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The teaching of phonics is now strongly embedded in early literacy teaching and early years settings, and it has been shown to be an important part of becoming literate. There is, however, significant concern about the formalizing of phonics teaching for very young children.

So, what should we be focusing on in early years? What comes before this formal teaching? What do children need to know and experience to enable them to access phonics teaching with success?

This book looks in detail at the knowledge, understanding, skills, and attitudes that children need to enable them to come to phonics teaching ready to learn and with a good chance of success. It explores a range of aspects of young children's learning and includes practical advice on how to translate this into practice.

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Amazon.com: What comes before phonics?: 9781473968493: Neaum, Sally: Books

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If you're not sure how phonics fits within your daily instruction, or crave a more effective process for teaching phonics, Heidi Anne Mesmer is here to help. In Letter Lessons and First Words, Heidi Anne provides a research-based vision of what lively, engaging phonics instruction can look like, along with practical, classroom-tested tools to make it happen in your classroom.

Heidi Anne provides a one-stop shop for phonics instruction, including a clear scope and sequence of what to teach, a quick assessment to differentiate instruction, a simple lesson framework, and three activity-filled units matching key developmental milestones.

More than twenty classroom videos bring the content to life, showing children working with letters, words, and books at various stages of learning. Additional resources include:

A "know the code" chapter explaining English spelling (and online glossary)

Answers to common questions

Guidance about choosing books for readers at different stages

new info about how children cognitively store words and why inductive tension is important.

Isn't it time to re-imagine how you teach phonics? Letter Lessons and First Words will show you the way toward joyful instruction for today's classrooms.

Read Heidi Anne's Blog post Developmentally Responsive Phonics Instruction: A Research-Based Approach

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Research-based strategies for lively, engaging phonics instruction with young children. - Heinemann

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"Finally, a book that has the power to stop the literacy pendulum swings! In Shifting the Balance, Burkins and Yates skillfully explore 'balanced literacy' and 'the science of reading' to find the sweet spots where they overlap, connect, and actually complement one another. The result is a resource that raises our level of instruction while helping children discover and reap the joyful rewards of reading."

- Susie Rolander, Bank Street College

"What are the research-based, critical elements for teaching reading? In Shifting the Balance, Jan and Kari give you the information, classroom examples, and tools to help you make the best decisions around six key shifts for instruction. After reviewing the misunderstandings, the science, and the needs of your students, you will be able to audit your current practices (individually, in a PLC, or system-wide) to provide responsive and effective literacy learning for all your students."

- Fran McVeigh, Teacher, Consultant, #G2Great Chat Moderator and Associate Academic Coordinator for Morningside College

"In Shifting the Balance, Jan and Kari invite us to reflect and reexamine our beliefs about teaching reading. They gently nudge us to rethink and possibly adjust our early literacy practices. Jan and Kari have taken on this controversial topic by embracing vulnerability and modeling what it means to be truly reflective practitioners. This book is a must read for new and veteran teachers!"

- Jennifer Allen, Literacy Specialist, Waterville Public Schools, ME

"In Shifting the Balance, Kari and Jan have masterfully dispelled many of the myths and misunderstandings associated with reading instruction. Additionally, they offer classroom teachers and coaches six simple, practical shifts that have the power to transform the way we teach children how to read. Indeed, balanced literacy and science do exist in harmony, and we practitioners can offer our children both concurrently. Thank you, Kari and Jan, for this important work that is sure to change lives!"

- Christina Nosek, co-author of To Know and Nurture a Reader: Conferring with Confidence and Joy

"In Shifting the Balance, Jan Burkins and Kari Yates provide a safe space for teachers to courageously examine some long-held balanced literacy practices and turn a critical eye to where those practices have gotten out of balance. If you're willing to be vulnerable and move towards resolving the gap between research and practice, this book provides actionable steps you can take to shift your thinking and bring instruction into alignment with the scientific evidence."

- Helen White, Instructional Support Teacher, Northside Independent School District

"Shifting the Balance is a welcoming opportunity to reexamine our familiar teaching practices. Without judgment, Burkins and Yates invigorate these practices by inviting educators to make scientific shifts in the systems that have been in place for years. This book will revolutionize reading instruction and in turn, the lives of countless students."

- Jennifer Clyne Stewart, M.Ed., Dyslexia Specialist

"This book speaks to teachers. It is overwhelmingly clear that Jan Burkins and Kari Yates have been and are immersed in the world of today's classrooms. Shifting the Balance will help many rethink instruction in ways that will support all students. In the current version of the Reading Wars, it is difficult for any of us to say we were wrong about some of our beliefs or practices. And thus, few do. However, Jan Burkins and Kari Yates have done just that. This is as commendable as it is unusual."

- David Liben, www.readingdoneright.org

"This book found me at just the right time! Shifting the Balance gives voice to the questions I've had in my mind about Balanced Literacy and the Science of Reading and provides clear insights on how to connect the best parts of both to benefit early readers. Throughout the book, Jan and Kari confirm practices worth holding onto while providing actionable next steps I can't wait to implement with students to strengthen my reading instruction."

- Kristen Mullikin, Reading Specialist, Elk Grove Unified School District.

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Shifting the Balance, Grades K-2: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom

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The current emphasis on the body of research known as the

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Story Workshop - New Possibilities for Young Writers

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Story Workshop - New Possibilities for Young Writers

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Even our youngest students have lots of stories to tell, whether real or imagined. How can we create entry points for writing, so that all writers feel confident and motivated to share their stories? How can we establish a classroom community of beginning writers where equity, empathy, and compassion become part of the process and vital by-products of story writing?

Enter story workshop, a structure for early literacy that amplifies the relationship between play, art, and writing. Children develop ideas and stories through choices of art materials. By creating images through play, story workshop invites children to explore the "amazingness" (Nisa, age 10) of their ideas in a variety of art forms. "Through their stories," Susan writes, "students share the meaning they make of their experiences in the world." Children in every classroom environment feel empowered to transition from play to pencil as they add words to their stories.

Story Workshop includes an abundance of classroom videos, photos, and student samples that illustrate what is possible when children use words, colors, textures, shapes and all kinds of materials to create the stories they want to tell. Watch how students' imaginations soar, their love of writing blossoms, and their connections with one another become the focal point of your classroom.

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How to create entry points for beginning writers by amplifying the relationship between play, art, and writing. - Heinemann

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StoryMaking: The Maker Movement Approach to Literacy for Early Learners 

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StoryMaking: The Maker Movement Approach to Literacy for Early Learners 

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Michelle Kay Compton (Author), Robin Chappele Thompson (Author)

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StoryMaking: The Maker Movement Approach to Literacy for Early Learners

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Amazon.com: StoryMaking: The Maker Movement Approach to Literacy for Early Learners: 9781605546032: Compton, Michelle Kay, Thompson, Robin Chappele: Books

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Already Ready - Nurturing Writers in Preschool and Kindergarten

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Already Ready - Nurturing Writers in Preschool and Kindergarten

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Already Ready: Nurturing Writers in Preschool and Kindergarten

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Amazon.com: Already Ready: Nurturing Writers in Preschool and Kindergarten: 8601419153053: Ray, Katie Wood, Glover, Matt: Books

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Environment Field Trip

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Lauren Hateley-Crowe

lhateleycrowe@nist.ac.th

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Environment Audit

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What Comes Before Phonics? : Reflection

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NAEYC Emergent Writing Through Exploration

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NAEYC Emergent Writing Through Exploration

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What Made This Shadow_Jan Burkins & Kim Yaris_Level C

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Shadows come in all shapes and sizes. Do shadows sometimes bring surprises? Can you tell what made these shadows?

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Shared Reading Planner with Mentor Text Links

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Shared Reading Planner with Mentor Text Links

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Planning Shared Reading

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Planner for Phonics Instruction: Mesmer

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wordtorque Blog Post

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writing teaching parent book making "down time" "kathy collins" "matt glover" "lanesha tabb"

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Resources for parents to support their children's learning in writing and reading.

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A Teacher’s Guide to Vocabulary Development Across the Day