America’s Early Childhood Literacy Gap

This article, commissioned by Jumpstart in September 2009, is an excellent source for research quotes and statistics to share with key stakeholders when advocating for early literacy resources and services. This is where you will find direct quotes about the use of reading test scores as one factor used to plan new prisons.
 
Early Dual Language Learning

This article, from ZERO TO THREE by Fred Genesee at McGill University, is an excellent resource to share with parents asking questions about raising bilingual children.  This is where you will find direct quotes like:  “The advantages of being bi- or multi-lingual go beyond the family. Research has shown that children who are fluent in two language enjoy certain cognitive advantages in comparison to those who speak only one language (Bialystok & Martin, 2004; Genesee & Gandara, 1999).”
 
Early Literacy Research

Three pages, neatly organized into two columns.  One column is a research quote and the second column cites the source of the quote.  This is the research noted in the Every Child Ready to Read @ your library (1st Ed.)® curriculum. 
 
Research Index

The Campaign for Grade-Level Readings has compiled a list with links to over 30 research papers and articles. Much of the research is on early childhood (PreK).  

Rethinking the Brain

One page image of synaptic density at birth, 6 years old, and 14 years old.  Lists old and new thinking about brain development.
 
Right from Birth

One page graph illustrating that mothers who talk with their children more times per hour have children with larger vocabularies than mothers who talk less with their children.
 
Milestone Moments: Learn the Signs. Act Early.

This booklet by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides parents with a checklist of key cognitive and physical milestones, suggests activities to help children learn and grow, and provides information about what parents can do if they are concerned about developmental delays.  While the focus of this booklet is over-all child development, it provides a lot of information around language development which is the foundation of early literacy.  In addition, many of the suggested activities support early literacy development.
 
Young Children: Stages and Books

This seven page chart by Saroj Ghoting neatly outlines the ages and stages of early literacy activities 0-5 year old are capable of, what types of books are appropriate for those stages, and how to share books with children at each age.