Policies & Practices: How Are You Introducing Literacy In Your Program?
Early Childhood Today | 10/2001
Moore presents ways that verbal exchanges between staff and children contribute to language, reading and writing abilities. For more information, see the related article, "When English Is a Second Language" linked to the main article page.

Where Do Readers Come From?
Early Childhood Today
The roots of literacy are planted in infancy and flourish in early childhood in the right environment. Where children should be in the stages of reading at various ages is discussed.

Physical Development: Moving Toward Reading
Early Childhood Today | 10/1998
Young children are total body learners - learning with all of their beings. Skipping rope and other activities that combine strong rhythmic and repetitive activity with words help children learn how important rhythm, patterning, and repetition are to language, and also how to break down language into these critical elements.

Infants & Toddlers/Activities: Activities That Build a Love of Books
Early Childhood Today
Here are some activities that help infants & toddlers build a love for books. For more information, see the related articles "Dear Parents" linked to the main article page.

ECT Interview: Sue Bredekamp & Susan Neuman on Learning to Read
Early Childhood Today | 4/2006
In an interview, Sue Bredekamp, director of professional development at the National Association for the Education of Young Children, and Susan Neuman, chair of Reading in Early Childhood Committee, discuss learning to read.

Read It To Me!
Early Childhood Today | 9/2005
Whether it begins early in the day, midday, or late afternoon, reading out loud to children every day is the single most important thing teachers can do to help build literacy skills. Here, Neuman presents ways on how to read aloud to children at different ages and stages.

Infants & Toddlers: Sharing Stories and Books
Early Childhood Today | 10/1998
Engaging infants and toddlers in the world of stories and books can be the beginning of an intimate experience. Ways to make the best of story time are discussed.

Infants & Toddlers/Environment: Books! Books! & More Books!
Early Childhood Today | 3/2001
Tips for choosing age-appropriate books for even the youngest children are offered. See "Infants & Toddlers: Sleeping & Eating - A Plan for Each Child" for more related information.

Staff Workshop Topic: Learning to Read & Write
Early Childhood Today | 10/1998
The new IRA/NAEYC position paper on literacy offers exciting opportunities to enhance teacher practices and foster children's growth. Instructions for a workshop on learning to read and write are offered. See the Teacher Handout: "Learning to Read and Write - Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Young Children" linked to this page.

Group Time: Poetry Play
Early Childhood Today | 10/1998
To young children, poetry is a wonderful way to express and explore emerging language growth. Various activities with poetry that can be enjoyed by children, teachers, and parents are discussed.

Helping Children Communicate
Early Childhood Today | 9/2004
Seefeldt discusses how to create an environment that supports and builds young children's communication skills. For more information, see the related sub-articles, Communicating All Around the Classroom, Language and Literacy Learning at Home, and the downloadable PDF, Communication Stage by Stage, linked to the main article page.

Nurturing Literacy
Early Childhood Today | 1/2000
Susan B. Neuman, Ed.D., offers skills and strategies for creating print-rich and reader-responsive environments where early literacy learning thrives. For more information on literacy learning at home, see Thinking About Children's Experiences