"Before children are readers and writers, they are speakers and listeners. This book provides creative, hands-on strategies for developing preschoolers' speaking, listening, and oral comprehension skills, within a literacy-rich classroom environment. Each chapter features helpful classroom vignettes; a section called Preschool in Practice, with step-by-step lesson ideas; and Ideas for Discussion, Reflection, and Action. The book addresses the needs of English language learners and describes ways to support students' literacy development at home. The final chapter pulls it all together through a portrait of an exemplary day of preschool teaching and learning. Reproducible forms and checklists can be downloaded and printed in a convenient 8 1/2" x 11" size"-- Provided by publisher.

Machine generated contents note: 1. The Importance of Speaking and Listening in Early Literacy -- 2. Planning for Talking, Reading, and Writing a Lot -- 3. Literacy Centers and Activities -- 4. Nurturing Young Children's Language and Conversational Skills -- 5. Developing Children's Listening Comprehension -- 6. Reading with Children at Home -- 7. Putting It All Together in the Early Childhood Classroom -- Appendix A. Selected Literature for the Preschool Classroom -- Appendix B. E-Book Quality Rating Tool -- Appendix C. Storytelling Ideas for Developing Comprehension -- Appendix D. Guided Participation Framework -- Appendix E. Recommended Resources for New and Alternative Literacies -- References -- Index.