Fostering Early Literacy in Classrooms and Homes Susan B. Neuman, University of Michigan Susan B. Neuman is on faculty at the University of Michigan School of Education and serves as Director of the Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement (CIERA). An expert in early childhood and literacy education, she guides CIERA’s efforts to present research-based solutions to persistent problems in the teaching and learning of early reading to a broad range of audiences in education, government, and policy-making. Neuman came to CIERA from Temple University where she was a Professor of Curriculum, Instruction and Technology in the Education Department; she also served as Coordinator of the Reading and Language Arts Graduate Program. Her areas of focus include beginning reading and writing, family literacy, and parent involvement. Her most recent books include Learning to Read and Write: Developmentally Appropriate Practice (NAEYC, 2000), Children Achieving: Best Practices in Early Literacy (1998, International Reading Association), Single-subject Experimental Design: Applications for Literacy (1995), Literacy in the Television Age (Ablex, 1995), and Language and Literacy in Early Childhood (Harcourt Brace, 1993). She is chair of the Publications Committee and a Board Member of the National Reading Conference, and President of the Literacy Development for Young Children Special Interest Group of the International Reading Association. She is the author of "Access for All: Closing the Book Gap for Children in Early Childhood," a recent study which uncovered evidence that quality books are significantly less available to young children from low-income families in early childhood classrooms, childcare settings, and in their homes. "Children develop early literacy skills through active engagement." — Susan Neuman Presentation Highlights Fostering early literacy in classrooms and homes requires an understanding of basic assumptions about the nature and characteristics of early literacy development in children. This presentation provides an overview of what is known about early literacy, defines skilled reading, and examines the building blocks of skilled reading in the early years. Practices that promote early literacy development and factors that impact instruction are also discussed. Developmentally Appropriate Early Literacy Instruction Developmentally appropriate learning instruction is not: "Laissez-faire"; Reading readiness; or Drill and practice. Developmentally appropriate learning instruction emphasizes the need for knowledgeable teachers who: Are aware of the developmental continuum of reading; and Can define benchmark skills for children at different ages and grade levels. What We Know About Early Literacy Literacy begins at birth. Reading and writing develop concurrently and are inter-related—writing often comes before reading. Children’s understanding of the functions of reading are clearly tied to their motivation and desire in learning to read. Children learn through active engagement. Skilled Reading 1. Is the ability to successfully read for: Literacy meaning; Information; and Specific purposes. 2. Is a complex skill that requires reasoning and problem solving. 3. Depends on three cue systems: Grapho/phonemic - letters and sounds or sound/symbol relationships; Syntactic - language; and Semantic - understanding. 4. Is developed and strengthened through: Oral language comprehension—Encourage conversations that label objects and help define them, respond to children’s inquiries and questions, and extend children’s thinking to help them go from immediate concrete events to more abstract concepts. Vocabulary and background knowledge—Interactive storybook reading, repeated readings of favorite books, and open-ended conversations that go beyond the events in the story all help to build a child’s vocabulary and expand their base of background knowledge. Phonological awareness—Reading of alphabet books, rhyming books, predictable texts, writing and phonic spellings, and singing songs that introduce children to the sound of words increase children’s phonological awareness. Letter name knowledge—Feature functional print throughout the environment, display ABC’s in children’s eye view, sing the ABC song. Intended Outcomes Early literacy activities should be designed to support achieving intended goals and outcomes. One goal should be to make stories/activities real in the child’s world. In addition, we should always be aware of not only what we are doing as teachers, but also of what the children are getting out of such activities. Practices that Promote Early Literacy Development Include: Literacy-enriched environment; Literacy related play; Clear and systematic instruction; and Intellectually engaging curriculum. Effective Early Literacy Instruction Emphasizes: Intentionality; Timing and pacing of instruction; Coherence of instruction; and Parent and community involvement. Video of Presentation Presentation Highlights No Handout for This Presentation List of Literacy presenters/presentations Information on how to view videos and view/download handouts

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