Helping Young Children Learn Language and Literacy

by Vukelich, Carol; Christie, James; Enz, Billie Jean

• ISBN13: 9780205342334
• ISBN10: 0205342337
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-01-01
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon

Summary

This text is about teaching the language arts and facilitating children's reading, writing, speaking, and listening development between the ages of 2 and 5. Based on social constructivist theory, Helping Young Children Learn Language and Literacy provides realistic and direct connections between theory and practice through the use of case studies, trade secrets, and special features. The underlying principle in this text is that children are at the center of all good language and literacy teaching. This principle underlies the three themes that run through this book: a constructivist perspective on learning, respect for diversity, and instruction-based assessment.

Author Biography

Carol Vukelich is the Director of the Delaware Center for Teacher Education and Professor in the School of Education at the University of Delaware James Christie is a Professor of Curriculum and Instruction at Arizona State University Billie Enz is the Associate Director of the Division of Curriculum and Instruction and Director of Professional Development and Induction Programs in the College of Education at Arizona State University

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Foundations of Language and Literacy	1	(14)
Before reading this chapter, think about...	1	(1)
Focus Questions	2	(12)
Language and Literacy: Definitions and Interrelationships	2	(1)
The Way Children Learn	3	(2)
Respect for Diversity	5	(2)
Assessing Children's Literacy Learning	7	(1)
Teaching Language and Literacy to Young Children	8	(1)
Knowledgeable Early Childhood Teachers Provide Children with a Print-Rich Classroom Environment	8	(1)
Knowledgeable Early Childhood Teachers Demonstrate and Model Literacy Events	8	(1)
Knowledgeable Early Childhood Teachers Provide Opportunities for Children to Work and Play Together in Literacy-Enriched Environments	9	(1)
Knowledgeable Early Childhood Teachers Link Literacy and Play	10	(1)
Knowledgeable Early Childhood Teachers Encourage Children to Experiment with Emergent Forms of Reading and Writing	10	(1)
Knowledgeable Early Childhood Teachers Provide Opportunities for Children to Use Language and Literacy for Real Purpose and Audiences	11	(1)
Knowledgeable Early Childhood Teachers Read to Children Daily and Encourage Them to Read Familiar Books on Their Own	11	(1)
Knowledgeable Early Childhood Teachers Use Authentic Forms of Assessment to Find Out What Children Know and Can Do	12	(1)
Knowledgeable Early Childhood Teachers Respect and Make Accommodations for Children's Developmental, Cultural, and Linguistic Diversity	13	(1)
Summary	13	(1)
Linking Knowledge to Practice	14	(1)
Oral Language Development	15	(25)
Before reading this chapter, think about...	15	(1)
Focus Questions	15	(24)
Perspectives on Children's Language Acquisition	16	(1)
Behaviorist Perspective	16	(1)
Linguistic Nativist Perspective	17	(1)
Social-Interactionist Perspective	17	(1)
A Neuro-Biological Perspective	18	(1)
Linguistic Vocabulary Lesson	18	(1)
Phonology	18	(2)
Morphology	20	(1)
Syntax	20	(1)
Semantics	21	(1)
Pragmatics	21	(1)
Observing the Development of Children's Language	22	(1)
A Biological View of Development	22	(5)
A Social-Interactionist View of Language Development	27	(3)
What Is Normal Language Development?	30	(1)
Factors Contributing to Variation in Rate of Language Acquisition	31	(1)
Gender Differences	31	(1)
Socioeconomic Level	32	(1)
Cultural Influences	32	(1)
Medical Concerns	33	(1)
Congenital Language Disorders	34	(1)
Disfluency	34	(1)
Pronunciation	34	(1)
Summary	34	(5)
Linking Knowledge to Practice	39	(1)
Facilitating Oral Language Learning	40	(26)
Before reading this chapter, think about...	40	(1)
Focus Questions	40	(25)
Home Talk: A Natural Context for Learning and Using Language	41	(1)
Encouraging Personal Narratives	42	(1)
Reading Storybooks	43	(1)
Television as a Language Tool	43	(1)
Time	44	(1)
Choosing Programming For Young Children	44	(1)
Active Viewing	44	(1)
School Talk: A Structured Context for Learning and Using Language	44	(1)
Language Opportunities in School	45	(1)
Teacher Discourse	46	(1)
Reciprocal Discussions and Conversations	47	(1)
Contexts for Encouraging Language	48	(1)
Group Activities	48	(1)
Learning Centers	49	(1)
Dramatic Play	49	(4)
Language-Centered Activities	53	(1)
Sharing	54	(1)
Storytelling	54	(1)
Language Play	55	(1)
Songs and Finger Plays	56	(4)
Assessment: Finding Out What Children Know and Can Do	60	(4)
Summary	64	(1)
Linking Knowledge to Practice	65	(1)
The Beginnings of Reading and Writing	66	(25)
Before reading this chapter, think about...	67	(1)
Focus Questions	67	(23)
Traditional Views of Literacy Development	68	(1)
New Perspectives on Early Literacy	69	(1)
Early Readers	69	(1)
Concepts about Print	70	(1)
Purpose and Functions of Print	70	(1)
Graphic Awareness	71	(1)
Phonemic Awareness	71	(1)
Letter-Sound Relationships (Phonics)	72	(1)
Conventions of Print	72	(1)
Early Forms of Reading and Writing	73	(1)
Emergent Writing	73	(3)
Emergent Reading	76	(2)
Home Literacy Experiences	78	(1)
Access To Print and Books	78	(1)
Adult Demonstrations of Literacy Behavior	78	(1)
Supportive Adults	78	(1)
Independent Engagements With Literacy	79	(1)
Storybook Reading	80	(1)
Case Studies	81	(1)
Tiffany	81	(4)
Alicia	85	(3)
Summary	88	(2)
Linking Knowledge to Practice	90	(1)
Sharing Good Books with Young Children	91	(29)
Before reading this chapter, think about...	92	(1)
Focus Questions	92	(26)
Making Books Accessible to Young Children	93	(1)
Classroom Library Centers	94	(1)
Books	94	(1)
Physical Characteristics	95	(2)
Classroom Lending Library	97	(4)
Sharing Literature with Children	101	(1)
Effective Story-Reading Techniques	101	(1)
Adult Behaviors While Reading	101	(1)
Child Behaviors During Reading	102	(1)
Cultural Variations In Story Reading	103	(1)
Classroom Read-Alouds	103	(3)
Shared Book Experience	106	(2)
Extending Literature	108	(1)
Creative Dramatics	108	(2)
Puppets	110	(1)
Cooking	110	(2)
Felt or Flannel Boards and Characters	112	(1)
Art Projects	112	(1)
Writing	113	(1)
Author Study	114	(1)
Assessment: Discovering What Children Know and Can Do	114	(1)
How Might Teachers Structure the Day to Include Performance Sampling?	114	(1)
What Book-Related Literacy Accomplishments Should Young Children Be Able to Demonstrate by the End of Kindergarten?	115	(3)
Summary	118	(1)
Linking Knowledge to Practice	118	(2)
Building a Foundation for Literacy Learning	120	(23)
Before reading this chapter, think about...	120	(1)
Focus Questions	121	(21)
Functional Literacy Activities	121	(1)
Environmental Print	122	(2)
Functional Print	124	(1)
Labels	124	(1)
Lists	124	(1)
Directions	125	(1)
Schedules	126	(1)
Calendars	126	(1)
Messages	126	(1)
Sign-In and Sign-Up Lists	127	(1)
Inventory Lists	127	(1)
Linking Literacy and Play	127	(3)
Literacy-Enriched Play Centers	130	(2)
Preparatory Experiences	132	(2)
Teacher Involvement in Play	134	(2)
Shared Enactments	136	(1)
Written Story To Dramatization	136	(1)
Dramatization To Written Story	137	(1)
Language Experience Approach or Shared Writing	137	(1)
Group Experience Stories	138	(2)
Individual Language Experience Stories	140	(1)
Classroom Newspaper	140	(1)
Summary	141	(1)
Linking Knowledge to Practice	142	(1)
Teaching Writing and Reading in a Balanced Literacy Program	143	(23)
Before reading this chapter, think about...	144	(1)
Focus Questions	144	(21)
Writing Instruction	144	(1)
The Context for Writing: The Writing Center	145	(1)
Gather The Needed Materials	145	(1)
Arrange The Materials	146	(1)
Computers and Word Processing	146	(1)
The Writing Workshop	146	(1)
Mini-Lessons	147	(1)
Writing Time	148	(1)
Group Share Time	148	(1)
Journals and Interactive Forms of Writing	149	(1)
Journals	150	(1)
Dialogue Writing	150	(1)
Pen Pals	150	(2)
Publishing Children's Writing	152	(2)
Handwriting	154	(1)
Reading/Decoding Instruction	154	(1)
Phonological and Phonemic Awareness	155	(2)
Alphabet Letter Recognition	157	(2)
Word Recognition	159	(1)
Key Words	159	(1)
Word Walls	160	(1)
Phonics	161	(3)
Summary	164	(1)
Linking Knowledge to Practice	165	(1)
Ongoing Assessment and Adapting Instruction to Meet the Needs of Diverse Students	166	(29)
Before reading this chapter, think about...	167	(1)
Focus Questions	167	(26)
Assessment: Determining What Children Know and Can Do	167	(1)
What Is Important for Teachers to Know about Children's Literacy Development?	168	(1)
The First Step-Gathering Information	168	(1)
On-Demand Assessment	168	(1)
Ongoing Assessment	169	(7)
Addressing Storage Problems	176	(1)
Creating a Portfolio	177	(1)
What is a Portfolio?	177	(1)
How Are Artifacts Selected for Inclusion?	178	(1)
Who Selects the Pieces for Inclusion?	179	(1)
Why Was Each Artifact Selected from the Working Portfolio for Inclusion in the Showcase Portfolio?	179	(1)
How Often Should Artifacts Be Selected from the Working Portfolio for Inclusion in the Showcase Portfolio?	179	(1)
Sharing the Portfolios with Others	180	(1)
Special Populations	181	(1)
Bilingual and Second-Language Learners	182	(5)
Children with Special Needs	187	(6)
Summary	193	(1)
Linking Knowledge to Practice	193	(2)
Organizing the Curriculum and Classroom Environment	195	(24)
Before reading this chapter, think about...	196	(1)
Focus Questions	196	(21)
Approaches to Curriculum Design	196	(1)
Subject-by-Subject	196	(1)
Correlated	197	(1)
Integrated	198	(1)
Erasing the Seams: Designing Integrated Curricula	199	(1)
Selecting a Topic	199	(1)
Exactly What Topics?	199	(1)
How Might The Children's Choices Be Identified?	199	(1)
Determining What the Children Already Know and What They Want to Learn about the Topic	199	(1)
Determining Ways to Answer Children's Questions: The Activities or Projects	200	(2)
Sharing Learning With Others	202	(1)
Integrating Literature Into The Study	202	(1)
Learning Logs	203	(1)
Assessment and Evaluation	203	(1)
Involving Parents	204	(1)
Implementing the Plan	204	(1)
Designing the Classroom's Physical Environment to Support the Integrated Curriculum	205	(1)
Carve the Large Classroom Space into Small Areas	205	(1)
Gather Appropriate Resources to Support the Children's Learning	206	(4)
Place Similar or Related Centers Near Each Other	210	(1)
Involve the Children in Designing the Classroom	211	(1)
Make Literacy Materials a Part of the Fabric of Each Center	212	(1)
Create an Aesthetically Pleasing, Inviting Environment	212	(1)
Organizing the Classroom's Daily Schedule: Creating a Rhythm to the Day	213	(1)
What Happens during Whole-Group Times?	213	(1)
What Happens during Small-Group Activity Time?	214	(1)
Integrated Units Alive in a Classroom	215	(1)
Summary	216	(1)
Linking Knowledge to Practice	217	(2)
Helping Families Facilitate Language and Literacy Development	219	(30)
Before reading this chapter, think about...	220	(1)
Focus Questions	220	(28)
What Roles Do Families Play?	220	(1)
Language Development	220	(1)
Reading and Writing Acquisition	221	(1)
Dilemmas Facing Modern Families	221	(1)
Helping Families and Primary Caregivers Becomes Effective First Teachers	222	(1)
Personal Interactions	222	(1)
Home Visits	222	(2)
Parent Workshops	224	(2)
Phone Calls	226	(1)
Parent-Teacher Conferences	227	(4)
Classroom Instructional Publications	231	(1)
Informal Weekly Notes	231	(1)
News Flashes	231	(1)
Monthly Newsletters	232	(5)
Teachers and Schools as Professional Resources	237	(1)
Sharing Instructional Materials and Offering Guidance	237	(1)
Classroom Lending Library	237	(2)
Writing Briefcase	239	(1)
Book Bags	239	(1)
Video Tape	240	(1)
Schools as Community Resources	241	(1)
Teachers as Community Contact	242	(1)
VIP Program	242	(1)
Business Adoption Programs	242	(1)
Community Tutors	243	(1)
Buddy Reading Program	243	(3)
Summary	246	(2)
Linking Knowledge to Practice	248	(1)
Appendix A Quality Literature for Young Children	249	(7)
Appendix B Literature for Hispanic Children: Preschool and Kindergarten Level	256	(2)
Appendix C Caldecott Medal Books	258	(2)
Appendix D Internet Resources for Children's Book Authors, Illustrators, and Storytellers	260	(2)
Appendix E Childrens Literature Cited	262	(3)
References	265	(21)
Name Index	286	(2)
Subject Index	288