Developing Conceptual Knowledge Through Oral and Written Language: Perspectives and Practices, Prek-12

The development of students’ conceptual understanding of the world is vital to their academic success at all grade levels (preschool through high school) and across content areas. This professional resource and course text presents expert perspectives on building conceptual knowledge and vocabulary through reading, writing, and classroom discussion. Topics include the importance of word study and informational texts in early literacy, discussion practices that boost comprehension, the use of multimodal and appropriately complex texts, engaging digital literacies, and discipline-specific writing. Ways to strengthen English learners’ conceptual skills are highlighted. Each chapter describes current research, explains how to plan and scaffold instruction, distills Implications for Professional Learning, and offers Questions for Discussion.   
 

Melanie R. Kuhn, PhD, is Professor and Jean Adamson Stanley Faculty Chair in Literacy at the Purdue University College of Education. Her primary focus has been on reading fluency and how best to support its development. In addition, her research interests include literacy instruction for struggling readers and comprehension and vocabulary development. Dr. Kuhn’s instructional experience includes clinic work, directing reading interventions, and teaching in the Boston Public Schools. She served as a member of the Literacy Research Panel for the International Literacy Association and as a board member for the Literacy Research Association. Dr. Kuhn has written or edited several books, along with numerous journal articles and book chapters. She moderates the website https://thereadingforum.com.
 
Mariam Jean Dreher, PhD, is Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership at the University of Maryland, College Park. Previously she was an elementary classroom teacher and Title I specialist. Her research interests include ways to integrate informational text into literacy instruction to enhance students’ comprehension, vocabulary, and motivation. Dr. Dreher has published numerous articles and books and has served on many editorial advisory boards, receiving the Outstanding Reviewer Award from the Journal of Literacy Research. She is a consultant to National Geographic Children’s Books on a series of information books for young children. Dr. Dreher is a recipient of a Fulbright Senior Specialist Grant and was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Oulu, Finland.