This article provides an overview of how an emergent literacy perspective may serve as a framework for better understanding the reading and writing behaviors of young children with learning disabilities. Specific intervention techniques are given to help teachers provide rich, meaningful emergent literacy opportunities in the classroom. (Contains…

Recent research on children learning to write, coming from a mix of disciplines (English education, linguistics, psychology, anthropology, and rhetoric), is described in this volume. The introduction, by Marcia Farr, emphasizes how the research contributes to understanding (1) of research methodology and theoretical frameworks, and (2) of…

Intended for reading teachers, this book of articles about reading and writing was written by teachers who intended to ask new questions about reading instruction. It bases its practice on a teaching philosophy in which teachers expect their students to work together, not segregated into proficiency groups. The first section contains articles…

Outlines the most important 20th century developments in reading instruction for young children, analyzing why an approach was tried, and presenting results of these instructional efforts. It is concluded that the current perspective that seems to meet the needs of most children is that of emergent literacy. (SLD)

A case study of a young boy's learning to read and write from the beginnings of literacy at age 5 up to age 11, after reading and writing have converged, is the focus of this book. The first part of the book, a description of his learning to write, discusses invented spelling, research about other young spellers and writers, the shift toward…

Examines the nature of power over literacy (such as knowledge of print conventions, and experiences of participation in reading and writing activities) which children often possess when they begin school. Discusses ways in which teachers sometimes interfere with this power and how they can, instead, enhance it. (MM)