Noting an emerging consensus of opinion on the need for balance in early literacy instruction, this paper examines three overlapping phases of early literacy: novice (ages 5-7; prekindergarten, kindergarten, and grade 1); beginning (ages 6-8, kindergarten-grade 2); and advanced beginning (ages 7-9, grades 1-3). The first section describes young…

Vocabulary development includes learning to recognize, comprehend, and produce alternative ways of communicating a word, an image, or a concept. Instruction in such language alternatives can increase the effectiveness of students' communication skills, making their vocabulary usage more appropriate, precise, descriptive, and interesting.…

Summarizes key insights from the author's studies of literacy. Makes three recommendations which are designed to explore curriculum as a potential for language learning. (MG)

Research conducted since the early 1970s has provided important insights into how written language develops and how teachers can best foster that growth. One of these promotes the holistic approach to language instruction--to nurture the emergent speller is to nurture the emergent reader, writer, speaker, listener, and thinker. Another important…