What are the ways in which young children learn to communicate? Collating their extensive experience of language and literacy in the early years, the contributors explore key aspects of this topic, linking practical ideas for early years settings and classrooms to relevant theory and research.

This second edition is updated to take into account important developments in research, policy and practice, and now covers the 0-8 age range. It also addresses developments in new media and the impact this has upon literacy in young children, and offers chapters on new areas which have emerged in recent years, such as multimodality, media literacy, creative arts and literacy.

Explored in the book are:

- the relationship between play and literacy;

- the role environmental print has in early literacy development;

- the language and literacy development of young bilinguals;

- ideas, suggestions and justifications for the use of poetry;

- a two-year research project, funded by Creative Partnerships; and

- key issues relating to family literacy.