Analyzed 80 nursery school and kindergarten children's use of referential and phonetic strategies in reading and writing. Results indicated that there was a shift with age from the use of referential to phonetic strategies. (RJC)

Shows 16 kindergarten children's literacy development as indicated by the use of 6 specific story elements (classic story version, connected events, fantasy experiences, goal-directed experiences, personal experiences, and social interactions) in the children's original stories. Finds support for the belief that learning to read and learning to…

Examines the differences between oral and written languages, including differences in register, style, and syntax. Asserts that reading aloud and giving instructions are two ways to focus on the connection between oral and written language and the processes of reading and writing. (MM)

Noting that children's perceptions of literacy and of themselves as learners differ from those of adults, this book documents how Sarah, from the ages of 2 to 5 years, understood literacy and invented reading and writing for herself. Numerous reading and writing samples in the book, organized around broad research questions, present Sarah as an…

Focusing on the development of literacy, this book discusses the teaching of reading and writing through stories, songs, and poetry. It is argued that, to develop literacy, teachers must know what to teach, how to Teach efficiently, and how to assign practices through which children learn. The book is organized into three general parts. The first…