Description: Before children are readers and writers, they are speakers and listeners. This book provides creative, hands-on strategies for developing preschoolers' speaking, listening, and oral comprehension skills, within a literacy-rich classroom environment. Each chapter features helpful classroom vignettes; a section called Preschool in Practice, with step-by-step lesson ideas; and Ideas for Discussion, Reflection, and Action. The book addresses the needs of English language learners and describes ways to support students' literacy development at home. The final chapter pulls it all together through a portrait of an exemplary day of preschool teaching and learning. Reproducible forms and checklists can be downloaded and printed in a convenient 8 1/2" x 11" size."
Review Quotes: "Morrow, Roskos, and Gambrell describe research-based best practices for enhancing young children's language development and their ability to deeply understand rich topics. The discussion and reflection questions in each chapter enhance the book's value as a professional development resource; it is also an accessible guide for early childhood majors and graduate students. I really liked the numerous classroom examples, step-by-step guidelines, and checklists. Especially noteworthy is the discussion of using emerging technology in the preschool classroom."--Lea M. McGee, EdD, School of Teaching and Learning (Emerita), The Ohio State University
"This book highlights the critical role that oral language and comprehension practices play in young children's future learning and achievement. It presents intentional, purposeful instructional strategies and provides early educators with practical supports, including checklists, photographs, templates, classroom vignettes, and extensive resource lists."--Angela Yeaman, MEd, Early Learning Consultant, Living Sky School Division, Saskatchewan, Canada "This book is going right into our list of required texts at our university. It demonstrates clearly that oral language is the foundation of nearly everything important in early childhood: reading, writing, thinking, creating, and forming meaningful relationships with others. The authors paint a colorful portrait of the kind of language-rich classroom that all preschool children deserve, including those learning a second language. This is the book that anyone studying to become a teacher of young children should start with--it shows how language should be the organizing element around which effective preschool classrooms are designed."--Jeffrey Trawick-Smith, EdD, Phyllis Waite Endowed Chair and CSU Professor of Early Childhood Education, Eastern Connecticut State University "The authors explain the foundations of oral language and comprehension in preschoolers and present a multitude of instructional strategies that support these foundations, using vivid, engaging classroom- and home-based examples. Teachers and early childhood administrators will find this meaty book highly accessible, thanks to clear writing, a high level of detail, and the authors' exceptional skill in fully integrating the 'what, ' 'why, ' and 'how.'"--Judith A. Schickedanz, PhD, School of Education (Emerita), Boston University