Early Reading First and Beyond

Susan E. Israel is an independent researcher, writer, and literacy consultant and currently serves as President and Director of Reading Alliance for Catholic Education in Indiana, where she works with small and large corporations to enhance literacy products. Her special research interests are in the areas of reading comprehension, writing, and child-mind development as it relates to literacy processes. Israel served as assistant professor at the University of Dayton, and in 2005 she was awarded the University’s Panhellenic Council Outstanding Professor Award. She has also served on the national faculty at the University of Notre Dame Summer Program, where she taught reading and language arts methods. A former elementary teacher, she was awarded the 1998 teacher-researcher grant from the International Reading Association (IRA). Having been an active member of the IRA for over a decade, she has served on a number of IRA committees and interest groups and recently was president of the History of Literacy Special Interest Group. In addition, she has been active with the National Reading Conference. Israel has authored, coauthored, or edited over 15 books and volumes and is the senior editor of the recently published comprehensive volume, Handbook of Research on Reading Comprehension (Israel & Duffy, 2008). Other recent publications include Teachers Taking Action: A Comprehensive Guide to Teacher Research (with Cynthia Lassonde, 2008), Reading First and Beyond (with Cathy Collins Block, 2005), Collaborative Literacy (2006), Shaping the Reading Field (2007), Poetic Possibilities (2006), and Quotes to Inspire Great Reading Teachers (2006).

Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Author
1. Introduction to Early Reading First
Research That Early Childhood Teachers Can Use About Early Reading First
Summary
2. Oral Language Development: Emerging Vocabulary, Expressive Language, and Listening Comprehension
Why Teach Oral Language to Preschool-age Children?
Research That Early Childhood Teachers Need to Know About Oral Language Development
New Research-Based Practices Early Childhood Teachers Can Use
Early Reading First Assessment Tools for Oral Language Development
Differentiating for Early Learners With Individual Needs
Teaching Tips That Increase Home-School Connections
Literacy Treasure Chest
Summary
3. Alphabetic Knowledge
Research That Early Childhood Teachers Need to Know About Alphabetic Knowledge
New Research-Based Practices That Early Childhood Teachers Can Use
Early Reading First Assessment Tools for Knowledge of Alphabetic Principle
Differentiating for Early Learners with Individual Needs
Literacy Treasure Chest
Summary
4. Phonological Awareness: Giving Early Learners an Advantage When Learning to Read, by Kathryn Bauserman
Research That Early Childhood Teachers Need to Know About Phonological Awareness
New Research-Based Practices That Early Childhood Teachers Can Use
Early Reading First Assessment Tools for Phonemic Awareness
Differentiating for Early Learners With Individual Needs
Teaching Tips That Increase Home-School Connections
Literacy Treasure Chest
Summary
5. Print Awareness, by Cynthia A. Lassonde
Research That Early Childhood Teachers Need to Know About Print Awareness
New Research-Based Practices That Early Childhood Teachers Can Use
Early Reading First Assessment Tools for Print Awareness
Differentiating for Learners With Individual Needs
Teaching Tips That Increase Home-School Connections
Literacy Treasure Chest
6. Designing Early Literacy Classrooms of Excellence
Research That Early Childhood Teachers Need to Know About Creating Early Childhood Centers of Excellence
Research That Early Childhood Teachers Can Use to Create Centers of Excellence
How to Get Started With Designing Early Literacy Enviroments of Excellence
Resources to Get You Started
Parent Tips on Developing Phonemic Awareness at Home
Tips on Small Group Dialogue in Early Childhood Classrooms
Teaching Tips for Parents as Helping Hands
Literacy Treasure Chest
Summary
Resources
A Facilitator′s Guide to Planning and Organizing for an Engaging and Motivating Professional Development Day
Sample Early Childhood Literacy Needs Assessment
References
Index