1st Edition

Early 3 Rs How To Lead Beginners Into Reading, Writing, and Arithme-talk

By Lee Mountain Copyright 2000
    178 Pages
    by Routledge

    178 Pages
    by Routledge

    This practical, reader-friendly textbook for preservice and in-service early childhood education and early literacy courses provides "how-to-do-it" instructions for promoting emergent literacy in reading, writing, and arithmetic from preschool into the primary grades. Early 3 Rs answers the question: "What can I SAY and DO to give each child the best possible start on the 3 Rs?"

    With the strategies and materials in this book, a teacher can give personalized direct instruction in the 3 Rs to a beginner, in just a few minutes a day. The early chapters tell how to prepare a young child for reading, writing, and arithmetic. Subsequent chapters show how to give a beginner an early start on learning the 3 Rs. All strategies begin with the oral approach (from phonemic awareness to "arithme-talk") and then progress to print that is personally meaningful to a young child. Early 3 Rs:
    * Includes arithmetic as a component of early literacy.
    * Gives developmentally appropriate methods for direct teaching of the 3 Rs.
    * Provides scripts of what the teacher can say to promote early learning.
    * Helps education students in field-based classes offer personalized instruction.

    Early 3 Rs is written to be very reader friendly: the approach is intentionally eclectic; the writing deliberately avoids heavy theory; the goal is to provide an easy-to-use, highly practical and accessible guide for those who work in early childhood education settings.

    Contents: Preface. Part I: How to Foster Growth Toward Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic. Preview of Unit I: Fostering Growth Toward the 3 Rs. Immerse Children in the Oral Language of the 3 Rs. Speak "Arithme-Talk" to Develop Concepts. Read Aloud to Them, With Participation Extras. Get Them Ready for Phonics--Orally. Surround Them With Written Language, and Talk About Print. Demonstrate Writing, and Talk About Whatever They Write. Seize the Teachable Moment. Summary of Unit I. Part II: How to Help Early Learners Take Their First Steps Into the 3 Rs. Preview of Unit II: Help With the First Steps. Teach Each Beginning Reader Four Words. Help Each Child Write a Personalized Storybook. Connect Familiar Initial Letters With Their Sounds. Make a Personalized "1, 2, 3" Book With Each Early Learner. Introduce More Numbers, Words, and Personalized Books. Use Child-Selected Words for Teaching More Phonics. Summary of Unit II. Part III: How to Expand and Vary Strategies for Early Teaching of the 3 Rs. Preview of Unit III: Expand Strategies for Early Teaching. Use Software and Equipment to Enrich Your Teaching. Move Toward Math Through Children's Books. Start a Word Wall of Pupils' Names in Alphabetical Order. Go Beyond Concrete Nouns and Action Verbs. Teach the Whole Alphabet for Reading, Writing, and Phonics. Stimulate New Areas of Language Development. Summary of Unit III. Part IV: How to Smooth the Transition Into 3 Rs in the Primary Grades. Preview of Unit IV: Move Smoothly Into the Primary Grades. Strengthen When and Where Concepts as Background for Print. Play Games That Require Early Arithmetic. Model on Pattern Books, Using Phonics for Writing and Reading. Present High-Frequency Words in Age-Appropriate Ways. Use the Library to Extend Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic. Summary of Unit IV. Epilogue.

    Biography

    Mountain, Lee

    "This reader-friendly book provides straightforward directions for promoting children's development in reading, writing, and arithmetic--from pre-school through the primary grades....Mountain's clear, candid style avoids becoming bogged down in research jargon, instead providing numerous examples of interesting and varied activities. The result is a highly practical guide that would be valuable for anyone working with young children. By following the book's simple, step-by-step instructions, early childhood educators and parents alike will feel confident in helping young learners launch into reading, writing, and arithmetic."
    Childhood Education

    "Directed to teachers, paraprofessionals, parents, and others interested in giving a young child an early stat on the 3 Rs, this book provides easy to follow instructions for promoting emergent literacy and for teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic from preschool into the primary grades."
    ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education

    "Very appropriate for early reading, writing, and arithmetic....If professionals, paraprofessionals, and parents followed the suggestions in this text we would not be talking about 'a nation at risk'--we would be talking about 'a nation of success'....An outstanding book."
    Sharon Crawley
    Florida Atlantic University

    "Easy to read and understand....Follows a clear step-by-step progression of building skills....Many interesting and exciting activities."
    Terri Beeler
    Harris County (TX) Department of Education

    "Lee Mountain has a very fluid and clear way of writing that is engaging and easily understandable....She presents good 'how-to-do-it' instructions that can be easily followed."
    Jennifer Moon
    The University of Georgia