The National Early Literacy Panel and Preschool Literacy Instruction: Green Lights, Caution Lights, and Red Lights

The high level of acceptance in US society of the preschool years as a critically important time for building early literacy skills has led to a flurry of activity in early childhood research and policy. The National Early Literacy Panel (NELP) report "Developing Early Literacy" (2008) is one example of this activity. The NELP report is part of a larger movement in the past decade to ground educational practice in scientifically based research results. In this article the authors examine recommendations for practice emanating from the NELP report and related documents designed to lead educators toward better early literacy classroom practice. They begin by describing the recent influences on early literacy, including the NELP report and other documents that interpret the report's findings. They then review the implications of literacy practice for preschoolers recommended in the NELP report and in publications that draw on NELP. The authors intend to make clear for practitioners, administrators, policy makers, and those involved in early childhood professional development which of the instructional recommendations made for early literacy are warranted and which may well create problems for some children's later reading success if implemented by preschool teachers.