'[T]his second edition book is a welcome contribution to the early years literature base, providing much needed information and a somewhat innovative response concerning how effectively to translate the Early Years Foundation Stage into practice' - Early Years `This second edition of Learning in the Early Years has been fully updated to bring it in line with the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage...The presentation and style...is very readable and accessible and as such the book provides an excellent resource for students and experienced early years practitioners alike' - Early Years Update Praise for the First Edition: `It was a joy to read this book... This book provides a wealth of ideas for reflection, as well as guidance to promote knowledge and skills essential in early years teaching.' Dario Pellegrini, Educational Psychologist `I found it hard to put it down. I particularly liked the way it followed through into Key Stage 1' - Who Minds `An important contribution to difficult work' - Elizabeth Quintero, The Steinhardt School of Education, New York University This fully updated Second Edition of 'Learning in the Early Years 3-7' has been written to support early years practitioners understand and implement the new curriculum guidance document 'The Early Years Foundation Stage' (DfES, 2007). In this book, Jeni Riley clearly explains how to meet the requirements of the EYFS document and how this relates to the National Curriculum and the Primary National Strategy: Framework for teaching for literacy and mathematics. Offering informative and inspirational guidance on planning learning and teaching opportunities across the curriculum, this book will help you to promote social, intellectual, aesthetic, spiritual and physical development in your setting. Topics covered include: - appropriate and lively ways of working with young children - developing subject knowledge - supporting children for whom English is an additional language - the role of adults when interacting with children to support learning - the place of information and communications technology - the transition between the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. The book also draws on recent research on child development, on how babies think and on effective learning and teaching for children aged 3-7. All early years students and practitioners will want to have this book to hand to guide them through the new guidance and to support them daily to implement successful practice. Jeni Riley, Reader in Literacy in Primary Education, Institute of Education, University of London.

`The aim of this book is admirable. Despite the preponderance of texts on the development and teaching of literacy, a book which is driven by psychological theory but succeeds in combining this theory with suggestions for classroom practice is long awaited' - Child Language Teaching and Therapy The Teaching of Reading combines theoretical and practical aspects of literacy, and is intended to be informative and practical in its classroom application. The author shows that informed practice can only develop from a genuine understanding of the literacy process, and the book charts the way in which the young child progresses from the first glimmerings of the purpose and recognition of print, through to a state of fully developed fluent reading.

Writing development is currently the focus of substantial international debate because it is the aspect of literacy education that has been least responsive to central government and state reforms. Teaching approaches in writing have been slower to change than those in teaching reading and pupil attainment in writing has increased at a much more modest rate than pupil attainment in reading. This handbook critically examines research and theoretical issues that impact on writing development from the early years through to adulthood. It provides those researching or teaching literacy with one of the most academically authoritative and comprehensive works in the field. With expert contributors from across the world, the book represents a detailed and valuable overview of a complex area of study.

This practical guide considers the research evidence that is needed to inform enlightened practice, and offers concrete suggestions and teaching approaches for early years settings and classrooms. This comprehensive book shows the 'what' the 'how' and the 'why' of innovative, creative practice for teaching language and literacy. The author clearly examines how young children learn to use both spoken and written language, and shows how to assess, plan and teach for the effective learning of speaking, listening, reading and writing. Each chapter includes case studies, learning and teaching suggestions and further reading, and topics covered include: o Learning to communicate o Developing spoken language in early years settings and classrooms o The links between oracy and literacy o The inter-relatedness of the literacy process o Teaching literacy holistically o The assessment of language and literacy o Supporting literacy in Keystage 1, teaching reading and teaching writing for different purposes o Children and books o Teaching children for whom English is an additional language o Language, literacy, learning and ICT.

`Jeni Riley and David Reedy share excellent examples of how primary school children worked on a non-fiction text format.... A well-informed book with a welcome dose of humour' - Nursery World `The theoretical underpinning to this volume is rigorous and the case studies are both endearing and informative' - Early Years `One of the insights of social theories of language which is now taken for granted is that language varies as the social context varies' (Kress, 1997) This is a book that operationalizes this insight: it charts young children's early attempts to write as they struggle to communicate meaning for a variety of purposes. Each section deals with the appropriate research evidence on the development of children's competence in literacy, and their growing awareness of genre, and uniquely, with a clear approach to teaching children from three to seven years. The text combines the necessary theoretical underpinning plus the day-to-day practical experience of working with young children in order to develop their understanding of the different forms and language of texts.