Developing Language and Literacy with Young Children

Looking at the most exciting and important aspect of human development, communication and language in the early years, this accessible book gives careers, parents, teachers and other professionals who work and play with young children a confident understanding of children's communication and language development in the years from birth to age eight.

The book examines the wide range of elements that are typical of all our communication and language activities: thinking, feeling, imagining, talking, listening, drawing, writing and reading. The author emphasizes the importance of children's relationships and communications with the people, who care about them, spend time with them and share in the excitement of their developing languages and their investigations of literacy. Taking a holistic approach, she covers:

o early communication and language
o the achievements of young bilinguals
o the significance of stories, narrative and language play
o the emergence of literacy in homes, early years settings and classrooms.