Gabriele Cassina, Age 5

Ladders to Literacy is a comprehensive curriculum approach, designed to facilitate the early literacy and language development of preschool and kindergarten children in inclusive settings.

Ladders to Literacy is research-based and has been field-tested in a variety of settings. The model has been proven effective in increasing short-term and long-term literacy and language outcomes of children functioning at different levels and coming from diverse cultural backgrounds.

To read and see more about the Ladders to Literacy model go to:

Washington Research Institute
www.clas.uiuc.edu
Brookes Publishing

Introduction from
Ladders to Literacy: A Preschool Activity Book
(Notari-Skyverson, A., O'Connor, R.E., & Vadasy, P.F. (1998). Ladders to Literacy: A Preschool Activity Book. (pp. 5-9). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. (#3173; $49.95); toll-free telepone: 1-800-638-3775; fax: 410-337-8539; web site: www.brookespublishing.com)

SUPPORTING LITERACY DEVELOPMENT IN YOUNG CHILDREN
This volume of preschool activities attempts to form a comprehensive and cohesive framework that brings together theory, research, and practice across diverse disciplines: early literacy and language development, early childhood, and early childhood special education. Theory and research as well as actual classroom practices guided the development of the activities. Similarly, theoretical foundations as well as ideas for practical applications are presented in this volume for users to make their own and adapt to their particular circumstances. Following is a description of the major features of the curriculum (see Table 1 for an overview of these features). [note: no table 1 in this excerpt.]

General Knowledge Features
This volume provides teachers and parents with knowledge and skills in four areas: 1) understanding the development of literacy in young children, 2) providing a literacy-rich physical environment in the home and school, 3) promoting early literacy through child-responsive teaching strategies, and 4) assessing children's literacy development in developmentally appropriate ways.More->