Early Literacy

1. This Professional Development Opportunity is provided to
you courtesy of Angela Gossett
This PD fulfills the requirements of
The Masters of Education Program at MSU
Methods and Materials of Teaching the Gifted (EDU692-01-SP09)

2. "There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world.
Love of books is the best of all."
— Jacqueline Kennedy
As educators it is our singular goal to do what is best for
children. You well know that what is best for children is
success – success in life, success in school, and success in
reading. This success begins long before they enter the
school building on that first whirlwind day of Kindergarten.
A child's success or failure in school begins with their earliest
literacy experiences at home. But it is not solely up to the
parents to provide these rich experiences. As it has been
said, “It takes a village to raise a child.” All those with vested
interest in a child's success must take responsibility for that
child's success in school – families, teachers, and
administrators. This PD will address the ways in which each
party is expected to participate in the success of students.

3. What is the problem?
Parents often struggle to provide the needed language
and literacy experiences to their preschool children
that they will need for success in reading upon
entering school.
Hadaway is quoted to say “Limited verbal language
opportunities at home may be linked to many factors:
caregivers' educational/literacy level, work schedules,
socioeconomic pressures, attitudes toward the
importance of verbal engagement with children, etc.
Whatever the reason, the lack of oral language
stimulation for many young children entering school
remains an obstacle to their future literacy learning
efforts.” (p.11)

4. Who is responsible for a child's
success or failure in reading?
Families
Teachers
Administrators

5. What is my role as a parent?
Parents: RReeaadd ttoo aanndd wwiitthh yyoouurr
cchhiillddrreenn bbeeggiinnnniinngg aatt aa vveerryy yyoouunngg
aaggee..

6. What is my role as a teacher?
Teachers: PPrroovviiddee rreesseeaarrcchh--bbaasseedd
lliitteerraaccyy pprrooggrraammmmiinngg tthhaatt iiss
iimmpplleemmeenntteedd iinn aa fflleexxiibbllee ggrroouuppiinngg
eennvviirroonnmmeenntt..

7. What is my role as an administrator?
Administrators: TThhee sscchhooooll''ss rroollee iinn tthhiiss
ppllaann iiss ttoo ccoonnnneecctt tthhee ccllaassssrroooomm ttoo tthhee
hhoommee.. TThhiiss ccaann bbee aaccccoommpplliisshheedd tthhrroouugghh
ppaarreenntt ttrraaiinniinngg//eeqquuiippppiinngg pprrooggrraammss
pprroovviiddeedd ttoo pprreesscchhooooll ffaammiilliieess tthhrroouugghh
ccoollllaabboorraattiioonn wwiitthh tthhee ffaammiillyy rreessoouurrccee
cceenntteerr aanndd llooccaall hheeaalltthh aanndd wweellffaarree
sseerrvviicceess..

8. Research Based Strategies - Parents
 “regular parent-child reading sessions, which include meaningful
conversations and interactions, influence early reading acquisition
significantly more than their family's backgrounds or SES.” (Bailey p.310)
Read with your child frequently and talk about what you read together.
 “Researchers suggest that the earlier children are exposed to reading
strategies, the more likely they are to become early readers.” (Bailey p.310)
Begin exposing your child to books and reading as young as possible.
 “Parents should know that their willingness to read to their children
regularly, at least 3 or 4 times a week, might increase the likelihood that their
child will achieve early reading literacy.” (Bailey p.314)
Set aside time each day for reading. Model the importance of reading.
 “Children reared in families where parents provide rich language and
literacy do better in school than those who do not. (...) Exposure to less
common, more sophisticated vocabulary at home relates directly to
children's vocabulary acquisition (...) There is a strong relationship between
vocabulary development and reading achievement.” (Strickland p.87)
Don't use “baby talk.” Use rich vocabulary when appropriate in every
day conversations with your child.

9. Research Based Strategies - Teachers
 “The research suggested that children who attended preschools that exposed
them to early literacy activities, while allowing their families easy access to the
reading literacy materials, served to positively influence the rates at which they
acquire critical pre-reading and reading skills.” (Bailey p.310)
Preschool and Kindergarten curriculums must not only provide rich literacy
experiences for students while at school, but must include parents by
allowing access to materials for at-home use. (School-to-home libraries)
 “First, oral language and literacy develop together.(...)It is not enough to simply
teach early literacy skills in isolation. Teaching children to apply the skills they
learn has a significantly greater effect on their ability to read ” (Stickland p.86)
Preschool and Kindergarten curriculum should provide oral language as
well as literacy skills activities that are taught in real-world contexts. Basil
reading series are not recommended. The use of picture books and
culturally diverse texts are much more beneficial in meeting the needs of
diverse learners even at an early age.
“ the lack of oral language stimulation for many young children entering school
remains an obstacle to their future literacy learning efforts.(...) research has
indicated that the phonological awareness of children as young as 4 years of age
can be improved through training. (Hadaway p.11, 14)
Oral language and phonological awareness should be at the primary focus
of early literacy programs.

10. Research Based Strategies - Principals
 “even a small increase in the quality of classroom experiences produces positive
effects on children's language development and pre-literacy skills. Moreover, part of
the preschool focus can also be directed toward parent training outreach in an effort
to encourage increased interaction in the home.” (Hadaway p.12)
Encourage best practices in classrooms and promote school-to-home
communications.
“Successful programs include parents and the entire staff in an effort to connect
home and school. Everyone benefits from the sharing of information and an
atmosphere of shared purpose.” (Stickland p.88)
Provide regular opportunities for families to visit their child's classrooms and
communicate freely with their child's teachers. Promote an “open door”
policy in which families feel welcome to visit, ask questions, and share
expertise with their child's class as well as the school at large.
“School administrators need to know that making reading material available to
parents/families and making recommendations for home learning activities is
important.” (Bailey p.314)
Create a parent resource center in your school where parents can collect
materials on reading with children at home as well as other health and
wellness resources. Also ask teachers to provide an area in their classrooms
or the library where supplemental materials and books that may be take for at-home
use can be accessed by parents.

11. TAKE ACTION!
Now you are equipped with the research-based strategies that
you need to help prepare preschool families and improve our
preschool/kindergarten programs.
LET'S TAKE ACTION!
 Conduct Family Knowledge/Needs Surveys.
 Reach out to families and provide them with the resources
needed to create positive early literacy experiences at home.
 Create a reading resource center for parents.
 Examine current curriculum in Preschool/Kindergarten and
refocus program from social skills to reading readiness.
 Host training seminars and giving away or loan out reading
readiness resources for at-home use.

12. Resources
 Bailey, L. (2006). Examining Gifted Students Who Are
Economically At-Risk to Determine Factors that Influence Their
Early Reading Success. Early Childhood Education Journal
33 (5), 307-315
 Hadaway, Nancy L.(2005) The Press for Achievement and the
Promise of Preschool Literacy Experiences. The New England
Reading Association Journal. 41 (2), 11-17
 Strickland, Dorothy S. (2004) Working with Families as
Partners in Early Literacy. The Reading Teacher. 58 (1), 86-88