It’s more then just reading Bringing Books to life It’s more then just reading Danielle Hamlin Farmington Early Learning Center

What Would it be like not to be able to read?

Did you know? About 42% of adults in Maine are functioning at the lowest levels of literacy. At 16-18 months, when children begin learning vocabulary, learning words is affected by economic Background Only 27 percent of parents with below basic literacy levels report reading to their children five or more times a week Children's academic success later on can be related to the amount of talk and interactions they hear/have from birth through age 3 ½ By the age of three there is a 30 million word gap between children from higher class and children who are living in poverty

Why is that important? Parents what to do what is best for their children, no matter how much they make Stress and parenting play a factor in literacy? Parents who have low literacy skills don’t feel comfortable reading out loud Even to their child Parents who have negative education experience don’t feel comfortable in an educational setting Working two jobs to make ends meet Mentors and pass parenting

Bringing books to Life … at the beginning Start of each group Review last months book What work well? What activities did they try? What where some challenges? Introduce the book What do they think the book is about? What do they think will happen?

Bringing Books to Life … Reading the book As teachers what are some important factors we keep in mind when we share books with children? Open-ended questions? Predictions? Comments? I wonder….? During the book read pause when needed to help teach/model these tips with parents? Encourage parents to feel comfortable pausing the story read and ask the question. What would their child think?

Bringing Books to life … after the story Begin the parent topic How can we share this book with our child? How can we use this book to help teach? What would their child take away from the book? That topics does this book support? How does the parent see themselves sharing this book with their child? Would their child enjoy this book?

Bringing Books to Life … bring the story to life Literacy is more then just reading What activities can help support the book? How can we make learning literacy fun not just for their child, but for them? A time to be together as a family Literacy is talking, going for a walk and discovering new things, creating a shopping list, playing a match game, literacy is in everything we do.

Bringing Books to Life … Brining it home What are they going to try at home?

Important key points Parents pick the books Parents lead the topics There is no wrong or right …. Just I wonders And everyone is learning something from everyone

Why do parents think it’s important and why do they come? Learning new activities Learning how to make reading fun Get new ideas Becoming a better reader themselves Help support their own child, so they don’t struggle like they did Gain self confidence and that they have a voice That they are their child’s first and best teacher… their life long teacher

Thank You

Refences https://www.lvwaterville.com/learners-c2c2 https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/feb2014/the-word-gap https://www1.maine.gov/doe/literacy-for- me/documents/BytheNumbers_TheStateofLiteracyinMaine_.pdf