A Framework for Examining Book Reading in Early Childhood Classrooms. CIERA Report.

This paper presents a comprehensive framework for examining book use in early childhood settings, including the following dimensions: the book area; the amount of time provided for book reading; integration of books into the broader curriculum; the nature of the book reading events; and the nature of the home-school connection with respect to book use. Data from four studies conducted in New England are used to assess the quality of book use; each dimension shows significant evidence of the need for improvement in how books are used in preschool classrooms. (Contains 4 tables of data and 41 references.) (PM)