Amazon Available from Maupin House Publishing Maupin House Publishers Category:  Education/Training Publisher: Maupin House Publishing ISBN-10:  1934338753 Type: Non-Fiction Pages: 112 Copyright: November 1, 2009 ISBN-13: 9781934338759 WINNER OF THE 2010 DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD in the Professional Development Category. In Before They Read: Teaching Language and Literacy Development through Conversations, Interactive Read-alouds, and Listening Games, Cathy Puett Miller helps educators teach those early literacy skills with engaging games and activities that are based on her three big ideas for early literacy development: great conversations, good listening skills, and interactive read-alouds. Developed from Miller's successful work with preschool and early childhood educators around the country, Before They Read makes it easy to help every child through the stages of literacy and language development.  An essential guide for childcare professionals, preschool and kindergarten teachers, this "quick pick up and read" resource focuses through games and engaging activities on the importance of language development, a new and effective form of read alouds, and playing with sounds within the language. Excerpt Preschool and kindergarten teachers, this toolkit is for you. It is designed to be a quick read or a pick up resource, that will make your job easier and your teaching more effective. Within these pages, you will find references to core research in reading readiness. Just as important for your daily classroom, you will find carefully designed, easy-to-use ideas and activities for supporting the emergent literacy development of 3-6 year old children. Beginning with the most foundational skills, this book ends at the point children are ready to crack the reading/alphabetic code. “Why do I need anything else?” you might ask. “I have curriculum, I have standards. I have a degree.” All those are an excellent base but, as you well know, the best teachers use those as a framework from which to build. In addition, new information about how children grow to be readers is being discovered every day. No practicing teacher can keep up with it all. To truly be effective, you need a toolbox beyond your curriculum, standards and theoretical foundation, one that contains “what I do when” ideas, from trusted, experienced voices. The most dynamic and effective classrooms are full of those complementary elements. As you incorporate the three ready-to-read foundations (conversations, engaging read alouds and early phonological awareness games) into your classroom, you will have more children reach bench¬marks and goals identified by your school, school district and state. You will have more children truly ready to read.

Resources in This Book Are Invaluable for Teachers
This easy-to-read text has many practical ideas that you can use in your preschool and kindergarten instruction. The lists of good children s literature will be invaluable. --Dr. Maryann Manning, professor at the University of Alabama, past IRA board member, and recipient of IRA s 2005 Special Service Award

All the Toolsl You Need for Language and Literacy Development
This book is chock full of great suggestions for helping children learn how to read. It includes all you need to put together a wonderful research-based program a must-read. --Susan B. Neuman, former U.S. Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education

Calling All Preschool and Kindergarten Teachers!
Before They Read will make you a better teacher and will raise student assessment scores! The age-specific charts make it easier to track reading readiness from all different learning abilities. It s as easy as 1-2-3. Reading becomes a snap! --Stacey Kannenberg, Get Ready To Learn Mom and award-winning author/publisher of Let s Get Ready Series from Cedar Valley Publishing