Literacy's Beginnings : Supporting Young Readers and Writers

by McGee, Lea M.; Richgels, Donald J.

• ISBN13: 9780205386376
• ISBN10: 0205386377
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-01-01
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon

Summary

More Timely Than Ever...; McGee and Richgels have set the standard in this new edition by clearly and simply explaining the issues addressed in Reading First and Early Reading First legislation that affect the reading instruction of young children. Aligned with the findings of the National Reading Panel, this edition's emphasis focuses on child-centered instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, comprehension, and interpretation. Without a question, this text will be the most talked about resource for prospective teachers of children from birth to age eight. New To This Edition bull; bull;Thoroughly describes ways to organize an environment to stimulate the growth of language, both written and oral, making this text an invaluable resource for prospective teachers. bull;Emphasizes child-centered instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, comprehension, and interpretation, giving special attention to instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness embedded in a literature-based program. bull;Highlights the unique opportunities for literacy development aided by computers. bull;Continues to provide examples of scoring rubrics and children's work samples. Provides application activities for the working classroom in ";Beyond the Text"; sections at the end of each chapter. bull;Presents young children's reading and writing from birth to age eight through numerous vignettes. bull;Examines children's learning in social settings, including home, preschool, and school. Reviewers Can't Put This Book Down! ";This book is ideal because of its ability to merge our programmatic philosophy and the students' experiences with more traditional or currently conventional thinking in the world of education, teaching, learning, etc...;"; Barbara Burrington University of Vermont ";...;I think this is a great book. It has proved to be very beneficial to my students."; Gail T. Eichman Cleveland State University ";In my opinion, this book contains the most thorough explanation of children's literacy development that I have read"; Frances Mallow University of Houston Meet the Authors Lea M. McGee is a Professor of Literacy at the University of Alabama where she teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in beginning reading, foundations of literacy, and children's literature. She previously taught at Boston College and Louisiana State University. She has published widely in Reading Research Quarterly, The Reading Teacher, and Language Arts. She is co-author of another book with Donald J. Richgels titled Designing Early Literacy Programs for At Risk Children in Preschool and Kindergarten. Donald J. Richgels is a Professor in the Department of Literacy Education at Northern Illinois University, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in language arts, reading, and language development. He is the author of Going to Kindergarten: A Year with an Outstanding Teacher. His work has appeared in Language and Speech, Reading Research Quarterly, Journal of Reading Behavior, The Reading Teacher, Journal of Educational Research, and Early Childhood Research Quarterly. His current research interests are preschool and kindergarten classroom practice and the relationship between spoken language acquisition and literacy development.

Author Biography

Donald J. Richgels is a Professor in the Department of Literacy Education at Northern Illinois University. Lea M. McGee is a Professor of Literacy at Ohio State University.

Table of Contents

Preface	xix
PART ONE Learners
1 Understanding Children's Literacy Development	1	(32)
Key Concepts	1	(1)
Language Development	2	(6)
Schemas and Learning	2	(3)
The Relation between Language and Learning	5	(3)
Children's Concepts about Written Language	8	(4)
Ted's Delight: Two Children's Reading and Writing	8	(1)
Ted's and Carrie's Concepts about Written Language	9	(2)
Learning in Social and Cultural Contexts	11	(1)
Concepts about Written Language: Functions, Meanings, Forms, and Meaning-Form Links	11	(1)
Written and Spoken Language Functions	12	(1)
Written and Spoken Language Meanings	12	(3)
Semantics in Spoken Language	13	(1)
Meaning in Written Language	14	(1)
Written Language Forms	15	(4)
Syntax in Spoken Language	15	(1)
Forms in Written Language	16	(3)
Meaning-Form Links	19	(6)
Phonological System in Spoken Language	20	(2)
Meaning-Form Links in Written Language	22	(3)
Developmental Changes in Children's Reading and Writing	25	(4)
Awareness and Exploration	26	(1)
Experimental Reading and Writing	27	(1)
Early, Transitional, and Independent Reading and Writing	28	(1)
Chapter Summary	29	(1)
Applying the Information	30	(1)
Going Beyond the Text	30	(1)
References	31	(2)
2 From Birth to Three Years: The Foundations of Literacy Development	33	(26)
Key Concepts	33	(1)
The Beginnings of Literacy	34	(7)
Kristen's Early Literacy Experiences	34	(4)
Concepts about Literacy Acquired from Early Book and Drawing Experiences	38	(3)
Home Influences on Literacy Learning	41	(7)
Parent-Child Interactive Bookreading	41	(3)
Participation in Interactive Bookreading	44	(1)
Concept of Story	45	(2)
Environmental Print	47	(1)
Spoken Language Development and Its Relationship to Literacy Development	48	(1)
Spoken Language Development	48	(3)
Nonimmediate and Decontextualized Spoken Language: Spoken Equivalents to Written Language	49	(1)
Family and Cultural Influence on Language and Literacy Development	49	(2)
Implications for Child Care and Nursery School	51	(3)
Developmentally Appropriate Practice	51	(1)
Make Literacy Experiences Pleasurable	51	(1)
Arrange the Environment	52	(1)
Plan for Language Development	53	(1)
Help Parents Provide Strong Support for Literacy Development at Home	53	(1)
Chapter Summary	54	(1)
Applying the Information	55	(1)
Going Beyond the Text	56	(1)
References	56	(3)
3 From Three to Five Years: Novice Readers and Writers in the Phase of Awareness and Exploration	59	(28)
Key Concepts	59	(1)
Who Are Novice Readers and Writers?	60	(3)
Written Language Communicates Messages: Novice Readers' and Writers' New Insights	60	(2)
Examples of Novices	62	(1)
Meaning	63	(7)
Constructing the Meaning of Environmental Print	63	(1)
Constructing Meaning While Listening to Story and Informational Book Read-Alouds	64	(3)
Children's Developing Concept about Story and Informational Text	67	(1)
Constructing Meaning in Pretend Reading and Retelling	68	(1)
Writing Meaningful Messages	69	(1)
Written Language Forms	70	(6)
Concepts about Print	71	(1)
From Scribbles to Alphabet Letters	71	(1)
Alphabet Letters	72	(2)
Signatures	74	(1)
Texts	75	(1)
Meaning-Form Links	76	(3)
Contextual Dependency	76	(1)
Matching Print to Spoken Language: More Than Contextual Dependency	77	(1)
Phonological Awareness	78	(1)
Using Symbols: The Connections among Dramatic Play, Writing, and Computer Use	79	(1)
Written Language Functions	79	(2)
A Word of Caution	81	(1)
Chapter Summary	81	(1)
Applying the Information	82	(2)
Going Beyond the Text	84	(1)
References	84	(3)
4 From Five to Seven Years: Experimenting Readers and Writers	87	(32)
Key Concepts	87	(1)
Who Are Experimenters?	88	(3)
Experimenters' New Awareness	88	(1)
Examples of Experimenters	89	(2)
Experimenting with Meaning	91	(1)
Experimenting with Forms	91	(8)
Concept of Word	91	(2)
Concept of Word Boundaries	93	(2)
Texts	95	(4)
Experimenting with Meaning-Form Links	99	(13)
Sounding Literate	99	(4)
Being Precise	103	(1)
Using Sound-Letter Relationships	104	(1)
A System Based on Phonemic Awareness	105	(1)
Ways of Relating Sounds and Letters	106	(2)
Stages of Spelling Development	108	(3)
Sound-Letter Relationships in Reading	111	(1)
Experimenting with Functions of Written Language	112	(1)
A Word of Caution	113	(1)
Chapter Summary	113	(1)
Applying the Information	114	(1)
Going Beyond the Text	115	(2)
References	117	(2)
5 From Six to Eight Years: Early, Transitional and Self-Generative Readers and Writers	119	(24)
Key Concepts	119	(1)
Who Are Conventional Readers and Writers?	120	(5)
Three Phases of Conventional Literacy Development	120	(1)
Examples of Early, Transitional, and Self-Generative Readers and Writers	121	(4)
Meaning Construction	125	(2)
Meaning Making in Reading: Using Strategies	125	(1)
Meaning Making in Reading: Constructing Interpretations of Literature	126	(1)
Meaning Making in Writing	127	(1)
Written Language Forms	127	(7)
Concept of Word	128	(1)
Text Form: Story Compositions	128	(4)
Text Form: Expositions	132	(2)
Meaning-Form Links	134	(3)
Decoding	134	(1)
Spelling	135	(2)
Functions	137	(1)
The Traditional End Points: Reading and Word Identification, Vocabulary, and Comprehension	137	(1)
Chapter Summary	138	(1)
Applying the Information	139	(2)
Going Beyond the Text	141	(1)
References	141	(2)
PART TWO Classrooms
6 Literacy-Rich Classrooms	143	(29)
Key Concepts	143	(1)
Developmentally Appropriate Practice	144	(1)
Characteristics of Literacy-Rich Classrooms	145	(1)
Learners	145	(1)
The Classroom	146	(1)
Literacy Materials	146	(5)
The Case for Quality Literature	146	(1)
Classroom Literature Collection	147	(4)
Physical Arrangement of Classrooms	151	(5)
The Case for Library, Writing, and Computer Centers	152	(1)
Library Center	152	(2)
Writing Center	154	(1)
Computer Center	154	(2)
Literacy Routines	156	(3)
The Case for Classroom Routines	156	(1)
Reading Aloud and Telling Stories	157	(1)
Independent Reading and Writing	158	(1)
Sharing Response-to-Literature Activities	158	(1)
Culturally Sensitive and Integrated Curriculum	159	(4)
The Case for Culturally Sensitive and Integrated Curriculum	159	(1)
Culturally Sensitive Curriculum	160	(1)
Literature Theme Units	161	(1)
Integrated Content Units	161	(2)
Assessment, Instruction, and Grouping	163	(2)
The Case for a Variety of Instruction	163	(1)
The Case for Multiple Grouping Patterns	164	(1)
Instructional Framework	165	(1)
Chapter Summary	165	(1)
Applying the Information	166	(2)
Going Beyond the Text	168	(1)
References	168	(4)
7 Supporting Literacy Learning in Preschools	172	(33)
Key Concepts	172	(1)
The Preschool Context	173	(4)
What Preschoolers Learn about Literacy at Home and in Preschool	173	(1)
The Preschool Classroom	174	(3)
Reading and Writing in Exemplary Preschool Classrooms	177	(8)
Literacy in an Exemplary Language- and Print-Rich Environment	177	(4)
Interactive Read-Alouds in Exemplary Preschools	181	(3)
What Are the Characteristics of an Exemplary Preschool Literacy Program?	184	(1)
Supporting Vocabulary and Concept Development	185	(8)
Laying the Foundation for Comprehension and Composition	185	(1)
Interactive Read-Alouds: More Than Reading Aloud	186	(1)
Concept-about-Story Activities	187	(2)
Storytelling and Drama	189	(1)
Dramatic-Play-with-Print Centers	190	(2)
Taking Time to Talk	192	(1)
The Teacher's Role in Play, Drama, and Conversations: Letting Children Take the Lead	192	(1)
Supporting Concepts about Print and Alphabet Letter Learning	193	(4)
Shared Reading	193	(1)
Shared Writing	194	(1)
Demonstrating Concepts about Print at the Writing Center	195	(1)
The Sign-in Procedure and Other Name Activities	195	(1)
Activities to Promote Alphabet Letter Learning	196	(1)
Supporting Children's Development of Phonemic Awareness	197	(3)
Reading Nursery Rhymes and Other Text with Language Play	197	(2)
Making Rhymes	199	(1)
Reading and Constructing Alphabet Books	200	(1)
Another Look: The Teacher's Roles	200	(1)
Chapter Summary	201	(1)
Applying the Information	202	(1)
Going Beyond the Text	202	(1)
References	202	(3)
8 Supporting Literacy Learning in earning In Kindergarten	205	(40)
Key Concepts	205	(1)
The Kindergarten Context: What's New Here?	206	(4)
What Kindergartners Learn about Literacy	206	(1)
The Teacher's Role	207	(1)
The Kindergarten Setting: Space and Materials	208	(2)
Talking and Writing Together in Mrs. Poremba's Classroom	210	(4)
Counting Days of School	210	(1)
Talking about One Hundred	210	(1)
Shared Writing of a Reminding Note	211	(2)
Lessons from This Shared Writing Episode	213	(1)
Helping Children Attend to Sounds in Words	214	(8)
The "What Can You Show Us?" Activity	215	(4)
"Rounding Up the Rhymes"	219	(3)
Kindergarten Experiences with Reading	222	(8)
Using Classroom Print	222	(2)
Shared Reading	224	(2)
Shared Reading with Big Books	226	(4)
Kindergarten Experiences with Writing	230	(7)
Journal Writing	230	(1)
The Extended Sign-in Procedure	231	(2)
Shared Writing	233	(4)
Kindergarten Experiences with Play	237	(4)
Dramatic-Play-with-Print Centers	237	(3)
Dramatizing Informational Books	240	(1)
Another Look: The Teacher's Roles	241	(1)
Chapter Summary	242	(1)
Applying the Information	243	(1)
Going Beyond the Text	243	(1)
References	243	(2)
9 Supporting Literacy Learning in First Grade	245	(41)
Key Concepts	245	(1)
What's New Here?	246	(2)
Reading and Writing in Five First-Grade Classrooms	248	(24)
Guided Reading Instruction in Mrs. Tran's First Grade	248	(11)
Reading in Mrs. Walker's First Grade	259	(8)
Writing in Mr. Schultheis's First Grade	267	(2)
Informational Writing in Mrs. Duthie's First Grade	269	(2)
Poetry Writing in Mrs. Zickuhr's First Grade	271	(1)
Exemplary First-Grade Literacy Instruction	272	(10)
Exemplary Teaching Means Lots of Instruction	272	(1)
How Explicit Phonics Instruction Is Delivered	273	(1)
Balanced Instruction	274	(1)
Exemplary Writing Instruction	274	(6)
Summary: Effective First-Grade Literacy Instruction	280	(2)
Chapter Summary	282	(1)
Applying the Information	283	(1)
Going Beyond the Text	283	(1)
References	283	(3)
10 Supporting Literacy Learning Beyond First Grade	286	(31)
Key Concepts	286	(1)
What's New Here?	287	(2)
Increasing Expectations for Traditional Skills, Child-Centered Classrooms, and New Competencies	287	(1)
A Balanced Reading and Writing Program	288	(1)
Components of a Balanced Reading and Writing Program	288	(1)
Shared Reading and Reading Aloud	289	(4)
Explicit Teaching of Decoding and Vocabulary in Shared Reading	289	(1)
Explicit Teaching of Comprehension during Reading Aloud	290	(3)
Writing and Reading Workshop, Book Clubs, and Guided Reading	293	(12)
Writing Workshop	293	(3)
Reading Workshop	296	(2)
Book Clubs	298	(2)
Guided Reading	300	(5)
Reading and Writing Poetry	305	(1)
Enjoying Poetry: Developing Fluency	305	(1)
Poetic Elements	306	(1)
Poetry and Technology	306	(1)
Reading and Writing Informational Text	306	(5)
Comprehension of Informational Books	307	(1)
Inquiry Units	307	(1)
Writing Informational Texts	308	(1)
Content-Specific Vocabulary	309	(1)
Internet Workshop and Inquiry Learning	310	(1)
Learning Conventions	311	(2)
Word Study	311	(1)
Spelling Programs	312	(1)
Chapter Summary	313	(1)
Applying the Information	314	(1)
Going Beyond the Text	314	(1)
References	314	(3)
11 Diverse Learners	317	(33)
Key Concepts	317	(1)
Learners at Risk	318	(5)
Characteristics That Put Children at Risk	318	(4)
At-Risk Revisited	322	(1)
Special-Needs Learners	323	(3)
Supporting Special-Needs Children's Literacy	323	(2)
Avoiding Reductionist Teaching	325	(1)
Learners from Diverse Cultural Backgrounds	326	(6)
Cultural Influences on Learning	326	(1)
Culturally Responsive Instruction	327	(2)
Culturally Sensitive Instruction: A Summary	329	(1)
Culturally Sensitive Instruction in Multicultural Settings	329	(3)
Children from Diverse Language Backgrounds	332	(12)
Learners Who Speak Nonmainstream Dialects of English	333	(4)
Learners Who Speak English as a Second Language	337	(6)
Issues Related to Teaching Children from Diverse Backgrounds	343	(1)
Chapter Summary	344	(1)
Applying the Information	345	(1)
Going Beyond the Text	346	(1)
References	346	(4)
12 Assessment	350	(36)
Key Concepts	350	(1)
A Day in Kindergarten	351	(5)
A Day in Ms. Orlando's Classroom	351	(3)
Ms. Orlando Reflects and Plans	354	(2)
Effective Classroom Assessment	356	(6)
Components of a Portfolio	356	(3)
Using Scoring Rubrics as Assessment Tools	359	(1)
Using Portfolios	359	(3)
Screening and Monitoring Literacy Development	362	(18)
Essential Components of Reading and Writing	362	(2)
Concepts-about-Print Tasks	364	(1)
Alphabet Recognition Tasks	365	(1)
Phonemic Awareness Tasks	365	(1)
Assessing Alphabetic and Orthographic Principle Use in Decoding and Spelling	366	(2)
Assessing Comprehension and Vocabulary	368	(5)
Assessing Children's Ability to Read Texts of Increasing Difficulty	373	(4)
Analyzing Children's Ability to Write Texts of Increasing Complexity	377	(3)
Chapter Summary	380	(1)
Applying the Information	381	(1)
Going Beyond the Text	381	(3)
References	384	(2)
APPENDIX: Children's Literature	386	(5)
Author Index	391	(7)
Subject Index	398