Cover; Half Title Page; Title Page; Copyright; Dedication; About the Authors; Preface; Contents; Part I. Introductory Issues; 1. Introduction; Overview of Topics; The General Approach of This Book; 2. Brain Development, Language, and Literacy; Why Study Brain Development?; The Goal of Brain Development; Further Explorations of Cytoarchitecture: Cell Types and Brain Layers; Seven Major Processes of Brain Development; Factors Affecting Brain Development; Conclusions and Caveats; Part II. The Development of Spoken Language Competence; 3. An Overview of Spoken Language Competence

$g Part I. $t Introductory issues. $g Introduction ; $t Brain development, language, and literacy
$g Part II. $t The development of spoken language competence. $t An overview of spoken language competence ; $t The development of phonological skills ; $t The development of word meaning and vocabulary ; $t The development of grammatical knowledge
$g Part III. $t The development of reading and writing skills. $t Emergent literacy and predictors of early reading success ; $t Beginning reading ; $t The development of reading comprehension ; $t The development of writing skills
$g Part IV. $t Individual and group differences in language and literacy. $t Motivational issues in speaking, reading, and writing ; $t Sociocultural issues in speaking, reading, and writing
$g Part V. $t Instructional techniques and programs. $t General principles of effective instructions ; $t Language and literacy programs that work.

The "Nature of" Question: What Does It Mean to Say That a Child Has Spoken Language Competence?The Relevance Question: Why Should Teachers Care about Whether Children Acquire Spoken Language Competence?; The Developmental Trends Question: How Does Spoken Language Competence Change over Time?; The Developmental Mechanisms Question: What Factors Promote Changes in Spoken Language Competence?

The Deficiencies Question: Are There Populations of Children or Adults Who Lack Some or All of the Key Skills of Spoken Language Competence? Do These Individuals Experience Problems When They Learn to Read or after They Have Learned to Read?4. The Development of Phonological Skills; The "Nature of" Question: What Does It Mean to Say That a Child Has Phonological Processing Competence?; The Relevance Question: Why Should Teachers Care about Whether Children Acquire Phonological Processing Competence?

The Developmental Trends Question: How Does Phonological Processing Competence Change over Time?The Developmental Mechanisms Question: What Factors Promote Changes in Phonological Processing Competence?; The Deficiencies Question: Are There Populations of Children or Adults Who Lack Some or All of the Key Skills of Phonological Processing Competence? Do These Individuals Experience Problems When They Learn to Read or after They Have Learned to Read?; 5. The Development of Word Meaning and Vocabulary; The "Nature of" Question: What Does It Mean to Say That a Child Knows the Meaning of Words?

The Relevance Question: Why Should Teachers Care about Whether Children Know the Meaning of a Large Number of Words?The Developmental Trends Question: How Does a Child's Spoken Vocabulary Change over Time?; The Developmental Mechanisms Question: What Factors Promote Changes in Children's Spoken Vocabulary?; The Deficiencies Question: Are There Populations of Children or Adults Who Have Underdeveloped or Impaired Spoken Vocabularies? Do These Individuals Experience Problems When They Learn to Read or after They Have Learned to Read?; 6. The Development of Grammatical Knowledge