Write Now! Publishing with Young Authors PreK-2nd Grade
It is never too soon for children to experience the rewards of writing. Parents and teachers can reward their development from scribbles to letters, to words, to sentences, to purposeful writing by 'publishing' children's work. Write Now! offers a practical, proven pathway for encouraging and supporting early writers.
(Paperback, 112 page, Published by Heinemann, Portsmouth, NH)

Books by Karyn W. Tunks
Write Now! Publishing with Young Authors in Prek-Grade 2
Outdoor Play Everyday : Innovative Play Concepts for Early Childhood
A Constructivist Approach to Block Play in Early Childhood 
Creating Effective Learning Environments

Professors Karyn Tunks and Rebecca Giles are co-authors of Write Now!

Write Now! Publishing with Young Authors, PreK-Grade 2
    by Karyn W. Tunks and Rebecca McMahon Giles

It is never too soon to start children on the road to successful writing. We can, and should, work with even the youngest of writers to begin them on the journey from scribbles to letters, to words, to sentences, to purposeful writing. Write Now! offers a practical, proven pathway for encouraging and supporting early writers through publishing and celebrating their work using four key strategies to get them underway.

Karyn and Rebecca know that for children, sharing their work with family and peers is a powerful motivator for learning to write. Through publishing, students acquire the basic mechanics and concepts of writing, as well as the confidence that their markings can, and will, be interpreted and understood by readers. Tunks and Giles four strategies will help you guide students from their first written pieces to more sophisticated writing:

• Dictating Oral Anecdotes helps children see how speech and narrative are connected to writing.
• Translating Kid Writing gives young writers their first taste of composing and an opportunity to take risks with writing.
• Creating Cooperative Chronicles introduces children to revising and editing through the energy of group work.
• Encouraging Independent Authors brings it all together for writers first on-their-own writing experiences.

From sharp ideas on setting up a classroom full of oral and written language and learning centers where young writers can flourish, to tips on watching for key developmental markers, to information on working with English language learners, introducing genres, and organizing individual student projects, Write Now! has everything you ll need to launch children into a lifetime of writing.

There is no better time to start young children writing than today. So whether you re a new teacher looking for an effective way to teach writing or a seasoned practitioner interested in a philosophically sound approach that s adaptable to a wide range of abilities, start reading Write Now!

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Outdoor Play Everyday : Innovative Play Concepts for Early Childhood

      by Karyn W. Tunks

Outdoor Play, Everyday: Innovative Play Concepts for Early Childhoodpresents information not readily available to early childhood teachers. While safety of children is placed first and most, the text goes far beyond the playground as a means of providing outdoor experiences. Outdoor play is viewed in a wholistic manner and thus a broad range of opportunities for learning and play are covered. Specific assessment techniques for analyzing children's growth in an outdoor environment are introduced in detail with relevant examples, with attention given specifically to primary grade children. Children of varying ages are distinctly different in their cognitive thinking and physical abilities, as plans for their outdoor play should be made accordingly. Outdoor play is as important at home and in the community as it is in school settings, yet often there is a lack of safe places and appropriate supervision. These important issues are also addressed, as well as issues such as gender, socio-economic background, and ability in relation to outdoor play. As an important aspect of childhood, ideas for making outdoor play accessible are also well-presented.

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A Constructivist Approach to Block Play in Early Childhood 
    by Karyn W. Tunks and Judith Kieff

This text provides a fresh and holistic look at the continued relevance of block play to today's children. Students of early childhood education will benefit from the current research, theory, strategies and examples of block play and related topics that are the main focus of this text. A complete history of block play in early childhood education leads the student to current research on brain development. The text links block play to learning by exploring brain-based research and constructivist theories of learning. The role of the early childhood teacher is fully explored, including organizing the classroom, providing blocks and other materials, and documenting the children's learning.

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Creating Effective Learning Environments
    by Karyn W. Tunks and Ingrid Crowther

Curriculum needs to be based on the strengths and needs of children. This information is gathered through careful observation and documentation and is one of the cornerstones of curriculum development. The purpose of this text is to take curriculum development to another level: to fill the gap between theory and practice. This text will help students to look at curriculum from the perspective of the child and to understand how that perspective is linked to learning and theory. This book is a documentation of individuals and groups of children learning over time. Each curriculum discussion starts with the real experiences that children have had. From these experiences, pertinent theory is woven in, explained and expanded.

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