools......Page 52
Implications for Families......Page 53
Summary......Page 54
Additional Resources......Page 56
Review It and Use It......Page 58
CHAPTER 2 The Tasks of the Toddler......Page 61
Phonology......Page 63
Syntax......Page 65
Semantics......Page 67
Pragmatics......Page 69
First Words......Page 70
Symbolic Gesturing......Page 71
First Sentences......Page 73
Toddler-Adult Conversations......Page 74
Characteristics of Toddler Language......Page 75
Aids to Toddler Speech Development......Page 76
Symbolic Play......Page 79
Recognizing Differences in Language Growth......Page 80
Introducing Toddlers to Books......Page 81
Beginning Literacy......Page 84
Freedom to Explore......Page 85
Brain-Based Teaching and Learning......Page 86
Advice to the Families of Toddlers......Page 87
Additional Resources......Page 88
Review It and Use It......Page 90
CHAPTER 3 Preschool Years......Page 93
Young Preschoolers......Page 94
Categories in Children’s Thinking......Page 99
Advice for Families and Early Childhood Educators......Page 102
Books for Younger Preschoolers......Page 103
Older Preschoolers......Page 104
Exploring the Conventions of Conversation......Page 107
Word Meanings......Page 109
Additional Resources......Page 112
Review It and Use It......Page 113
CHAPTER 4 Growth Systems Affecting Early Language Ability......Page 115
Physical Growth......Page 116
Perception......Page 117
Cognitive Development......Page 123
Social and Emotional Growth......Page 128
Summary......Page 130
Additional Resources......Page 132
Review It and Use It......Page 133
CHAPTER 5 Understanding Differences......Page 137
Child-Focused and Child-Sensitive Approaches......Page 139
Standard English......Page 140
The Teacher’s Role......Page 143
Second-Language Learners......Page 146
Program Planning for Second-Language Learners......Page 149
Cultural Differences......Page 152
Promoting Acceptance......Page 153
Cultural Awareness Activities......Page 154
Program Types......Page 155
Children with Special Needs......Page 156
Speech-Language Disabilities and Problems......Page 157
Other Conditions Teachers May Consider Problems......Page 163
Seeking Help......Page 164
Advanced Language Achievement......Page 165
Additional Resources......Page 167
Review It and Use It......Page 169
CHAPTER 6 Achieving Language and Literacy Goals through Program Planning......Page 172
Visual Literacy......Page 173
Literacy Goals—Skill and Knowledge......Page 174
What Is Early Literacy?......Page 175
Language Arts Instruction—Historical Roots......Page 177
Philosophies of Literacy Instruction......Page 182
Federal Legislation Affects Language Arts Curricula......Page 183
Language Use in All Curriculum Areas......Page 187
Language Arts Programming......Page 188
Goal Statements......Page 195
Language Arts Curricula......Page 197
Commitment to Goals and Objectives......Page 206
Summary......Page 207
Additional Resources......Page 208
Review It and Use It......Page 209
CHAPTER 7 Promoting Language and Literacy......Page 213
Teaching Strategies and Behaviors......Page 214
The Teacher as a Model......Page 216
The Teacher as Provider......Page 220
The Teacher—An Educator Who Interacts......Page 224
Teacher Interactive Styles......Page 231
Summary......Page 237
Additional Resources......Page 238
Review It and Use It......Page 239
CHAPTER 8 Developing Listening Skills......Page 242
Types of Listening......Page 243
Toddler Listening Experiences......Page 244
Critical Listening Activities......Page 246
Teacher Skills......Page 247
Auditory Perception......Page 250
Settings for Listening......Page 251
Phonological Awareness......Page 255
Phonemic Awareness Skill......Page 257
Other Listening Activities......Page 260
Listening Riddles for Guessing......Page 261
Additional Resources......Page 262
Review It and Use It......Page 264
CHAPTER 9 Children and Books......Page 271
Brief History of Children’s Literature......Page 273
Where to Start......Page 276
Quality......Page 277
If Only they Would Choose Books and Book-Related Activities......Page 281
Reading Books to Young Children......Page 282
Book Selection......Page 284
Culturally Conscious and Culturally Diverse Books......Page 291
Bibliotherapy......Page 292
Reading Books to Young Children......Page 293
After-Reading Discussions......Page 302
Picture Books as the Basis for Theme Instruction......Page 303
Child-and Teacher-Authored Books......Page 304
Book Areas and Centers......Page 307
Resources for Finding Reading Materials......Page 308
Family Influences on Children’s Reading-Like Behaviors......Page 309
Summary......Page 310
Additional Resources......Page 311
Review It and Use It......Page 315
CHAPTER 10 Storytelling......Page 321
Storytelling and Literacy......Page 322
Storytelling Goals......Page 324
Using Picture Books for Storytelling......Page 325
Story Selection......Page 327
Types of Stories......Page 328
Practice and Preparation......Page 330
Successful Dictation......Page 336
Summary......Page 339
Additional Resources......Page 340
Review It and Use It......Page 341
CHAPTER 11 Poetry......Page 351
Learning Opportunities......Page 352
Selection......Page 353
Teacher Techniques......Page 355
Sources......Page 357
Suggested Poems......Page 358
Additional Resources......Page 363
Review It and Use It......Page 365
CHAPTER 12 Flannel (Felt) Boards and Activity Sets......Page 367
Flannel Board Construction......Page 368
Flannel Board Activity Sets......Page 371
Presentation......Page 372
Suggested Stories and Activities......Page 373
Additional Resources......Page 374
Review It and Use It......Page 375
CHAPTER 13 Realizing Speaking Goals......Page 387
Program Goals......Page 389
Daily Conversations......Page 390
The Authentic Teacher......Page 394
Suggested Interaction Guides......Page 395
Awareness of Intelligent Behavior......Page 398
Questioning Skills......Page 400
Speech in Play and Routines......Page 403
Dramatic Play Settings......Page 406
The Teacher’s Role in Dramatic Play......Page 408
Leading Activities......Page 411
Additional Resources......Page 412
Review It and Use It......Page 414
Games Promoting Speech......Page 417
CHAPTER 14 Group Times......Page 419
Groups......Page 420
Important Skills for Entering Kindergarten......Page 421
Planning Small Group Time......Page 422
Circle Starters......Page 423
Circle Activities......Page 424
Chants and Choruses......Page 429
Finger Play......Page 431
Body-Action Plays......Page 432
Additional Resources......Page 433
Review It and Use It......Page 435
Additional Circle Activities......Page 437
Additional Chants......Page 438
Additional Finger Plays......Page 439
Additional Body-Action Plays......Page 441
CHAPTER 15 Puppetry and Beginning Drama Experiences......Page 443
Teacher Puppetry......Page 445
Puppet Activities......Page 446
Puppet Construction......Page 449
Simple Drama......Page 451
Dramatizing Fairy Tales and Folktales......Page 453
Costumes, Props, and Stages......Page 455
Additional Resources......Page 456
Review It and Use It......Page 458
Papier-Mâché Puppet Heads......Page 460
Paper-Bag Puppets......Page 461
Stick Puppets......Page 462
Shadow Puppets......Page 463
Jumping Jack......Page 464
Stuffed Cloth Puppet......Page 465
Additional Puppet Ideas......Page 466
Drama Outline—Itsy Bitsy Spider......Page 467
CHAPTER 16 Print—Early Knowledge and Emerging Interest......Page 469
Starting from a Different Place......Page 475
Young Children’s Progress......Page 477
Invented Spelling (Developmental Spelling)......Page 480
Goals of Instruction......Page 481
Cognitive Development......Page 482
Play and Writing......Page 483
Writing and Exposure to Books......Page 484
Planning a Program for Print Awareness and Printing Skill......Page 486
Environment and Materials......Page 489
First School Alphabets......Page 492
Daily Interactions and Techniques......Page 493
Environmental Print in Daily Life......Page 495
Writing Table or Area......Page 496
Chart Ideas......Page 497
Generating Story Sentences......Page 500
Family Communication......Page 501
Additional Resources......Page 502
Review It and Use It......Page 504
Other Chart Ideas and Print Awareness Activities......Page 507
CHAPTER 17 Reading and Preschoolers......Page 518
Reading......Page 521
Teacher Awareness of Child Interest and Understanding......Page 524
A Closer Look at Early Readers......Page 528
Vocabulary and Early Readers......Page 530
Objectives......Page 531
Sequence of Reading Behavior......Page 532
Reading Methods......Page 533
Summary......Page 539
Additional Resources......Page 540
Review It and Use It......Page 541
CHAPTER 18 Developing a Literacy Environment......Page 545
The Language Arts Center......Page 546
Displays and Bulletin Boards......Page 550
Chalkboard or White Board Activities......Page 551
Audiovisual Equipment......Page 552
Planning Language Centers and Computer Centers......Page 554
Additional Resources......Page 559
Review It and Use It......Page 561
CHAPTER 19 The Family-Center Partnership......Page 562
Families and Child Literacy......Page 563
Family Guidelines for Literacy and Language Development......Page 568
Television Viewing and Young Children’s Language Development......Page 577
Home-School Communication......Page 578
Family Resources......Page 582
Family Members as Program Volunteers......Page 584
Additional Resources......Page 585
Review It and Use It......Page 587
Appendix......Page 589
Glossary......Page 601
References......Page 607
Index......Page 618