Katrin L. Blamey

Sharing high-quality storybooks and nonfiction books not only is enjoyable for young children and teachers—it is also a powerful way to build crucial literacy skills. This engaging guide provides effective strategies for selecting books and using read-alouds to develop children's oral language, vocabulary, concepts of print, alphabet knowledge, phonological awareness, and comprehension. Illustrated with rich examples from diverse classrooms, the book takes teachers step by step through planning and setting goals for read-alouds, as well as reflecting on each lesson to inform future instruction. Helpful planning templates can be reproduced for repeated use; the large-size format facilitates photocopying.

Written expressly for preschool teachers, this engaging book explains the "whats," "whys," and "how-tos" of implementing best practices for instruction in the preschool classroom. The authors show how to target key areas of language and literacy development across the entire school day, including whole-group and small-group activities, center time, transitions, and outdoor play. Detailed examples in every chapter illustrate what effective instruction and assessment look like in three distinct settings: a school-based prekindergarten, a Head Start center with many English language learners, and a private suburban preschool. Helpful book lists, charts, and planning tools are featured, including reproducible materials.