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Many of our articles dated 2000 and earlier can now be found in this archive.

Millions of children spend a part of the day in child care while their parents work. These settings – in centers and in homes – are places where children can learn and grow.

The number of children in child care is quickly increasing. Early childcare can lay the foundations for reading, and help prevent reading problems from developing. This article describes the current state of child care, and the challenges we face in improving its quality.

With one-on-one conversation, dramatic play, and engaging read alouds, preschool teachers can promote children's language and literacy development. Learn about research studies on the characteristics of preschool environments that prepare children to become readers.

IRA and NAEYC believe that achieving high standards of literacy for every child in the United States is a shared responsibility of schools, early childhood programs, families, and communities. But teachers of young children, whether employed in preschools, child care programs, or elementary schools, have a unique responsibility to promote children's literacy development, based on the most current professional knowledge and research.

Early childhood programs and elementary schools in the United States operate in widely differing contexts with varying levels of funding and resources. Regardless of the resources available, professionals have an ethical responsibility to teach, to the best of their ability, according to the standards of the profession.

The following are recommended teaching practices from the International Reading Association (IRA) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Research shows that the very notion that spoken language is made up of sequences of little sounds does not come naturally or easily to human beings. The small units of speech that correspond to letters of an alphabetic writing system are called phonemes. Thus, the awareness that language is composed of these small sounds is termed phonemic awareness.

The Committee for the Prevention of Reading Difficulties in Young Children has compiled detailed lists of literacy accomplishments for children of different ages. Find out what the typical child can from ages three to four.

Children go through certain phases of reading development from preschool through third grade – from exploration of books to independent reading. Find out what children at each phase should be able to do, and what teachers and families can do to support their development along the way.

Whether a tutor is reading aloud, talking, or writing with a child, there are strategies for making these interactions even more valuable. Learn about these strategies in these tips for tutoring preschool and kindergarten children.