Children begin their literacy journeys from the moment of their birth as they begin to read the world around them. They embark on their journeys as they observe and react to the gestures and voices of their family members, and hear and use the language in which they are immersed to communicate with others. Through their interactions with the sign systems surrounding them, they become socialized into the cultural practices of their communities and construct meaning in their lives. Children's entrance into formal education, where they begin to read the "word", further connect them with literacies of other communities, both nationally and globally. Thus, the early years become a critical time to build and support current and future learning where children develop into creative problem solvers, thoughtful communicators and productive leaders and citizens of the next generation. This volume extends current knowledge of children's learning by exploring the importance of children's earliest years within the context of their families and communities and connecting those years with their formal education. Development is viewed through a child's perezhivanie; a concept by Vygotsky (1933-1934/1994) that expresses the unity of the individual's biological and cultural development. According to Vygotsky, development does not isolate the individual from her/his social context. Children are social beings from birth who acquire and make meanings of their world through their interactions with their families, friends, childcare providers, religious groups, and other community members. These interactions encompass the way children use language within children's ecosocial (physical and social worlds) where development occurs. How these ecosocial worlds support each other or collide will impact children's literacy development. This unique contribution provides the reader with opportunities to: a) Recognize the importance of literacy practices as cultural and social within the context of the multiple worlds of young children, b) promote a continuity of children's ecosocial worlds into their formal education through concepts of perezhivanie and resourcebased pedagogies, and c) envision an alternative framework for recognizing children's ecosocial worlds outside of the classroom and integrating aspects of those worlds to involve families in their child's formal education.

Children's literature is ubiquitous in preschool and elementary school classrooms and in school libraries. Teachers use children's literature for pedagogical purposes and to excite children's imaginations and expose them to "worlds" beyond their own experience. Over the past thirty years, teachers have increasingly used children's literature to expose their students to cultural, racial, and religious diversity as well as introducing their students to issues of social justice and social equity. Unfortunately, Jewish children's literature is often absent in the preschool and elementary school classroom. When it is present, it is almost exclusively Holocaust literature. The result is that Jewish people are nearly invisible in the children's literature found in preschool and elementary school classrooms and when it is available, it presents a "picture" to children of Jews as victims. The purpose of our book is to address this problematic situation and provide teachers with guidance in the use of Jewish children's literature in the preschool and elementary school classroom. There is a broad range of authentic, high quality Jewish children's literature that could be used by preschool and elementary school teachers regardless of how many Jewish children they have in their class. It is as important for teachers with no Jewish children in their classroom as it is for teachers with some or many Jewish children in the class to expose all of their students to Jewish children's literature. Our book introduces preschool and elementary teachers to a broad range of high-quality children's literature books and stories and provides them with background information so that they can use Jewish children's literature thoughtfully with their students.

Children's literature is ubiquitous in preschool and elementary school classrooms and in school libraries. Teachers use children's literature for pedagogical purposes and to excite children's imaginations and expose them to "worlds" beyond their own experience. Over the past thirty years, teachers have increasingly used children's literature to expose their students to cultural, racial, and religious diversity as well as introducing their students to issues of social justice and social equity. Unfortunately, Jewish children's literature is often absent in the preschool and elementary school classroom. When it is present, it is almost exclusively Holocaust literature. The result is that Jewish people are nearly invisible in the children's literature found in preschool and elementary school classrooms and when it is available, it presents a "picture" to children of Jews as victims. The purpose of our book is to address this problematic situation and provide teachers with guidance in the use of Jewish children's literature in the preschool and elementary school classroom. There is a broad range of authentic, high quality Jewish children's literature that could be used by preschool and elementary school teachers regardless of how many Jewish children they have in their class. It is as important for teachers with no Jewish children in their classroom as it is for teachers with some or many Jewish children in the class to expose all of their students to Jewish children's literature. Our book introduces preschool and elementary teachers to a broad range of high-quality children's literature books and stories and provides them with background information so that they can use Jewish children's literature thoughtfully with their students.

A Co-publication of the National Council of Teachers of English and Routledge. How can teachers make sound pedagogical decisions and advocate for educational policies that best serve the needs of students in today's diverse classrooms? What is the pedagogical value of providing culturally and linguistically diverse students greater access to their own language and cultural orientations? This landmark volume responds to the call to attend to the unfinished pedagogical business of the NCTE Conference on College Composition and Communication 1974 StudentsaEURO (TM) Right to Their Own Language resolution. Chronicling the interplay between legislated/litigated education policies and language and literacy teaching in diverse classrooms, it presents exemplary research-based practices that maximize students' learning by utilizing their home-based cultural, language, and literacy practices to help them meet school expectations. Pre-service teachers, practicing teachers, and teacher educators need both resources and knowledge, including global perspectives, about language variation in PreK-12 classrooms and hands-on strategies that enable teachers to promote students' use of their own language in the classroom while also addressing mandated content and performance standards. This book meets that need. Visit http://www.ncte.org for more information about NCTE books, membership, and other services.

A Co-publication of the National Council of Teachers of English and Routledge. How can teachers make sound pedagogical decisions and advocate for educational policies that best serve the needs of students in today's diverse classrooms? What is the pedagogical value of providing culturally and linguistically diverse students greater access to their own language and cultural orientations? This landmark volume responds to the call to attend to the unfinished pedagogical business of the NCTE Conference on College Composition and Communication 1974 StudentsaEURO (TM) Right to Their Own Language resolution. Chronicling the interplay between legislated/litigated education policies and language and literacy teaching in diverse classrooms, it presents exemplary research-based practices that maximize students' learning by utilizing their home-based cultural, language, and literacy practices to help them meet school expectations. Pre-service teachers, practicing teachers, and teacher educators need both resources and knowledge, including global perspectives, about language variation in PreK-12 classrooms and hands-on strategies that enable teachers to promote students' use of their own language in the classroom while also addressing mandated content and performance standards. This book meets that need. Visit http://www.ncte.org for more information about NCTE books, membership, and other services.

Children begin their literacy journeys from the moment of their birth as they begin to read the world around them. They embark on their journeys as they observe and react to the gestures and voices of their family members, and hear and use the language in which they are immersed to communicate with others. Through their interactions with the sign systems surrounding them, they become socialized into the cultural practices of their communities and construct meaning in their lives. Children's entrance into formal education, where they begin to read the "word", further connect them with literacies of other communities, both nationally and globally. Thus, the early years become a critical time to build and support current and future learning where children develop into creative problem solvers, thoughtful communicators and productive leaders and citizens of the next generation. This volume extends current knowledge of children's learning by exploring the importance of children's earliest years within the context of their families and communities and connecting those years with their formal education. Development is viewed through a child's perezhivanie; a concept by Vygotsky (1933-1934/1994) that expresses the unity of the individual's biological and cultural development. According to Vygotsky, development does not isolate the individual from her/his social context. Children are social beings from birth who acquire and make meanings of their world through their interactions with their families, friends, childcare providers, religious groups, and other community members. These interactions encompass the way children use language within children's ecosocial (physical and social worlds) where development occurs. How these ecosocial worlds support each other or collide will impact children's literacy development. This unique contribution provides the reader with opportunities to: a) Recognize the importance of literacy practices as cultural and social within the context of the multiple worlds of young children, b) promote a continuity of children's ecosocial worlds into their formal education through concepts of perezhivanie and resourcebased pedagogies, and c) envision an alternative framework for recognizing children's ecosocial worlds outside of the classroom and integrating aspects of those worlds to involve families in their child's formal education.