Organizing the Early Literacy Classroom How to Plan for Success and Reach Your Goals

Filled with clear explanations and doable strategies, this book helps PreK-2 teachers juggle the demands of planning effective instruction and creating a literacy-rich classroom environment. Realistic vignettes illustrate how to set goals, develop standards-based curricula and assessments, establish routines, and organize the classroom space and the daily schedule. The authors demonstrate the nuts and bolts of building an exemplary classroom library and professional teaching library, collaborating as a team with other teachers and specialists, preparing report cards, and communicating with families. Several reproducible forms can be downloaded and printed in a convenient 8 1/2" x 11" size.

Sharon Walpole, PhD, is Professor in the School of Education at the University of Delaware. She has extensive school-based experience designing and implementing tiered instructional programs. Dr. Walpole has also been involved in federally funded and other schoolwide reform projects. Her current work involves the design and effects of schoolwide reforms, particularly those involving literacy coaches. She has coauthored or coedited several other books with Michael C. McKenna, including How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3 and The Literacy Coach’s Handbook, Second Edition, and she is coauthor of The Building Blocks of Preschool Success with Katherine A. Beauchat and Katrin L. Blamey. Dr. Walpole is a recipient of the Early Career Award for Significant Contributions to Literacy Research and Education from the Literacy Research Association.

Michael C. McKenna, PhD, is Thomas G. Jewell Professor of Reading at the University of Virginia. He has authored, coauthored, or edited more than 20 books, including Assessment for Reading Instruction, Second Edition, and over 100 articles, chapters, and technical reports on a range of literacy topics. Dr. McKenna is series coeditor with Sharon Walpole of The Essential Library of PreK-2 Literacy. His research has been sponsored by the National Reading Research Center and the Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement. Dr. McKenna is a corecipient of the Edward B. Fry Book Award from the Literacy Research Association and the Award for Outstanding Academic Books from the American Library Association.

1. Setting Teaching and Learning Goals
2. Building a Professional Library
3. Understanding Your Curriculum
4. Creating an Assessment Plan
5. Linking Assessments to Report Cards
6. Organizing Your Space
7. Organizing Your Time
8. Organizing Your Team
9. Organizing Your Children's Books
10. Establishing Routine
11. Planning Communications with Families
References