'This new edition of a highly regarded and very well-presented text on young children's language and literacy development is thoroughly up-to-date and relevant to practitioners working with children from birth to five in the Early Years Foundation Stage and teachers of children in Years 1 and 2. It provides, in an extremely readable and accessible way, the key theories which practitioners need to be familiar with in order to support the language and literacy development of young children in their care...Students will find the connection between theory and practice illuminating and a great help in their studies' - Early Years Update

'This book is key reading for primary and early years students, early years practitioners classroom assistants and Early Years Foundation Stage teachers' - Early Years Educator

Praise for the Third Edition : 'The text relates theory and practice in an easily readable form with particularly helpful sections on key terminology and summaries within each chapter. A most useful, practical text which no early years practitioner should be without' - Jacqueline Barbera, Director of Undergraduate ITT, Liverpool Hope University College

PART ONE: LANGUAGE AND LEARNING Linguistics: The Study of Language Sociolinguistics: Language and Cultures Psycholinguistics: Early Language Acquisition Psycholinguistics: Language and Thinking The Early Years Practitioner and Knowledge about Language PART TWO: LITERACY Narrative and Storying Books and the World of Literature Early Representation and Emerging Writing The Early Years Practitioner and Literacy