We begin this article with a brief look at opportunities to learn for the nation's growing numbers of Emerging Bilingual children. We briefly present the research literature that supports the use of children's languages other in English (LOTEs) in literacy instruction whether the children are participating in bilingual/dual language programs or…

Critical literacy provides the opportunity to queer picture books and challenge normative depictions of family. In this autoethnography, the author describes her 4-year-old's journey of learning to talk back to texts as she actively constructs a better, more just world. The author argues that a critical literacy tool kit is vital to every child's…

A survey of the literature on children's language and reading, divided into three major areas: the child, the instructional materials, and the teacher. (DD)

Story retelling is suggested as a method to evaluate children's ability to comprehend, organize, and express language. (MKM)

Makes a case for maintaining experience charts which record children's language in dialect and in Standard English. (RB)

Describes the benefits of having students tape their own stories for use by the entire class. (RB)

Describes how to use wordless picture books to develop reading readiness and language competence. (MKM)

Analyzes the order in which selected structures of English are acquired by young speakers of English vs speakers of Cantonese, Spanish, Tagalog, and Ilokano and draws implications for instruction. (MKM)

Children's drawings provide a natural introduction to reading and writing. (JM)

Argues that rather than using a spelling series and treating spelling as a subject separate from the other language arts, teachers should use a program that begins with encouraging invented spelling and moves to the use of high frequency word lists and spelling by meaning. (FL)

Reports on a recent study of first grade writing efforts that confirms the importance of scribble in the writing process when it is an accepted language behavior in the classroom. (FL)

Explores some of the story concepts evident in children's story retellings and story writings. (FL)

Reports on the work being done by Martha King with the writing of primary grade children. (FL)

Concludes that preschool children know that print conveys information, yet frequently use environmental cues rather than letter knowledge when they appear to read. (FL)