Birth-Preschool Early Learning:

The first five titles are part of the five title Preschool Literacy Collection edited by Leslie Mandel Morrow. The five titles work in concert to present how reading, writing listening and speaking interact with one another in the preschool years. Two of the titles have been purchased for all programs. 

Building a Foundation for Preschool Literacy: Effective Instruction for Children’s Reading and Writing Development.  Carol Vukelich and James Christie: (2004) International Reading Association.  

This book gives a good overview of what a balanced preschool literacy program should include.  It presents the core literacy content and best-practice strategies.

Learning about Print in Preschool:  Working with Letters, Words, and Beginning Links with Phonemic Awareness.   Dorothy S. Strickland and Judith A Schickedanz: (2004) International Reading Association.

   This book provides an explanation of what preschoolers need to know about concepts of print, phonemic awareness, and alphabet knowledge which are key predictors of literacy success in school.  There is an overview of language and literacy development.  Within chapters on each of these topics are clear descriptions and practical examples of strategies to support the   development of concepts of print, phonemic awareness and alphabet knowledge.  This book is clearly written and a good source for Family Educators. (Purchased for all programs)

Oral Language and Early Literacy in Preschool:  Talking, Reading and Writing.  Kathleen A.  Roskos, Patton O. Tabors and Lisa A. Lambert:  (2004) International Reading Association.

     This book provides support for a birth-preschool literacy curriculum. It links the development of oral and written language.  It starts with a research base and moves into practical suggestions to support curriculum development.   (Purchased for all programs)

Using Children’s Literature in Preschool: Comprehending and Enjoying Books: Lesley Mandel Morrow and Linda B. Gambrell: (2004)  International Reading Association..

      This book bridges school and home with ideas that can be stressed with parents. It discusses how to read books, and how reading books with children fosters concepts about books, concept development and comprehension.

Writing in Preschool: Learning to Orchestrate Meaning and Marks.  Judith A. Schickendanz and Renee M. Casberque: (2004) International Reading Association..

      This book demonstrates how to support the development of writing in preschoolers and how to help preschoolers learn how print works. 

Children’s Play: The Roots of Reading., editors, Edward Zigler, Dorothy Singer and Sandra Bishop-Josef: ( 2004) ZERO TO THREE press.

     Play is the natural way for children to explore, learn, and build skills. In Children's Play,  selections  demonstrate the importance of play in helping children learn basic literacy skills, social awareness, and creative problem solving. Readers will also find a comprehensive summary of the developmental benefits of play, and ideas for how to play imaginative games with children.

Developing Language and Literacy with Young Children 2nd ed., Marian R. Whitehead: (2002) Paul Chapman Publishing, SAGE Publications Com.

     This book discusses the development of language and literacy as an emergent process.  The first section of this book deals with the development of language in young children.  The book then shares information regarding children who are bilingual and the development of two languages.  After these major sections are discussed, the author shares the importance of play with language, the use of many genres, activities that encourages literacy and the emergence of literacy.

Developing Partnerships with Families Through Children’s Literature. Elizabeth Llly and Connie Green (2004):  Pearson.

     This book blends information on contemporary families, research on early literacy, and practical strategies for sharing children's literature in classrooms, homes, and pre-school settings. Content is based on the belief that adult-child interactions around story-reading play a significant role in fostering and developing children's language and literacy skills. The authors present a selection of children's books from all genres and an array of field-tested ideas for developing early literacy. They provide models of successful teacher-family partnerships and literacy strategies that work.

Literacies in Early Childhood: Changing Views, Challenging Practices.  Laurie Makin and Chriss Jones Diaz: (2002):  MacLennan & Petty.

     This book will be of interest to staff in programs who are working with diverse populations.  A section is devoted to working with children from multicultural and multilingual backgrounds.  The book stresses al facets of literacy and the integration of literacy with the fine arts and technology.  It also focuses on the partnership among educators, family and community.  All of the authors are from Australia and New Zealand where literacy practices are on the cutting edge. This would be a thought provoking book.

Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experience of Young American Children, Betty Hart & Todd R. Risley: (1995) Paul H. Brookes.

     This book is a review of the research study that Betty Hart and Todd R. Risley conducted on 42 families.  The book makes some interesting observations, and provides some specific suggestions for improving language development in children (such as encouraging parents to ask and explain questions to their children who then in turn will ask more questions).   This book would serve as a reference rather than giving ideas to program staffs. 

Read-Aloud with Young Children, by Robin Campbell: (2001) International Reading Association.

     Discusses and explores read-alouds in both the home and school settings.  This book shares the importance of read-alouds for children. It also describes methods to extend literacy through the use of read-alouds such as vocabulary development, knowledge of story structure, print awareness, letter recognition and building comprehension.  This is an excellent resource of Even Start programs.

The Read-Aloud Handbook, 4th Edition..  Jim Trelease:  (2001) Penguin.

     Reading aloud  is one of the cheapest, simplest, and oldest tools of teaching. Parents do not need a degree in order to read to their children. Trelease gives the do’s and don’ts of reading aloud which could easily be translated into Parent education lessons. Family Educators can model the do’s with children.  The book has excellent bibliographies.

Phonological Awareness

 Phonological Awareness and Primary Phonics, Thomas G. Gunning: (2000) Allyn & Bacon Publishing Co., Inc.

     This book was designed to be a resource manual for teachers that provide a step-by-step approach for assessing and instructing children in developing phonological and phonic skills.  There are many reproducibles that include illustrations, sample lessons, verses and songs.  There are mini-books and assessment forms.  This is an excellent resource for Even Start programs.

A Classroom Curriculum: Phonemic Awareness in Young Children, Marilyn Jager Adams, Barbara Foorman, Ingvar Lundberg and Terri Beeler: (1998) Brookes Publishing Co., Inc.

     This book is an excellent resource for teachers.  It provides activities, games and songs that can be used in many different settings.  Included in this manual are: teaching objectives, lesson plans, activities, and assessments.  This is an excellent resource for Even Start programs.

Phonological Awareness: From Research to Practice, Gail Gillon: (2004) Guilford Press.

     This book begins by presenting the research on phonological awareness and its relationship to language.  The typical developmental process of phonological awareness is described.  Children with language impairments or other deficits are discussed.  This book presents both research based assessment and intervention frameworks that can be used for preschoolers to adolescents. There are several case studies cited in this book.  This book is more useful if the reader has a background in literacy instruction.  

Teaching Phonics, Phonemic Awareness, and Word Recognition, Ashley and Suzanne Bishop: (1996) Teacher Created Materials, Inc.

     This is a short, easy to read book. Topics discussed include an overview of the reading and writing process, phonemic awareness, phonics, the alphabet, structural analysis, sight words and context clues.  Within each chapter, there are teaching suggestions, activities and reproducible materials. 

Phonics They Use: Words for Reading and Writing, 4th ed, Patricia Cunningham: (2003) HarperCollins College Publishers.

     There are four chapters in this book loaded with rich information.  There are many activities and suggestions to teach phonics.  The strategies and activities are easily used with a small group or an individual child.  They can be used with a beginning reader or which a child who is having difficulty reading.  It is an excellent, practical, easy to read reference.

Easy Lessons For Teaching Word Families: Hands-On Lessons That Build Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Spelling, Reading, and Writing Skills, Judy Lynch: (1998) Scholastic.

     This is a resource manual to help teachers.  It is full of reproducible materials and suggested lessons to develop phonics and spelling skills.This is an excellent resource for educators working with early elementary children.

Reading Instruction:

The Beginning Reading Handbook: Strategies for Success. Gail Heald- Taylor. (2001) Heinemann.

     This book is a basic reference. It provides an overview of the reading process. Sections on emergent literacy, and  reading aloud would be particularly appropriate for Family Educators.  The book has a helpful glossary, an excellent bibliography of children’s literature, informal assessments.  A unique feature is a link to a web site which provides reproducibles described in the book.

On Solid Ground: Strategies for Teaching Reading K-3, Sharon Taberski: (2000) Heinemann.

     This book takes you through the components involved in the reading process.  The author explains and demonstrates each aspect of reading beginning with the assessment process and ending with engaging students with activities that promote life long learning.  She provides many useful strategies and thoughtful insights regarding the teaching of reading.  This is a resource that is practical and useful.  (Lends itself more toward classroom instruction- however information and activities are valuable for Even Start Programs)

Guiding the Reading Process: Techniques & Strategies for Successful Instruction in K-8 Classrooms, David Booth: (1998) Stenhouse Publishers.

    Booth provides an easy to read book about how to teach reading.  He begins his book with beliefs for teaching reading and the understanding of the reading process.  Booth discusses each of the components necessary to become an efficient reader.  He identifies stages of reading, provides a framework for reading instruction and provides techniques and strategies. 

The Teacher’s Guide to the Four Blocks: A Multimethod, Multilevel Framework For Grades 1-3, Patricia Cunningham, Dorothy Hall, and Cheryl Sigmon: (1999) Carson-Dellosa Publishing Com., Inc.

     This book focuses on four components necessary for a balanced literacy program.  The four components are guided reading, self-selected reading, writing and working with words.  This book is geared toward elementary teachers.  Some suggestions may be useful for Family Educators to use when working with children.

The Teacher’s Guide to Building Blocks: A Developmentally Appropriate, Multilevel Framework for Kindergarten, Dorothy Hall and Elaine Williams: (2000) Carson-Dellosa Publishing Com., Inc.

     This book was designed as a literacy model to be used in kindergarten classrooms.  The manual provides many suggested activities, schedules and management.

Guided Reading: Good First Teaching For All Children, Irene Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell:(1996) Heinemann.

     Fountas and Pinnell provide educators with the tools necessary to implement a balanced literacy program.  They share information regarding how to assess and observe readers, how to group readers, how to select and introduce books, which strategies are effective.  Included in this book is an appendix that cites 2,500 leveled books. 

Nonfiction and Other Informational Texts Come Alive.  Kathy Pike and Jean Mumper. (2004)  Pearson.

     This is an important book for working with second an third graders and parents who are studying at the ABE and GED levels. It has a wealth of information on the structure of nonfiction/informational tests and lots of practical activities with steps that are clear and easy to follow.

Informational Text in K-3 classrooms: Helping Children Read and Write. Sharon Kletzien and Mariam Dreher: (2004) International Reading Association.

     The ability to read informational text is now part of the primary grade curriculum.  This book has excellent instructional suggestions and bibliographies.

Tell Me a Story: Developmentally Appropriate Retelling Strategies. Jill Hansen: (2004) International Reading Association.

     Retelling is a skill which is assessed on the PLS-4.  It is a skill which helps students develop a sense of story structure. It provides support for students own writing of stories. There are simple ideas that family educators can use with children preK-3. (Purchased for all programs).

Comprehension:

Improving Comprehension Instruction: Rethinking Research, Theory, and Classroom Practice, Editors: Cathy Collins Block, Linda Gambrell, & Michael Pressley: (2002) Jossey-Bass.

     The editors have successfully provided an overview of current research that supports proven activities that improve comprehension.  Each chapter focuses on a specific comprehension strategy.  This book provides sample lessons, steps necessary to ensure that these strategies are effectively used by the educator.  (Recommended for Even Start Programs)

7 Keys to Comprehension: How to Help Your Kids Read it and Get it!, Susan Zimmermann and Chryse Hutchins: (2003)

     Based on current research, this book provides practical advice and activities for both parents and teachers to help children learn to love reading. The seven keys that are discussed are: creating mental images, using background knowledge, asking questions, making inferences, identifying main ideas, synthesizing information and using fixed-up strategies. This book is parent friendly and easy to read. (Recommended for Even Start programs)

Teaching for Comprehension in Reading Grades K-2: Strategies For Helping Children Read With Ease, Confidence, and Understanding, Gay Su Pinnell and Patricia L. Scharer: (2003) Scholastic.

     This book describes in clarity what teachers need to know to teach reading.  The authors have divided this book into three parts: foundation for successful teaching, engaging students with text, and management.  While this book is based on research, it is very easy to read and understand.  There is great information regarding brain research and strategies to teach comprehension.  This is a book is recommended for use by Even Start programs.

Improving Comprehension with Think-Aloud Strategies: Modeling What Good Readers Do, Jeffrey Wilhelm, Ph.D: (2001) Scholastic.

      Think Aloud is a strategy used to improve comprehension skills and to teach a method for modeling thought processes associated with reading.  Jeffrey Wilhelm Ph.D provides lessons, activities and samples of student work to show how to use “Think Aloud”. 

Strategies that Work: Teaching Comprehension to Enhance Understanding, Stephanie Harvey & Anne Goudvis: (2000) Stenhouse Publishers.

     Strategies that Work identifies important strategies that support comprehension.  Each chapter discusses a strategy in depth and provides several practical suggestions.  There are over forty K-8 strategy lessons available in this book.  There are several lists provided in the appendixes that include: book lists, professional journals, response options for strategies and a bibliography.  (May be helpful for some Even Start Programs to help provide supplemental instruction for school-age children.)

Mosaic Of Thought: Teaching Comprehension in a Reader’s Workshop, Ellin Oliver Keene & Susan Zimmermann: (1997) Heinemann.

     Keene and Zimmermann challenge the reader throughout this book to look at reading through different eyes.  It is written in a straightforward and jargon free manner and is a very easy read, yet thought provoking.  They look at instruction strategies that are used by proficient readers and then ensure that all students use these strategies.  Strategies are discussed in great clarity and demonstrate how these strategies help readers become more flexible, independent and engaged readers.  (Excellent resource for Even Start programs)

Reading with Meaning: Teaching Comprehension in the Primary Grades, Debbie Miller: (2002) Stenhouse.

     Student work is displayed throughout this book which helps clarify how to use the comprehension strategies identified.  One important aspect of this book is the concept of “Gradual Release of Responsibility”.   Debbie Miller demonstrates techniques for “think aloud”, along with specific strategies such as: asking questions, inferring, determining importance, and creating mental images.   (Excellent resource of Even Start programs)

Reciprocal Teaching at Work: Strategies for Improving Reading Comprehension, Lori Oczkus: (2003) International Reading Association..

     This book discusses how to use Reciprocal Teaching in the classroom and provides many practical suggestions and resources for teachers.  Reciprocal Teaching is a specific teaching technique based upon teacher modeling, and student participation with four specific strategies (predicting, summarizing, questioning, and clarifying).  Each chapter provides reproducible materials and lessons to help teachers.  This book is geared toward working with elementary grade children. 

Revisit, Reflect, Retell: Strategies for Improving Reading Comprehension, Linda Hoyt: (1999) Heinemann Publishers.

     This book is full of reproducible pages that can be used to foster comprehension.  One of the most important components of this book is found in chapter one, “Conversations about Books: Personal and Social explorations of Meaning”.  Hoyt shares the importance of dialogue and the link between oral language and reading comprehension.  This book is a good is a resource for teachers. 

Reading Is Seeing: Learning To Visualize Scenes, Characters, Ideas, and Text Worlds To Improve Comprehension and Reflective Reading, Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D: (2004) Scholastic.

     The author provides both theory and current research to discuss visualization strategies that build reading skills.  The techniques shared can be used with a variety of text and will help readers use background knowledge, make connections between texts, develop mental images, and identify important information.  This book is very easy to read. 

The Threads of Reading: Strategies for Literacy Development, Karen Tankersley: (2004) ASCD.

     Tankersley addresses the five components regarding literacy in a very clear and informational manner.  She shares how students acquire reading skills necessary and provides several strategies and activities for teachers.  One underlining theme throughout this book is the goal of reading should be to help students become lifelong learners/readers.  An excellent resource!  If you were to buy just one book for your program, this should be it! 

Fluency

Fast Start for Early Readers.  Nancy Padak and Timothy Rasinski: (2005) Scholastic.

     Fast Start is an approach which Family Educators can use but it is designed to be a family literacy program for parent to use with their children each day. It uses nursery rhymes to develop fluency in emergent readers. Family Educators could use the strategy in Interactive Literacy. It is a simple repeated reading approach. The authors provide suggestions for using Fast Start with limited English proficient families. The book includes masters for copying and activities which focus on word recognition and phonics concepts..

The Fluent Reader: Oral Reading Strategies for Building Word recognition, Fluency and Comprehension.  Timothy Rasinski: (2003) Scholastic.

     Rasinski provides a brief overview of oral reading and then presents the a rationale for each of the strategies he presents.  He tells why a strategy is important to use, what skills it develops in the learner and how and when to use it.  He provides clear examples.  The strategies are easy to implement one-on-one with a child.

Reading Disabilities

Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children. Catherine E. Snow, M. Susan Burns and Peg Griffin: (1998)  National Research Council.

    This book shares information that is based on research.  The book then makes specific recommendations for instruction at the pre-school, K-3 grade.  Each component of reading is discussed, along with reading approaches.  The book is broken into four main sections.  They include: “The process of learning to read”, “Who has reading difficulties”, “Prevention and Intervention” and “Knowledge into Action”.  This book is recommended for every Even Start Program.   

Overcoming Dyslexia: A New And Complete Science-Based Program For Reading Problems At Any Level, Sally Shaywitz, M.D: (2003) Scholastic.

     Shaywitz has written an excellent book that shares a wealth of information regarding dyslexia.  The information provided is based upon recent scientific research (such as brain research).  She shares information about exercises, instructional programs, computer resources and teaching materials that are beneficial.  If you have questions about dyslexia, this would be the first book to read to learn more about it and how to help someone with this disability. 

 Literacy Research to Practice

Reading Instruction that Works: The Case For Balanced Teaching 2nd., Michael Pressley: (2002) Guilford Press.

     Michael Pressley has presented up-to-date research to provide information about how to implement effective reading instruction.  The first section of this book is about “Whole Language” and “Skills Instruction”.  Then he shares information regarding reading difficulties, developing literacy awareness (birth to four), effective primary reading instruction, comprehension, and motivation for literacy.  This book supports using a balanced approach to teach literacy.  Recommended for staff development.

A Balanced Approach to Beginning Reading Instruction: A Synthesis of Six Major U.S. Research Studies, by John Edwin Cowen: (2003) International Reading Assoc.

    Based upon the following research: The Cooperative Research Program in First Grade Reading Instruction (the First Grade Studies), Learning to Read: The Great Debate, Becoming a Nation of Readers: The Report of the Commission on Reading, Beginning to Read: Thinking and Learning about Print, Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children, and Report of the National Reading Panel: Teaching Children to Read, each were summarized and reviewed.  The author demonstrates how the Balanced Reading Approach is supported by these studies. (Could be of interest to evaluators and those interested in SBRR.)

Evidence-Based Reading Instruction: Putting the National Reading Panel Report into Practice, Articles from the International Reading Association: (2002) International Reading Assoc.

     This book is arranged so that the first section addresses the five reading components: phonemic awareness skills, phonics skills, fluency, vocabulary development and comprehension strategies.  There are several articles from the Reading Teacher, that provide concrete descriptions of recommended activities.  A good resource for those interested in SBRR.

What Research has to say about Reading Instruction 3rd ed, Editors Alan Farstrup, S. Jay Samuels: (2002) International Reading Association.

     Updated information regarding the current thinking and trends in the area of literacy are explored in this book.  Research related to reading instruction, along with approaches and factors that impact reading are presented.  This is a very comprehensive and lengthy book exploring many areas related to literacy.  This is an excellent resource for people interested in research and literacy. 

Handbook of Early Literacy Research, Edited by Susan Neuman and David Dickinson: (2002) Guilford Press.

     This book is extremely technical.  It discusses ways to conceptualize early literacy, strands of early literacy development, home and community influences, preschool years, instructional practices and intervention programs.  They present the research and then discuss the implications of the research.  This is a resource for evaluators and others very experienced in literacy research.

Family Literacy: From Theory to Practice, Editors Andrea DeBruin-Parecki and Barbara Krol-Sinclair: (2003) International Reading Assoc.

     The editors have divided this book into four sections: Theoretical Perspectives, Specific Practices and strategies, programs and evaluation of programs.  This book discusses the need for more research in family literacy, but then applies the research in ways that it will benefit family literacy programs.  This book may be useful to program directors and evaluators to use to improve the programs that they offer their families.

RESOURCES FOR FAMILY EDUCATORS

Make Way for Literacy: Teaching the Way Young Children Learn. Gretchen Owocki (2001). Heinemann.

     The book starts with a brief explanation of how literacy begins to develop, first in a child's home and neighborhood. Owocki points out the various individual traits, family activities, and basic literacy practices that can be so influential—and then focuses on preschool, kindergarten, and the primary grades. Next, the book offers four key principles for understanding and facilitating literacy, along with easy-to-follow techniques for starting—or refining—teacher research and inquiry in the classroom.

Oral Language Resource  Book  Researched and developed by the Education Department of Western Australia (1994) STEPS Professional Development, Salem, MA. 

     This resource book provides strategies to support language development in school by providing models, sample dialogues, and activities. Topics include language for social interaction, participating in discussions, social conventions of language,  narrative language, newstelling, providing description. Classification and asking questions – all skills necessary for success in the classroom. Ideas could be modified to support objectives of the PLS-4 with preschoolers.

ESL: Building English Proficiency. Margaret Fetty: (2004)  Steck Vaughn.

     There are two levels of this resource one for K-1 and one for grades2-3.  The first level has lots of ideas for introducing  readiness concepts, the alphabet, numbers, and everyday vocabulary; the second level focus on phonics, language arts and higher level vocabulary. There are lots of activities and worksheets with visual aids.

Reading and Writing in Kindergarten: A Practical Guide, Rosalie Franzese (2002) Scholastic Books.

     Lessons and strategies that help young learners develop literacy skills through shared reading, guided reading, interactive writing, and read-alouds.

Teaching Young Writers: Strategies That Work.  Lola M. Shaefer: (2001) Scholastic.

     This book is aimed at students, K-2.  It has many ideas that could be used one-on-one or in after school programs to help develop writing skills.  It introduces the writing process, interactive writing, journal writing, writing poetry and includes simple rubrics for assessing writing.

How to Teach Reading for Teachers, Parents and Tutors, 4th ed..  Edward Fry, Ph.D.:  (1999) Teacher Created Materials.

     This is a very easy to follow reference which would be useful for all Family Educators.  It provides a six step strategy for working with readers of any age. From young readers to illiterate adults.  It includes sample lessons, teaching games, word lists, phonics charts, and informal reading assessments.  It includes vocabulary, phonics, comprehension, and writing. 

Reading Assessments and Intervention Strategies for K-2, Brenda Weaver, (2004), Scholastic.

     Provides a variety of rubric, record-keeping sheets, student profiles, and assessments with reproducible testing, mini-books that help you evaluate student reading and guide their literacy instruction.  Assessments cover  print conventions, oral fluency and word study, decoding, comprehension, and writing.

Starting Out Right: A Guide to Promoting Children’s Reading Success, by Susan M. Burns,  Peg Griffin, Catherine Snow  and Committee on the Prevention of Reading Difficulties in Young Children:  (1999) National Academies Press. 

     This book discusses how best to help children succeed in reading. It includes activities to do with children to help them become successful readers, a list of recommended children's books, and a guide to CD-ROMs and Websites. A must read for Family Educators working with children K-2.

Last updated: 9/27/05