SPONSORED BY READ TO ME, A PROGRAM OF THE IDAHO COMMISSION FOR LIBRARIES

Training information IdahoSTARS credit is available if this workshop is facilitated by an Approved Trainer

IdahoSTARS The Child Care Provider Registry for the state of Idaho The Professional Development System Registry (PDS) is a voluntary system Idaho’s State Training and Registry System for child care providers

Agenda Introductions Research Importance of reading to children Six Early Literacy Skills Library resources Activity Evaluation and free Literacy Kit

Key Points The access to books, along with reading to children daily, is crucial to children’s literacy later in life. There are six early literacy skills that can greatly increase the ease at which children learn to read later in life. These will be discussed today. The public library is the very best place to access free resources for adults working with children. Idaho Commission for Libraries support materials and resources will be introduced.

Early Learning eGuidelines Provides detailed guidelines and strategies for early childhood development Is for parents, child caregivers, child care educators, etc. Is an electronic resource, allowing for individualized searches elines/Idaho_Early_Learning_eGuidelines.htm elines/Idaho_Early_Learning_eGuidelines.htm

Research Outcomes Children who have access to a variety of books and are regularly read to early in life have significant advantages over those who are not read to. Reading to a child is the most effective way to increase a child’s knowledge. Children who have mastered six literacy skills have an easier time learning to read when formal instruction was given to them. These skills are the foundation for reading.

The Six Early Literacy Skills

Phonological Awareness Being able to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words Precursor to phonics Animal sounds Hear syllables in words Children’s songs and nursery rhymes Children who know at least 4 nursery rhymes by age four are better readers at age eight

Things You Can Do in the Classroom Read books with animal sounds Clap/tap syllables of words and child’s name Sing children’s songs Read rhyming books & nursery rhymes Play word games

Idaho Early Learning Guideline for Phonological Awareness Domain 56- Purposefully engage in activities that promote phonological awareness and to manipulate phonemes to make new words and to rhyme.

Vocabulary Knowing a word and what the word means. Children learn concrete words first then begin to learn abstract words. Children need exposure to words several times before they understand them, up to 12 exposures. Should be taught both directly and indirectly. Children who listen to good picture books can increase their vocabulary by 4,000-12,000 words a year.

Early Learning Guideline Domain 51- Use responses that demonstrate an increased knowledge of specific concepts and to use phrases and sentences with functional and descriptive vocabulary.

Things you can do in the classroom Explain an unfamiliar word (don’t replace the word) Add descriptive words Use non-fiction books Talk about a word’s other meanings Show real items when possible (coconut)

Support Materials

Narrative Skills Being able to describe things and tell what happened Expressive and verbal part of language-- helps children later understand what they read Sharing books that ask questions and give answers Dialogic reading:  Adult helps child become teller of the story  Adult is listener and questioner  Adult is audience for child

Things You Can Do in the Classroom Talk about books; ask “open-ended” questions. Retell stories with puppets, flannel boards, props, or creative dramatics. Use Dialogic Reading to help children expand their descriptions of things. Ask children to make predictions about the story. Read cumulative stories that build on themselves or repeat phrases.

Early Learning Guideline Domain 59- Understand information from oral stories, reading books, and pictures.

Support materials

Print Awareness Understanding that print has meaning Knowing how to handle a book Seeing print all around us Writing: grocery lists, notes, to-do lists, etc. Point out words as you are saying them Label objects in the room Point out environmental print

Things You Can Do in the Classroom Model that reading is important Start with book facing upside down Run finger under title and/or repeated phrases Talk about environmental print (road signs, exit signs, food labels) Write out songs/rhymes on flip charts or posters Provide writing opportunities: kits, shopping lists, cards, handmade books

Early Learning Guideline Domain 58- Know that languages and words can be in written form.

Support Materials

Letter Knowledge Knowing that letters have names and associated sounds, as well as knowing that some letters look very similar Letter knowledge is not simply being able to sing the “alphabet song” Introduce children to shapes Visual discrimination is a necessary skill for use with letters Almost any book can be used to reinforce these skills

Things You Can Do in the Classroom Help children see and feel different shapes Point out letters in books and environmental print Play matching games (alike and different) Read alphabet books Have children make letters with fingers, bodies, scarves

Early Learning Guideline Domain 57- Recognize letters as special symbols to represent spoken language.

Print Motivation The enjoyment of reading and books Ways to encourage positive reading experiences: Let children pick out a story they want to hear Let children “read” books to each other while you are busy with lunch duties or helping a child Use choral reading activities Make a comfy area for reading Have a variety of print materials- catalogs, ad inserts, magazines, phone books, different types of books

Things You Can Do in the Classroom Read books you enjoy Model the fun of reading and of playing with language Have children join in during appropriate parts of the story Use non-fiction, too! Encourage parents to refrain from using reading/books as a disciplinary tool

Support Materials

Summing things up…

Library Resources Your library can be a great partner for you (books, CDs, programs) Be sure to get a library card if you don’t have one already Resources on Read to Me website: DayByDayID.org Idaho Early Learning e-Guidelines: en/IELeGuidelines/Idaho_Early_Learning_eGuidelines.htm

SAME-DAY EVALUATION REFLECTIVE EVALUATION LITERACY KITS Thank you for sharing your time with us today!