This study examined the functions that student talk served during partner reading events in a second grade classroom. Five major themes of talk emerged from the data including organizational, disputational, word strategy, meaning making and personal talk. All of these types of talk functioned to support partner reading except for personal talk,…

Reviews the environmental and functional print reading research and discusses its significance in relation to children's emerging literacy. (BB)

Tips for using nursery rhymes to stimulate creative reading attitudes in young children. (CM)

Discusses the importance of using developmentally appropriate practices in early childhood classrooms, especially in teaching gifted students. Describes characteristics of young gifted children, emphasizing their advanced abilities in specific domains. Concludes that educators need to understand each child as a unique individual and should strive…

Reviews the literature on the effectiveness of computer-controlled videodisc and videobased technology in the presentation of story information. An adult mediator can enhance young children's understanding of a story. (BB)

Examined a kindergarten teacher's implementation of a whole-language program and her students' responses to questions about reading, such as, Can you read? What can you read? What is reading? and When did you learn to read? Seventy-five percent of the children indicated that they had learned to read during kindergarten or when they were…

Examines traditional and current beliefs about the reading process, and presents specific strategies that parents and teachers can use to help children learn to read. Parents and teachers can use patterned books and the reading and writing of sentences to foster reading skills. (MDM)

Reviews research on literature discussion groups, which suggests that groups allow readers to bring personal experiences to and take meaning from books, and young readers come to deeper levels of understanding. Discusses the use of literature groups in a kindergarten classroom, focusing on the teacher's use of and responses to literature, and the…

Reviews two computer software programs for children: (1) "Ready, Set, Read with Bananas and Jack" (Sierra Discovery Series), available for Windows or Macintosh systems, which uses animation and sound to teach early reading skills; and (2) "Word Connection" (Action Software), a Macintosh program that creates word puzzles. (MDM)

Argues against reading instruction that places too much emphasis on the phonics method. Considers misunderstandings related to the phonics method, and presents a case for individualized language instruction that focuses on the child's needs and is based in examples of good reading habits and research on emergent literacy. (JPB)

Discusses the role of narration in the adapted verbal interactions between child and adult that help children acquire and master language, from birth on. Notes that, when a child attempts to retell stories read aloud, he or she can progressively master the kind of syntactically structured and decontextualized language necessary for access to…

This study of 16 Singapore child care centers found that children spent most of their time engaged in adult-led group, cognitive, and daily routine activities. Findings also suggest that good quality centers offer a variety of cognitively stimulating activities, such as literacy activities, academic and problem-solving tasks, and verbal…

Students in early childhood teacher education programs are expected to know, plan curriculum, and teach within several sets of content area, national, state, and local, learning standards. Understanding where these standards originated and why they are important within the context of classroom practice will help new teachers begin their careers…