This new early literacy textbook (birth through age nine) focuses on creative literacy instruction through active participation of teachers, parents, and children, providing preservice teachers with practical strategies and activities that can be adapted to meet the needs of diverse learners. It offers a comprehensive view of literacy development and instruction, including assessment, phonemic awareness, and emergent literacy, as well as phonics, vocabulary, reading, writing, and arts integration in diverse classrooms. The authors' holistic approach explains why and how reading and language arts should be taught from the perspective of the whole child, with an emphasis on creativity in a nurturing learning environment. Their unique perspective integrates the arts, educational psychology, and literacy instruction, represented throughout the text by the incorporation of the cognitive, socio-emotional, and physical parts of the self into a visual Holistic Model of Literacy.

Part I: BUILDING LITERACY FOUNDATIONS.
1. Theoretical Foundations in Literacy, Psychology, and the Arts.
2. Emergent and Early Literacy.
3. Literacy Assessment.
Part II: ENGAGING LEARNERS IN LITERACY.
4. Phonics and Word Identification.
5. Vocabulary Development and Instruction.
6. Reading Comprehension.
7. Writing and Spelling Development.
Part III: INTERACTING CREATIVELY WITH LITERACY.
8. Family Literacy and Classroom Connections.
9. Diverse Learners and Literacy.
10. Teaching Literacy Through the Arts.
APPENDIX: INTEGRATED LESSON PLANS.
Lesson 1: Accepting Diversity and Self Identity.
Lesson 2: Planting the Seeds of Literacy.
Lesson 3: Expressing Ideas and Connecting with Others.
Lesson 4: Exploring Word Study.
Lesson 5: Thinking Creatively for Vocabulary Comprehension.
Glossary.
References for Children's Literature.
References.

This new early literacy textbook (birth through age nine) focuses on creative literacy instruction through active participation of teachers, parents, and children, providing preservice teachers with practical strategies and activities that can be adapted to meet the needs of diverse learners. It offers a comprehensive view of literacy development and instruction, including assessment, phonemic awareness, and emergent literacy, as well as phonics, vocabulary, reading, writing, and arts integration in diverse classrooms. The authors' holistic approach explains why and how reading and language arts should be taught from the perspective of the whole child, with an emphasis on creativity in a nurturing learning environment. Their unique perspective integrates the arts, educational psychology, and literacy instruction, represented throughout the text by the incorporation of the cognitive, socio-emotional, and physical parts of the self into a visual Holistic Model of Literacy. Content throughout the text is aligned with key standards. Each chapter opens with a list of Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, NAEYC Standards, and National Core Arts standards to be addressed in the material that follows. Numbered Learning Objectives, listed at the beginning of each chapter and correlated with main headings throughout the chapter, guide students as they read. The objectives also make it easy for students and instructors to find key content and understand expected outcomes. Each chapter's Vignette describes a teaching scenario featuring a classroom literacy activity, children's literature, and concepts related to the chapter. Linked to relevant standards, the Vignette also presents DAP adaptations for various age groups and includes a Classroom Connection question that asks preservice teachers to reflect upon the scenario and apply what they have read. Professional Resource Downloads include summaries of strategies and practices, sample assessments, sample letters to parents, and other useful documents that are downloadable and often customizable. The Professional Resource Download label identifies these items throughout the text. Lesson Ideas boxed features include Purpose, Procedure, and Teaching Analysis sections as well as suggestions (Links) for adapting the lesson to technology, DAP, executive function, and different age groups in the classroom. Brain Briefs, each with a critical thinking question, present snapshots of recent research linked to the brain. Diverse Learners boxed features, each with a critical thinking question, present strategies for teaching children with different learning styles and abilities. Consider This boxed features are short items designed to spark in-class discussion of material just covered in each section. Apply and Reflect boxed features present hands-on activities that ask pre-service teachers to practice applying what they have read/learned. For example, in Chapter 2, readers are asked to design a reading area for the classroom, and to create an example for one stage of writing development and share it with peers to compare characteristics at different stages of development.