Nurturing Knowledge Susan B Neuman University of Michigan WOW Professional Development Training September 7, 2007

Case Study #1: One Teacher’s Experience

Why Begin Early?: The Opportunity Hypothesis Learning to read and write: Developmentally appropriate practice –Begins at birth –Reading and writing occur interchangeably –Children need to understand the purposes of using literacy –Literacy practice must build on good early childhood practice Learning to read and write: Developmentally appropriate practice –Begins at birth –Reading and writing occur interchangeably –Children need to understand the purposes of using literacy –Literacy practice must build on good early childhood practice

Poverty…

Hart and Risley… Interactions…

The Need Hypothesis: Risk factors Stark, and triangulated differentials in access to print for children who come from middle- and lower-income neighborhoods Resources, Language, Social Networking Stark, and triangulated differentials in access to print for children who come from middle- and lower-income neighborhoods Resources, Language, Social Networking

Beginning Kindergarten Students’ School Readiness Skills by Socioeconomic Status (SES) Lowest SESHighest SES Ability to recognize letters of alphabet 39%85% Ability to identify beginning sounds of words 10%51% Identifies primary colors69%90% Counts to 2048%68% Writes own name54%76% Amount of time having been read to Prior to kindergarten25 hours1,000 hours Accumulated experience with words 13 million45 million ____________________________________________________________ Lowest SESHighest SES Ability to recognize letters of alphabet 39%85% Ability to identify beginning sounds of words 10%51% Identifies primary colors69%90% Counts to 2048%68% Writes own name54%76% Amount of time having been read to Prior to kindergarten25 hours1,000 hours Accumulated experience with words 13 million45 million ____________________________________________________________

What do we need to do? Better understand the mechanisms that underlie risk factors Create better connections to effective interventions Better understand the mechanisms that underlie risk factors Create better connections to effective interventions

What is literacy? Content knowledge Procedural Knowledge Dispositions Content knowledge Procedural Knowledge Dispositions

wonder

discovery

inquiry

building

curiosity

more curiosity

problem solving

creativity

sharing

joy

Current Pre-K programs

Current Programs

The World of Words Conceptual knowledge and vocabulary= knowledge, skills and dispositions

What is WOW? An embedded multimedia program designed to promote vocabulary, and concept knowledge in content areas that include health, science, math, social studies Improve child outcomes An embedded multimedia program designed to promote vocabulary, and concept knowledge in content areas that include health, science, math, social studies Improve child outcomes

What is it and Why? Children learn through multiple input channels One medium can add to another and build important cognitive strategies Picture superiority effect Children learn through multiple input channels One medium can add to another and build important cognitive strategies Picture superiority effect

What Do We Know About Children’s Learning? Active (children need to respond overtly and often) Briskly paced to cover a substantial amount of material Motivating Appropriately challenging (the term we use is ‘challenging but achievable’) Eliciting frequent and corrective feedback Well-sequenced to provide clear accountability and consistent follow-up Active (children need to respond overtly and often) Briskly paced to cover a substantial amount of material Motivating Appropriately challenging (the term we use is ‘challenging but achievable’) Eliciting frequent and corrective feedback Well-sequenced to provide clear accountability and consistent follow-up

What Types of Responses Do We Encourage? Choral Response Individual Response Open-ended Responses Choral Response Individual Response Open-ended Responses

What Does an Embedded Multimedia Program Include: Video clips—targeted to content learning Specially written information books Picture cards and pocket charts Take home books WowPhone Video clips—targeted to content learning Specially written information books Picture cards and pocket charts Take home books WowPhone

WOW Phone

How is the program organized? Step 1: Get Set Step 2: Give meaning Step 3: Build Bridges Step 4: Step Back Step 1: Get Set Step 2: Give meaning Step 3: Build Bridges Step 4: Step Back

Lesson Sequence Tuning In Content Clip Information Book Picture Cards—Word Sorts, “Time for a Challenge” Writing Take home book Progress-monitoring Tuning In Content Clip Information Book Picture Cards—Word Sorts, “Time for a Challenge” Writing Take home book Progress-monitoring

knowledge seekers