Preparing Children for Reading Success

Julia Irwin is a Senior Research Scientist at Haskins Laboratories in New Haven, CT, a not-for-profit research institution with a focus on communication, language and reading. Dr. Irwin is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Southern Connecticut State University. Dina Moore is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Southern Connecticut State University and a Research Affiliate of Haskins Laboratories. Her research examines individual differences in reading skill and the cognitive factors that underlie these differences

• ForewordPrefaceIntroductionChapter 1: The Importance of ReadingChapter 2: The Social-Emotional Benefits of ReadingChapter 3: Alphabet KnowledgeChapter 4: Book Handling Skills and Concepts about PrintChapter 5: Phonological AwarenessChapter 6: VocabularyChapter 7: Decontextualized LanguageChapter 8: WritingResourcesAbout the Author

This guide will please concerned adults seeking guidance not only on how children learn but also on how to best support this critical skill building in daily life. Incorporating both the core information from research-based early literacy textbooks and the fun of preschool projects, this slim volume is easy to digest but rich in detail. Each chapter covers one core element of learning to read, including how and why children need to build specific skills (such as phonological awareness or vocabulary); goals for measuring success; how-to activities; book recommendations; and a bibliography. Recommended for both professional-reading and circulating collections, especially those targeting parents.