Language, Literacy and Communication in the Early Years

An essential text for students and practitioners on the development and acquisition of language and literacy in the early years.

Carol Hayes has worked in early years for the last 40 years as a teacher and tutor. She worked at Staffordshire University for six years as a principal lecturer and academic group leader, where she helped to develop a thriving early childhood studies department with programmes from foundation degrees to Masters in early childhood. Her specialist areas are cognitive development, language, literacy and communication and her main research interests are dyslexia and communication difficulties and the role of graduate teaching assistants in the workforce.

Foreword About the author Chapter 1 - Origins of Language Chapter 2 - Receptive Language and Listening Chapter 3 - The Oral Tradition Chapter 4 - Scribblers to Scribes Chapter 5 - The Foundations of Reading Chapter 6 - Specific Learning Difficulties Chapter 7 - Gender Influences Chapter 8 - Living with Language---The Literate Environment Chapter 9 - Books and Stories Chapter 10 -The Holistic Child ----A Whole Brain Approach to Language Acquisition Glossary Index