Literacy from Home to School: Reading with Alice

Many children learn to read before they start school. The implications of this for early years teachers are two-fold. Firstly they need to be aware of the nature of the literacy experiences that young children enjoy in the home and, secondly, they need to reconsider certain of the literacy practices which they engage in the pre-school setting. This book chronicles the first five years of Alice, tracing her growth into literacy over the days and months. From the start, Alice has books read to her, and from these and other literary events she develops naturally as a writer and reader. This book is testimony to the importance of repeatedly reading books to young children, giving them opportunities for writing, singing nursey rhymes and songs, and for attending to environmental print and looking at letters in context. Early years teachers will be encouraged by what Alice shows us because her learning confirms models of good practice and is a warning against an overly prescriptive curriculum for young children. The book will also inspire parents and grandparents of young children.