Developing Early Literacy: Assessment and teaching is a handbook for understanding and teaching early literacy. It focuses on the development of reading, writing, speaking and listening for children from birth to eight years, and is written for education students and practising teachers working in early childhood settings, including preschools and the first years of school. This second edition includes significant new content with links to the Australian National Curriculum: English, and the Early Years Learning Framework; evidenced-based assessment procedures for improving early language, reading and writing; practical examples of teaching strategies in action in a range of classrooms and settings; further information on oral language and its links to reading and writing; additional information on vocabulary and on the development of comprehension strategies. The new edition explores: • the developmental phases of literacy; • ways of systematically observing and assessing children’s development; • summaries of research into oral language, home and community languages and literacy, play and literacy, reading, writing and new literacies; • the importance of children’s literature and reading aloud; • using different text types for scaffolding children’s reading and writing; • word work: phonemic awareness, phonics and vocabulary; • the importance of educators modelling, sharing, guiding and encouraging independent activities; • practical ideas for planning, teaching and managing the literacy program. Developing early literacy: Assessment and teaching also includes activities and games for making connections between children and families; using literature in the classroom; developing phonemic awareness; understanding concepts of print; problem solving and code-breaking; comprehension; teaching letters and making the letter – sound connections; word study; cooperative learning and more. Developing early literacy: Assessment and teaching is the result of many years of research into children’s literacy development, and highlights the practical implications for teaching young children to read and write. It is underpinned by three important beliefs: adults should scaffold children’s learning; children are active problem solvers; and learning needs to be connected to children’s worlds. Susan Hill is an Associate Professor at the University of South Australia where she teaches courses in early childhood education, early literacy and multi-literacies. She has written more than 20 books for teachers on literacy-related topics. For many years, she has researched the area of early literacy development, both in pre-school children and in the early primary school years. Go to the Developing early literacy website: www.developing-early-literacy.com.au for information, articles and videos of children reading to use for training in assessment.