Effective Read-Alouds for Early Literacy: A Teacher's Guide for PreK-1

Sharing high-quality storybooks and nonfiction books not only is enjoyable for young children and teachers—it is also a powerful way to build crucial literacy skills. This engaging guide provides effective strategies for selecting books and using read-alouds to develop children's oral language, vocabulary, concepts of print, alphabet knowledge, phonological awareness, and comprehension. Illustrated with rich examples from diverse classrooms, the book takes teachers step by step through planning and setting goals for read-alouds, as well as reflecting on each lesson to inform future instruction. Helpful planning templates can be reproduced for repeated use; the large-size format facilitates photocopying.

Katherine A. Beauchat, EdD, is Associate Professor at Middle Georgia State University, where she teaches graduate classes in literacy education and dyslexia. Her educational career includes teaching in Head Start, PreK, and kindergarten. She has served as a PreK–3 reading specialist, a middle school reading coach, and an Early Reading First Head Start coach. Her research interests include professional development in literacy and language instruction for early childhood educators, in the context of the science of reading, and effective strategies to bolster at-risk young children’s oral language and vocabulary development.

Katrin L. Blamey, PhD, is Associate Dean of the School of Education at DeSales University in Center Valley, Pennsylvania, where she teaches courses in the Elementary Education certification program. Her research interests include implementing effective vocabulary instruction in the early childhood classroom and working with preservice and inservice teachers to provide effective literacy instruction for all students.

Zoi A. Philippakos, PhD, is Associate Professor of Reading and Elementary Education in the College of Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Her research interests include reading and writing instruction for students in the elementary grades, strategy instruction and self-regulation, and approaches to professional development for classroom teachers. A former elementary school teacher and literacy coach, Dr. Philippakos is coauthor of Differentiated Literacy Instruction in Grades 4 and 5 and Effective Read-Alouds for Early Literacy.