ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book discusses the acquisition of literacy and its relation to two major areas of child development: language development and aesthetic growth. Literacy is defined as activity which involves contact with the printed word. Endorsement of the position that reading and writing are highly interrelated has major implications for instruction. The book addresses the connection between learning to talk and learning to read. Basic issues in language acquisition are reviewed in order to provide a foundation for the subsequent discussion regarding implications for literacy learning. It illustrates the relationship between cognitive processes that occur in artistic activity and those that occur in reading and writing; a rationale for integrating the arts with reading and writing instruction is offered. The book focuses on theoretical and instructional perspectives regarding reading and writing. It considers the integrated curriculum and its extension outside the classroom.
