Essentials of Literacy from 0-7: A Whole-Child Approach to Communication, Language and Literacy

Children flourish in their development and learning when practitioners and parents work together. Childrens′ development and learning are further enhanced when interconnected knowledge and understanding work together. In this new edition the authors guide readers in understanding of child development. They highlight the need for those who work with young children to become reflective practitioners. Through a focus on the introduction of nursery rhymes, finger rhymes, action songs and poetry cards, the authors provide a gentle, child-friendly way to develop literacy 0-7. Thoroughly revised and updated, this book includes: - Case studies and examples - Discussion of the primary framework - Inclusion of schools as an educational setting - Age-appropriate activities - Further reading suggestions at the end of each chapter This book is useful for teachers, practitioners, teaching assistants and childminders and for anyone working with children from birth to seven years in nursery and primary schools, children′s centres, foundation units, and at home. Tina Bruce is an Honorary visiting professor in Early Childhood at Roehampton University. Jenny Spratt is Head of EYFS and Children′s Centre Services for Peterborough Local Authority

Table of Contents:
Introducing the Essentials of Communication, Language and Literacy Observing Children in an Enabling Environment Parent/Baby Songs Finger Rhymes Mark-Making and Writing Action Songs: On the Spot Action Songs: Moving around Nursery Rhymes Poetry Cards: Mapping Sounds onto Letters

About the Author :
Professor Tina Bruce CBE is an Honorary Visiting Professor in Early Childhood at the University of Roehampton.

Review :
′In reading this book practitioners may be able to gain a vast repertoire of activities that supports the young literate in their classroom. This practical guide demonstrates how one might go about teaching the vital sub-skills of emergent literacy development in authentic and purposeful ways′ -Andrew Sinko, Educate ′This is more than an excellent text book for early years practitioners and students, it is a delight! Tina Bruce and Jenny Spratt have managed to combine authoritative insights about language, literacy and child development with a celebration of the rich poetic resources of the English language. The authors explain the essentials of literacy in terms of children′s earliest experiences of human relationships and communication, physical movement, symbol making and using, play, conversations, the sounds and rhythms of language and high well-being. Bruce and Spratt go on to describe a rich resource of time-honoured traditional material that is just waiting to be used in language play and experimentation and literacy learning and teaching. This celebration of action songs, finger rhymes, nursery rhymes, stories and poetry and the provision of carefully annotated photographs make this a very special book. The text empowers practitioners (and the children they nurture and teach) as it explains the complexity of literacy learning, clarifies linguistic technical jargon and emphasises the joy and creativity of good literacy learning experiences. This is a book to keep close to hand and it is the perfect antidote to the misguided notion that ′reading is simple′!′ - Marian Whitehead