Educational Instructional Strategies Review - Book Report/Review Example

To overcome the imposed challenges, one needs to seek continually for knowledge about changes and trends in the field. Book reviews, lectures, continuing education and other similar efforts will surely help improve and maximize the benefits that every student receives. This book review and reflection presents a collection of thoughts about preschool teaching from education experts in the field. The views of current authors will empower every teacher to handle everyday challenges with ease and confidence.

Book 1: Venn, E.C. & Jahn, M. D. (2004). Teaching and learning in preschool: Using individually appropriate practices in early childhood. DE: International Reading Association. This book is a product of the authors’ more than 12 years of teaching experience and collaboration in the teaching of literacy and reading to preschool children. In the recommendations they make, Venn and Jahn (2004) believe that each child deserves to be given individual attention to address developmental needs. Taking from the views of Vygotsky, the authors pay importance to “social interaction and language, and recognize that learning leads to development” (p.4). As such, there should be balance between play and academic learning in early childhood education.

The book provides current information on research and teaching practice in the preschool level. In Chapter 1, the authors explain the theory behind their framework and the rationale behind their teaching approach. Importantly, the authors collaborate not only in writing the book but also in putting up an early childhood school under a public school in the U.S. They have been successful in their literacy and reading curriculum despite the challenges met at the start concerning regulations and varying suggestions from authorities, parents and other stakeholders.

The authors basically promote a preschool design that allows students to express themselves, interact and learn from others, and gather varied and meaningful learning experiences from their social environment while maintaining their characteristics as little children. Moreover, the authors promote the need of every child to undergo preschool education. In Chapter 2, the authors identify three critical teacher competencies (24) for providing quality service to preschoolers. These are: knowing and understanding each individual child across the developmental domains, knowing preschool curricula and appropriate developmental compendiums, and knowing how to provide appropriate explicit and implicit instruction.

The three competencies serve as the core of the profession. On one hand, the authors do well in identifying these core competencies especially for a starting teacher. On the other hand, these competencies are not enough to achieve success in the profession. In the next chapters of the book, the authors discuss some of the best practices based on their experiences such as zone of proximal development (ZPD) sessions, shared reading, independent work, using print sources, free exploration, thematic integration, creative arts, use of music, gross and fine motor development activities, health and safety measures, among other topics.

The idea of ZPD is highlighted in the approach of the authors. In their school, they implement ZPD sessions involving two to three students and the teacher, similar to group tutorial sessions. The authors believe that ZPD sessions promote focused instruction and enhance learning among students with difficulties. However, it should also be noted that