Developing Literacy


Book Description

Readers gain a firm understanding of why they are teaching, who they are teaching, and what they are teaching, including essential elements of reading and traits of writing. Readers also learn how to teach literacy. This unique book helps teachers see the "big picture" and consistently implement what they know in the classroom. Organized into three sections covering the foundations of literacy, the components of literacy, and literacy assessment and instruction, the book gives readers important information on reading and writing in every chapter. It shows the connections with the Common Core State Standards and includes practical "Try This for Teaching" and "Try This for Professional Development" boxes that present ready-to-use activities and ideas for applying the book's concepts. Samples of teacher and student work further illuminate the concepts.




Literacy Skill Development for Students with Special Learning Needs


Book Description

This valuable resource provides a methodology that focuses on visual learning, and is especially significant for those students having difficulty learning to read through a traditional auditory, sound based approach; includes explicit direction for the instructional steps to be taken and the kinds of visual materials that can be created and used to build skills; is packed with strength-based strategies and reinforcement activities for the development/acquisition of literacy skills; is designed for students with special learning needs, including ASD and Down Syndrome; and embraces the basic tenets of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).




EBOOK: Developing Literacy and Creative Writing through Storymaking: Story Strands for 7-12 year olds


Book Description

This exciting practical resource is full of immediately usable activities to help children develop their literacy skills and creative writing abilities. The 'story strand' technique begins with one simple picture and by adding others to form a sequence, shows children how to build narrative in an enjoyable, creative and systematic way. Story strand activities help children weave their thoughts into a coherent pattern and so become more skilful writers. The activities are sequenced to increase the creative and intellectual demands on pupils, and can also be used individually to highlight different aspects of the writing process such as: Exploring the varied meanings of certain words through association webs Moving from simple to more complex sentences Learning how to enrich writing using strong, vivid adjectives, verbs and adverbs Understanding how to use connectives more insightfully to give narrative a greater logical consistency Creating narrative refinements such as subplots, flashbacks and 'cliffhangers' out of basic plot sequences A 'thinking skills' agenda underpins each story strand game, and many promote speaking and listening skills by encouraging discussion and collaborative exploration of the images. Supported by a companion website that includes downloadable images from the book, colour images and worked examples for the 'story string idea', additional activities and games, as well as links to the National Curriculum.




Developing Information Literacy Skills


Book Description

Developing Information Literacy Skills provides guidance and practice in the skills needed to find and use valid and appropriate sources for a research project. Anyone who does academic research at any level can benefit from ways to improve their information literacy skills. This text has been structured around the six critical elements of the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education, contextualizing these elements by fitting them into the research and writing process. The book focuses on providing students with the critical-thinking and problem-solving skills needed to: (1) identify the conversation that exists around a topic, (2) clarify their own perspective on that topic, and (3) efficiently and effectively read and evaluate what others have said that can inform their perspective and research. The critical-thinking and problem-solving skills practiced here are good preparation for what students will encounter in their academic and professional lives. As an experienced writing instructor, the author has evaluated the final written products of hundreds of students who were trained through one-shot workshops and first-year introductory courses. She has applied that knowledge to create the tasks in this book so that students have the skills to successfully find, evaluate, and use sources and then produce a paper that incorporates valid research responsibly and effectively.




PISA 21st-Century Readers Developing Literacy Skills in a Digital World


Book Description

Literacy in the 21st century is about constructing and validating knowledge. Digital technologies have enabled the spread of all kinds of information, displacing traditional formats of usually more carefully curated information such as encyclopaedias and newspapers.




Principles of Effective Literacy Instruction, Grades K-5


Book Description

What are the principles that every elementary teacher must learn in order to plan and adapt successful literacy instruction? This concise course text and practitioner resource brings together leading experts to explain the guiding ideas that underlie effective instructional practice. Each chapter reviews one or more key principles and highlights ways to apply them flexibly in diverse classrooms and across grade levels and content areas. Chapters cover core instructional topics (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension); high-quality learning environments; major issues such as assessment, differentiation, explicit instruction, equity, and culturally relevant pedagogy; and the importance of teachers’ reflective practice and lifelong learning.




The Administration and Supervision of Literacy Programs


Book Description

This popular book addresses literacy leaders' eternal quest to prepare all students for the demands of the 21st century. This updated Sixth Edition will help prospective and current literacy professionals understand how to organize and supervise literacy programs within the context of current state and federal mandates. With a focus on providing instruction at all grade levels and for different types of learners, the book explores specific program elements related to materials selection, teacher evaluation, professional development, student assessment, writing, technology, school- and districtwide evaluation, and parent and community outreach. Expert authors provide new insights about what administrators and teachers should know, and be able to do, given the expanded definition of literacy, a renewed interest in the science of reading, and a deep concern for closing the achievement gap that has become more prevalent across the nation. This user-friendly text includes examples, observations, research, and specific guidelines for improving programs in relation to current requirements and future expectations. Book Features: The most comprehensive resource on the oversight of PreK-12 literacy programs. Guidance to help specialized literacy professionals meet today's mandates for teachers and students. Chapters written by experts with years of experience working with their topic in schools. Real-life examples and vignettes demonstrate how theories can be applied to practice. Reflective questions and project assignments help make ideas relevant to a reader's unique situation. Connections across chapters and directions for future considerations help summarize and synthesize the information across the entire book.




Emergent Literacy and Language Development


Book Description

This concise, accessible book explores the connection between language acquisition and emergent literacy skills, and how this sets the stage for later literacy development. Chapters address formative early experiences such as speaking and listening, being read to, and talking about print concepts and the alphabet. Written for early childhood professionals, reading specialists, and speech–language pathologists, the book describes effective assessment and instructional approaches for fostering language learning and emergent literacy in typically developing children and those at risk for language delays. Vivid case examples illustrate specific ways to collaborate with parents to give all children a strong foundation for school readiness and success.




Best Practices in Early Literacy Instruction


Book Description

Bringing together prominent scholars, this book shows how 21st-century research and theory can inform everyday instructional practices in early childhood classrooms (PreK-3). Coverage includes foundational topics such as alphabet learning, phonological awareness, oral language development, and learning to write, as well as cutting-edge topics such as digital literacy, informational texts, and response to intervention. Every chapter features guiding questions; an overview of ideas and findings on the topic at hand; specific suggestions for improving instruction, assessment, and/or the classroom environment; and an engrossing example of the practices in action.




Strategies for Developing Emergent Literacy


Book Description

This practical, reader-friendly textbook for pre-service early childhood educators describes all of the major approaches and strategies for teaching beginning literacy to young children. It provides classroom-tested games, strategies, and reproducibles for teaching all of the word identification and comprehension techniques, including graphophonic (phonic) analysis and higher levels of comprehension. Strategies and materials for teaching listening skills, oral language skills, writing skills, and spelling skills to young children are included. Norm-referenced and informal means of assessment including authentic assessment are described. Strategies and materials for teaching literacy skills to children with many types of special needs is a major strength of the text as is the comprehensive description of all the major literacy approaches including the whole language approach , the language experience approach, the basal reader approach, and systematic phonics.