Early Literacy Skill-building
Number of unique resources found: 127
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Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement
Description: This is the Web site of the Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement (CIERA). CIERA's mission is to improve the reading achievement of America's Youth by generating and disseminating theoretical, empirical and practical solutions to the learning and teaching of beginning reading.
Description: This Web page is part of the PBS Web site. It has information for parents on how to encourage language and literacy skills in their children. Information for various ages is provided as well as book recommendations and updates on literacy topics.
The Children's Literature Web Guide
Description: This Web site is a thorough guide to Internet resources related to books for Children and Young Adults. Included are sections on award-winning books; resources for parents, teachers, authors, storytellers and illustrators; children's literary organizations on the Web and more.
– General Information –
100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know
Description: Parents, caregivers, and teachers have a wide variety of books to choose from for young children. This list of 100 picture books is provided by the New York Public Library.
A Child Becomes a Reader: Birth through Preschool
Author: Armbruster, Bonnie (1 more by this author); Fran Lehr; Jean Osborn
Description: The information in this booklet comes from many research studies that examined early
literacy development. The reports and books listed at the back of this booklet offer more
research-based information about how children learn to read and write.
A Child Becomes a Reader: Kindergarten through Grade 3
Author: Armbruster, Bonnie (1 more by this author); Jean Osborn; Fran Lehr
Description: The information in this booklet comes from many research studies that examined early
literacy development. The reports and books listed at the back of this booklet offer more
research-based information about how children learn to read and write.
A Window to the World: Promoting Early Language and Literacy Development
Description: This brief video created by Zero to Three discusses the importance of early language and literacy development. It shows examples of sharing literacy with infants and toddlers and stresses the importance of providing literacy information and training to parents and caregivers.
Description: These newsletters are especially for practitioners of infants and toddlers and includes information on how they can support babies' in their interest of books and reading. It includes activities that caregivers can do with the babies regarding print awareness and reading.
Description: The following annotated bibliography of picture books in children’s literature is a 2009 update by the Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy for use with the class and take-home activities. This booklist was created to support the implementation of the ACIRI in Pennsylvania (PA) family literacy programs.
Adult and Family Literacy: Current Research and Future Directions: A Workshop Summary
Description: These workshop/conference materials provide ways to make families and adults fully literate.
Description: These newsletters are especially for practitioners of infants and includes information on how they can support babies's in their interest of books and reading. It includes activities that caregivers can do with the babies using ABC blocks.
American Academy of Pediatrics Literacy Toolkit
Description: This is a web-based resource that offers strategies and tools that teachers can use to encourage families to read with their children. The site includes handouts in Spanish and English, information about selecting quality books, book lists, and links to other literacy resources in a variety of languages.
BABY TALK: Language, Literature and Love for Infants
Author: Quigg, Claudia
Description: A Web site constructed by Baby Talk Inc., to provide information to parents regarding the importance of reading to their children at a very early age, as early as infancy. Studies have shown that infants that are read to from birth have higher literacy rates than children who's parents don't begin reading to them until they are toddlers.
Becoming Bilingual : The Challenges of Teaching English Language Learners to Read
Description: Acclaimed actress Rita Moreno hosts Becoming Bilingual, a 30-minute PBS program that examines the challenges of teaching children to read in a new language. The show visits six cities across the country to learn about the different ways schools are working to create bilingual readers. Becoming Bilingual is the seventh episode of the award-winning series Launching Young Readers.
Building Baby's Brain: Learning Language 
Author: Bales, Diane (20 more by this author)
Description: This fact sheet is part of the "Building Baby's Brain" series. This publication on learning language offers information on language development and tips for parents about what they can do to support their child.
Center for Early Literacy Learning: CELLcasts
Description: CELLcasts are audio/video versions of CELL practice guides which are available to view online or download. There are selections focused on infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Some suggestions include Give Me, Give Me including ideas for encouraging infants to use gestures and movements to ask for what they want or need. Sound Play provides parents with ways to help toddlers develop language skills. Wired To Read teaches parents how to use computer technology to provide young children with early literacy learning opportunities.
Description: This website has links that provide access to books that you can read online. You can read the books directly from the website. An alternative if you can't get to the library for new books.
Choosing and Using Kids' Books
Description: Parents, caregivers, and teachers have a wide variety of books to choose from for young children. This section of Reading Rockets provides links to articles on how to choose and use children's books at home or school.
Choosing Books for Young Children
Description: Parents, caregivers, and teachers have a wide variety of books to choose from for young children. By sharing different kinds of books with children, they can enjoy different kinds of reading experiences. Advice on which books are appropriate for different ages is included.
Communicating with your baby through play - 6 to 9 months
Author: Weigel, Dan (15 more by this author)
Description: This fact sheet provides information on how to communicate and play with you baby 6 to 9 months old.
Description: This brochure describes what parents can do to promote reading readiness in their child, from infants to preschoolers.
Critical Issue: Meeting the Diverse Needs of Young Children
Author: Rodriguez, Ginger; Harris Helm, Judy; Caplan, Judy
Description: This article addresses the critical issue of meeting the diverse needs of young children as it pertains to racial, ethnic, cultural, and special needs diversity in early childhood classrooms.
Description: These newsletters are especially for practitioners of infants and toddlers and includes information on how they can support babies' in their interest of books, reading and language. It includes activities that caregivers can do with the babies.
This practice involves using a routine daily activity to build a child’s skill at listening and interacting with adults — important skills for communication. This is done by playing simple word-and-movement games as part of diaper changing. It includes some ideas you can try to make diaper changing time a fun activity.
Author: Roberts, Joanne; Susan Zeisel
Description: This excerpt form "Ear Infections and Language Development" discusses how ear infections might affect hearing and language development. The excerpt also notes ways to encourage language learning and promote early learning literacy.
Description: This publication summarizes the Report of the National Early Literacy Panel and examines the implications of instructional practices used with children and addresses issues of instructional practices for young children so that parents and teachers can better support emerging literacy skills. The National Early Literacy Panel was supported by the National Institute for Literacy, the NICHD, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Office of Head Start to examine the implications of instructional practices used with children from birth through age 5 years.
Early Childhood Education: Early Literacy Experiences in the Home
Description: Provides percentages of children ages 3 to 5 who were read to, told a story, or taken to the library by a parent or other family member
Early Language and Literacy Development
Author: Kupcha, Jaclyn
Description: This policy brief discusses positive early language and literacy development that can give children a window to the world, helping to ensure that each child can seize his or her potential for future success. Policy recommendations are included.
Early Learning Environment (Ele) at the Fred Rogers Center
Description: The Fred Rogers Center Early Learning Environment's (Ele) mission is to advance the fields of early learning and children’s media by acting as a catalyst for communication, collaboration, and creative change. It brings together many of the best free trusted materials from around the web, including videos, games, ebooks, music and other interactive tools. Ele also provides a platform to connect and discuss with others who care about issues affecting young children.
Ele encourages caregivers to treat media more like they would treat a book: as a chance to sit with a child, share time together, and talk about what children are seeing and hearing. In this way, media and technology can be motivating, interesting, and helpful tools. Used properly, they can spur conversation and encourage children’s interaction with their peers and with the caring adults in their lives. Ele suggests ways to develop such healthy media habits.
Description: This news brief discusses positive early language and literacy development. It includes what infants and toddlers can do, early literacy behaviors, what young children like in books, and ways to share books with babies and toddlers.
Early Warning! Why Reading by the End of Third Grade Matters
Author: Fiester, Leila
Description: The ability to read is central to a child’s success in school, life-long earning potential, and the ability to contribute to the nation’s economy and its security. The Foundation released its report to focus attention on the critical importance of achieving grade-level reading proficiency for all children by the end of third grade. The authors take the 2009 reading test results released in March from NAEP--considered to be the gold standard in K-12 standardized assessment--and break down the numbers to show how well different groups of disadvantaged students are doing.
Download the full report or executive summary, and visit the Data Center to create your own maps, graphs, and charts of data related to early reading indicators at the national and state level.
Description: This news brief discusses teaching practices to improve language and literacy skills for latino dual-language learners.
The Nuestros Niños Early Language and Literacy Project at FPG developed and tested an intervention to improve language and literacy teaching practices for young DLLs. The team developed a professional development intervention based on the best available research on effective teaching practices that promote language and literacy skills in pre-k children, and especially those who are DLLs.
Ensuring Success for Young Children: Early Childhood Literacy
Description: Research shows that reading abilities in third grade act as a tell-tale barometer for later school success, since children who read at grade level are more likely to graduate from high school. And those who graduate from high school are more likely to pursue further education or get a job. This discussion guide for small foundations explores strategies for supporting nonprofits that provide early childhood education programs and services, especially those that focus on early childhood literacy and reading at grade level by third grade.
Ensuring Success For Young Children: Transition to Kindergarten
Description: Research shows that as much as half of school failure may be due to gaps in school readiness even before children transition to kindergarten. This discussion guide for small foundations explores strategies for supporting nonprofits that provide early childhood education programs and services, especially those that focus on ensuring school readiness and smoothing transition to kindergarten.
Description: These newsletters are especially for practitioners of infants and toddlers and includes information on how they can support babies' in their interest of books, reading and language. It includes activities that caregivers can do with the babies.
Baby games that combine simple, rhyming phrases and interesting movements help infants become familiar with the meanings of sounds and words.
Everyday Ways to Support Your Baby or Toddler's Early Learning
Description: This chart gives you some ideas of the many ways you can support your child’s early learning through everyday activities on language and communication, thinking skills, self-control, and self-confidence. Provided in Spanish also.
Description: This website provides resources and other websites for Family Literacy Programs. It is part of the Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy.
Fingerplays and Songs for Child Care
Description: The eXtension Alliance for Better Child Care database of fingerplays and songs is available for those interested in using them in their work with children. Search by title or subject.
Description: These newsletters are especially for practitioners of infants and toddlers and includes information on how they can support babies' in their interest of books and reading. It includes activities that caregivers can do with the babies regarding print awareness and reading.
Description: These newsletters are especially for practitioners of infants and toddlers and includes information on how they can support babies' in their interest of books and reading. It includes activities that caregivers can do with the babies regarding print awareness and reading.
Description: These newsletters are especially for practitioners of infants and toddlers and includes information on how they can support babies' in their interest of books, reading and language. It includes activities that caregivers can do with the babies.
Made-up lap games can be just as much fun as “tried-and-tested” games. This practice guide includes an example of a game played by a child care teacher whose infant had just learned to reach for things. The description will give you some ideas about lap games you can play with the children with whom you work
Description: A Web site geared towards parents, educators, librarians, and advocates. contains information on literacy resources in languages other than English, screening too for literacy, videos on how to "raise a reader", and a toolkit on transitioning to kindergarten.
Getting Kids Involved: Creating Opportunities for Learning (video)
Description: This video introduces and illustrates many ways in which adaptations within the home or classroom can promote the active involvement of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities in everyday literacy activities.
Getting Ready for Kindergarten: What Parents Can Do
Description: This 2 page fact sheet offers tips for parents to help get their children ready for kindergarten.
Parents are their children's first teachers. Getting Ready for Kindergarten: What Parents Can Do is a resource that provides parents with suggestions for simple activities that parents and children can do together to develop children's oral language and foundational reading skills.
It is available as PDFs in English, Chinese, French, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
Description: These newsletters are especially for practitioners of infants and toddlers and includes information on how they can support babies' in their interest of books, reading and language. It includes activities that caregivers can do with the babies. Both familiar and made-up lap games introduce infants to the wonderful world of playful interaction with others. These games develop a child’s emerging understanding of how to play with others and get someone to do something fun and interesting.
Description: These newsletters are especially for practitioners of infants and toddlers and includes information on how they can support babies' in their interest of books, reading and language. It includes activities that caregivers can do with the babies.
This practice guide includes nursery rhymes that are likely to be especially engaging and entertaining to infants and young children. Repeating nursery rhymes is one way you can help infants learn about sounds, words, and simple stories.
Infant Nursery Rhymes and Fingerplays
Description: These newsletters are especially for practitioners of infants and toddlers and includes information on how they can support babies' in their interest of books, reading and language. It includes activities that caregivers can do with the babies.
This practice involves using a routine daily activity to build a child’s skill at listening and interacting with adults — important skills for communication. This is done by playing simple word-and-movement games as part of diaper changing. It includes some ideas you can try to make diaper changing time a fun activity.
Infant Nursery Rhymes and Fingerplays
Description: These newsletters are especially for practitioners of infants and toddlers and includes information on how they can support babies' in their interest of books, reading and language. It includes activities that caregivers can do with the babies.
Games that include rhymes and other repetitions help infants become familiar with sounds and words. This practice guide includes ways you can use fingerplays and nursery rhymes to help infants become “talkers.
Description: These newsletters are especially for practitioners of infants and toddlers and includes information on how they can support babies' in their interest of books and reading. It includes activities that caregivers can do with the babies regarding print awareness and reading. This practice guide includes ideas for helping infants develop the building blocks for beginning writing.
Infants and Toddlers - Developing More Than One Language
Author: Hanna, Janet; Mahar, Carla; Hinrichs, Kayla; DeFrain, John
Description: This article provides strategies to support beginning language and literacy for children learning more than one language.
Description: These newsletters are especially for practitioners of infants and toddlers and includes information on how they can support babies' in their care. These practice guides illustrate ways that practitioners can promote infants abilities to listen and notice different sounds.
Newsletter topics include Infant Lap Games, More Infant Lap Games, Games Babies Play, Diaper-Changing Games, Infant Nursery Rhymes and Fingerplays, Nursery Rhymes for Play and Learning, Everyday Infant Fingerplays, and Infant Nursery Rhymes. This link includes all the newsletters together but they can also be downloaded individually at http://www.earlyliteracylearning.org/pgpracts.php#infants.
International Children's Digital Library
Description: This website has access to books from different countries and in different languages. You can read the books directly from the website. An easy way to incorporate books of other languages for international students.
Investing Strategies to Serve Vulnerable Children
Description: This discussion guide series, produced by the Association of Small Foundations with funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, is designed to provide clear and concise information to small foundations on strategies for supporting nonprofits that serve vulnerable children and families.
Specific guides include; Ensuring Success for Children with Incarcerated Parents, Ensuring Success for Young Children: Early Childhood Literacy, Ensuring Success For Young Children: Transition to Kindergarten, and others.
Author: Raikes, Helen; Beth L. Green; Jane Atwater; Ellen Kisker; Jill Constantine; Rachel Chazan-Cohen
Description: The study demonstrates the powerful role of demographic and other characteristics as predictors of parent involvement in services and program outcomes. Family characteristics clearly corresponded to variability in program involvement.
Kids Haven’t Changed; Kindergarten Has
Author: Pappano, Laura
Description: The Gesell Institute for Human Development undertook a study to determine how child development in 2010 relates to Gesell’s historic observations. The executive director of the Gesell Institute, says despite ramped-up expectations, including overtly academic work in kindergarten, study results reveal remarkable stability around ages at which most children reach cognitive milestones such as being able to count four pennies or draw a circle.
Launching Young Readers: A PBS series for parents and educators
Description: Launching Young Readers is a public television series designed for teachers, parents, caregivers, and anyone else interested in helping children learn to read. Based on the latest research findings, the series consists of 30-minute television programs that explore the stages of reading that every child goes through. The programs feature the country's top reading experts, look at different reading strategies, provide practical advice for parents, and interweave the personal stories of children, families, and teachers.
Learning to Read and Write Begins at Birth
Description: This brochure from Child Care Aware provides information for parents about how children learn to read and how to provide support for them. It provides checklists of things you can do to help your child learn to read, from babies to preschoolers.
It is also available in Spanish at
http://greatstartforkids.org/sites/default/files/file/EarlyLiteracy_Spanish_NEW.pdf.
Learning to Read and Write: Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Young Children
Description: This joint position statement of the International Reading Association (IRA) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is endorsed by many language, early childhood, reading, and education groups. The primary purpose of this position statement is to provide guidance to teachers of young children in schools and early childhood programs (including child care centers, preschools, and family child care homes) serving children from birth through age eight. The principles and practices suggested here also will be of interest to any adults who are in a position to influence a young child's learning and development-parents, grandparents, older siblings, tutors, and other community members.
A "Where We Stand" summary (2005) is also available in English at http://208.118.177.216/about/positions/pdf/WWSSLearningToReadAndWriteEnglish.pdf and Spanish at http://208.118.177.216/about/positions/pdf/WWSSLearningToReadAndWriteSpanish.pdf.
Learning to Read: Developing 0-8 Information Systems to Improve Third Grade Reading Proficiency
Author: Bruner, Charles (13 more by this author)
Description: The primary purpose of the Resource Guide is to provide leaders in the early childhood (0-8) field with an introduction to current resources and best practices across the country in developing such information systems. The Resource Guide itself provides an overall narrative that describes the importance of third grade reading and the need for a 0-8 approach to achieving it and then outlines major resources and best practices in developing the information systems needed to achieve that end.
While not exhaustive of all resources available, the Resource Guide draws upon the author’s cross-cutting work and experiences that has included involvement in many of the initiatives cited and recognized that there is synergy in combining the collective wisdom from this work.
Let Little Fingers Do the Drawing
Description: These newsletters are especially for practitioners of infants and toddlers and includes information on how they can support babies' in their interest of books and reading. It includes activities that caregivers can do with the babies regarding print awareness and reading. This practice guide includes ideas for helping infants develop the building blocks for beginning writing.
Literacy-Rich Experiences for Infants
Description: These Literacy-Rich Experiences newsletters are especially for practitioners working with infants and toddlers. These practice guides illustrate ways that practitioners can arrange environments and provide activities in order to encourage infants to listen, communicate, and begin to develop the skills that are the building blocks for early literacy.
Titles include: Literacy-Rich Classroom and Community Activities, Literacy-Rich Word Activities, Literacy-Rich Outings, and Literacy-Rich Home Activities.
All 4 can be downloaded together at this URL or separately at http://www.earlyliteracylearning.org/pgpracts.php.
Description: These newsletters are especially for practitioners of infants and toddlers and includes information on how they can support babies' in their interest of books, reading and language. It includes activities that caregivers can do with the babies. Both familiar and made-up lap games introduce infants to the wonderful world of playful interaction with others. These games develop a child’s emerging understanding of how to play with others and get someone to do something fun and interesting.
Description: Multilingual Living is a blog about raising bilingual children, with texts submitted by readers. There are many useful ideas and recommendations of textbooks, reading materials and more. For example, there is an idea by one of the readers about making up stories while listening to music in the car. The story can be in any language!
Description: The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has developed a new Web page providing a collection of resources specifically For Families. The new page features “Families Today”, a column by Doctors T. Berry Brazelton and Joshua Sparrow, information on quality child care and preschool programs, and resources to support development.
Nursery Rhymes for Play and Learning
Description: These newsletters are especially for practitioners of infants and toddlers and includes information on how they can support babies' in their interest of books, reading and language. It includes activities that caregivers can do with the babies.
Nursery rhymes that include repetitious sounds accompanied by adult hand movements often have tremendous child entertainment value! Rhymes can be used to provide infants opportunities to listen to and hear sounds that are similar and different
Promoting Language and Literacy Skills in Children with Down Syndrome
Description: This news brief discusses recommendations to improve language and literacy skills in children with down syndrome.
FPG investigators reviewed the existing literature on language skills of individuals with Down syndrome and factors that may influence language development. Based on this review, FPG published recommendations that emphasize the importance of early and continued language and literacy interventions.
Description: Provides a quick overview of the findings of the National Reading Panel and gives ideas for what to expect from a school's reading program based on evidence from the research (preschool through grade three).
Description: These newsletters are especially for practitioners of infants and toddlers and includes information on how they can support babies' in their interest of books and reading. It includes activities that caregivers can do with the babies regarding print awareness and reading.
Description: This is a series of four bulletins to help parents prepare their children, age 3-6, for school. The bulletins consist of how parents can help their child develop in math, art, reading, and science through fun activities.
Scribbling and Drawing: Infant Finger Drawing
Description: These newsletters are especially for parents of infants and includes information on how parents can support babies's in their interest in pre-writing skills. It includes activities that parents can do with their babies and suggestions to evaluate if the practices have worked to improve babies's skills.
This handout is filled with ideas for helping your baby learn pre-writing skills.
Scribbling and Drawing: Scribble Scribble
Description: These newsletters are especially for parents of infants and includes information on how parents can support babies's in their interest in pre-writing skills. It includes activities that parents can do with their babies and suggestions to evaluate if the practices have worked to improve babies's skills.
About the same time infants use a spoon to eat, they often show an interest in trying to use crayons. Babies often become fascinated with writing instruments and how to mark and scribble with them.
Selecting Books for Your Child: Finding 'Just Right' Books (for the child to read to themselves)
Description: Parents, caregivers, and teachers have a wide variety of books to choose from for young children. This section of Reading Rockets provides information on how parents can help their children find books that are not "too hard" and not "too easy" but instead are "just right" for the child to be able to read to themselves.
Shining Stars: First Graders Learn to Read
Description: This brief booklet suggests ways parents can help their first grader learn to read. The publication was created as part of the Partnership for Reading, a collaborative effort by the National Institute for Literacy, the U.S. Department of Education, and the NICHD to bring the findings of evidence-based reading research to those with an interest in helping all people learn to read well.
Shining Stars: Kindergartners Learn to Read
Description: This brief booklet suggests ways parents can help their kindergartner learn to read. The publication was created as part of the Partnership for Reading, a collaborative effort by the National Institute for Literacy, the U.S. Department of Education, and the NICHD to bring the findings of evidence-based reading research to those with an interest in helping all people learn to read well.
Shining Stars: Preschoolers Get Ready to Read
Description: This brief booklet suggests ways parents can help their preschooler prepare to learn to read. The publication was created as part of the Partnership for Reading, a collaborative effort by the National Institute for Literacy, the U.S. Department of Education, and the NICHD to bring the findings of evidence-based reading research to those with an interest in helping all people learn to read well.
Shining Stars: Second and Third Graders Learn to Read
Description: This brief booklet suggests ways parents can help their second and third graders learn to read. The publication was created as part of the Partnership for Reading, a collaborative effort by the National Institute for Literacy, the U.S. Department of Education, and the NICHD to bring the findings of evidence-based reading research to those with an interest in helping all people learn to read well.
Description: The Spanglish Baby is a website about raising bilingual children in Spanish and English. It is full of useful information. For example, a recent post by Monica Olivera Hazelton shared ways she is passing on her Latino heritage to her children, teaching them Spanish, and the method she is using to pass is to incorporate bilingual and bicultural children’s literature into their routine. She describes her preferences and how she uses the materials. Olivera Hazelton’s example is at http://www.spanglishbaby.com/2009/04/use-bilingual-and-bicultural-literature-to-enhance-language-learning/.
Starting Early with English Language Learners: First Lessons from Illinois
Author: Severns, Maggie
Description: This paper takes a look at how the state came to see a need for these policies and how it is implementing them on a large scale. It also highlights two parts of Illinois’s approach that merit consideration by other states with large or growing ELL populations. First, by expanding into pre-K, the state has created opportunities to align ELL pro-2 grams across the early school years, opening the possibilities for districts to adopt a PreK-3rd approach. Second, Illinois’s teacher training requirements ensure that teachers charged with bilingual or ESL classrooms have adequate training to do so, in K-12 classrooms and in pre-K classrooms. Both of these strategies, if implemented well and adequately funded, could greatly benefit English Language Learners in the state, setting them on a path to academic success with a higher likelihood of graduating from high school and college.
Stories and Listening: Baby’s First ABC Book
Description: These newsletters are especially for parents of infants and includes information on how parents can support babies's in their interest of books and reading. It includes activities that parents can do with their babies and suggestions to evaluate if the practices have worked to improve babies's skills.
The topic is store-bought or homemade ABC books to involve their babies in learning to enjoy stories.
Stories and Listening: Baby’s First Picture Books
Description: These newsletters are especially for parents of infants and includes information on how parents can support babies's in their interest of books and reading. It includes activities that parents can do with their babies and suggestions to evaluate if the practices have worked to improve babies's skills.
Stories and Listening: Baby’s First Word Books
Description: These newsletters are especially for parents of infants and includes information on how parents can support babies's in their interest of books and reading. It includes activities that parents can do with their babies and suggestions to evaluate if the practices have worked to improve babies's skills.
The topic is baby's first word books, connecting pictures with words.
Stories and Listening: Tell Me More, Tell Me More
Description: These newsletters are especially for parents of infants and includes information on how parents can support babies's in their interest of books and reading. It includes activities that parents can do with their babies and suggestions to evaluate if the practices have worked to improve babies's skills.
The topic is baby's first stories and how they love to hear the same stories again and again.
Stories and Listening: The Right Touch
Description: These newsletters are especially for parents of infants and includes information on how parents can support babies's in their interest of books and reading. It includes activities that parents can do with their babies and suggestions to evaluate if the practices have worked to improve babies's skills.
The topic is touch-and-feel books to involve an infant in looking at, touching, and exploring books.
Talking to Children: Why Some Mothers Do It More
Description: Research shows that from a very young age, children are influenced by the manner in which their mothers verbally interact with them. An Frank Porter Graham study
published in the May/June 2008 issue of The Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, examines how mother and child characteristics might influence the way mothers talk to their infants.
The Center for Applied Linguistics Early Language Learning Resources
Description: This website provides online resources for early language learning including digests, books, web sites, listserves, etc. The Center for Applied Linguistics provides a comprehensive range of research-based language and cultural education resources and testing tools.
The Magic in Books - How to Read With Children
Author: Weigel, Dan (15 more by this author)
Description: This fact sheet provides information to parents or caregivers on how to read to children. It gives suggestions on choosing books, reading aloud, asking questions, and following up after the story.
The Role of Children’s Interests in Early Literacy and Language Development
Author: Dunst, Carl (2 more by this author); Tara Jones; Molly Johnson; Melinda Raab; Deborah W. Hamby
Description: The Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL) has published a meta-analysis examining the relationship between variations of young children’s personal and situational interests and their early literacy and language abilities.
The Vital Role of Early Childhood Teachers in Children’s Literacy and Language Development
Author: Weigel, Dan (15 more by this author); Sally Martin
Description: This bulletin reports on the Foundations of Literacy Study conducted by the University of Nevada, Reno. The purpose was to identify the key aspects of the home and child care settings that most strongly foster young children’s literacy and language skills. The study is explained and the results provided.
Description: These newsletters are especially for practitioners of infants and toddlers and includes information on how they can support babies' in their interest of books and reading. It includes activities that caregivers can do with the babies regarding print awareness and reading.
Where we Stand on Learning to Read and Write (NAEYC & IRA 2005)
Description: This summary statement of the International Reading Association (IRA) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is an update from their 1998 position statement. It includes what current research has shown about learning to read and write and provides recommendations for supportive policies and resources.
A Spanish version is available at http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/WWSSLearningToReadAndWriteSpanish.pdf.
Writing Development: One child's journey from scribbles to stories
Description: This update presents annotated writing samples by a child from age 18 months to third grade. The writing samples show how a typical child's writing develops from babyhood through third grade.
You and Your Child Parenting Guides
Description: This Web site contains links to 50 guides for parents on a variety of topics. You may also request a free set of 50 guides in hard-copy form (for non-profit use only).
The fact sheets are available in Spanish also at http://www.ocd.pitt.edu/Default.aspx?webPageID=89&parentPageId=5.
– Professional Development –
BABY TALK: Language, Literature and Love for Infants
Author: Quigg, Claudia
Description: A Web site constructed by Baby Talk Inc., to provide information to parents regarding the importance of reading to their children at a very early age, as early as infancy. Studies have shown that infants that are read to from birth have higher literacy rates than children who's parents don't begin reading to them until they are toddlers.
Learning to Read and Write: Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Young Children
Description: This joint position statement of the International Reading Association (IRA) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is endorsed by many language, early childhood, reading, and education groups. The primary purpose of this position statement is to provide guidance to teachers of young children in schools and early childhood programs (including child care centers, preschools, and family child care homes) serving children from birth through age eight. The principles and practices suggested here also will be of interest to any adults who are in a position to influence a young child's learning and development-parents, grandparents, older siblings, tutors, and other community members.
A "Where We Stand" summary (2005) is also available in English at http://208.118.177.216/about/positions/pdf/WWSSLearningToReadAndWriteEnglish.pdf and Spanish at http://208.118.177.216/about/positions/pdf/WWSSLearningToReadAndWriteSpanish.pdf.
Little Voices for Healthy Choices: Webinars
Description: Little Voices for Healthy Choices initiative was a year long initiative focusing on Brain and Motor Development, Music, Movement, Nutrition and Sleep for children from birth through three years of age, their families, caregivers and communities. Twenty four Early Head Start and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs were selected to participate in a year’s worth of offerings which included trainings session, webinars, work plan development and an evaluation component.
Webinars are available now, please check back for other materials.
Parenting and Literacy for Success (P.L.S.)
Author: Bixler, Michaelyn
Description: The Parenting and Literacy for Success program (P.L.S.) is a fun and easy program that provides parents with valuable literacy tools they can use during and after attending the P.L.S. program. The program targets parents with limited resources who have preschoolers 3 to 5 1/2 years old. It is a family literacy program whose main goal is to introduce parents to the pre-kindergarten standards and help them teach their preschoolers pre-kindergarten concepts in math, science, reading and other areas which can prepare them for kindergarten success.
The P.L.S program combines the reading of four specially selected children’s books with hands-on activities that reinforces these pre-kindergarten concepts introduced in the book. These workshop activities prepare the parents to extend these new skills from classroom to home. Each book focuses on different pre-kindergarten concepts.
Where we Stand on Learning to Read and Write (NAEYC & IRA 2005)
Description: This summary statement of the International Reading Association (IRA) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is an update from their 1998 position statement. It includes what current research has shown about learning to read and write and provides recommendations for supportive policies and resources.
A Spanish version is available at http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/WWSSLearningToReadAndWriteSpanish.pdf.
– Programming Resource –
Author: Bodrova, Elena (2 more by this author); Semenov, Dmitri; Paynter, Diane; Leong, Deborah
Description: This document is designed to establish consistency in the definition and format to be used in developing early literacy standards and benchmarks. It articulates a set of standards and benchmarks that is based on current national and state standards documents and that reflects the foundational knowledge and developmental differences representative of the research on early literacy development and the prekindergarten and kindergarten levels. It also provides sufficient and appropriate information aligned with the standards and benchmarks to aid prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers in assessing the early literacy development of their students. For standard 1 'Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the reading process,' five benchmarks are outlined. For standard 2, 'Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the writing process,' three benchmarks are established. Appendixes contain a list of 72 sources on research and theory of early childhood development, a list of 25 national and state standards documents reviewed, and a list of definitions. (SLD)
Developing and Supporting Literacy-Rich Environments for Children
Author: Daniel, Jerlean
Description: This report stresses that early reading success is a strong predictor of academic success in later grades and the early childhood years (birth through age eight) are critical ones for literacy development. This Issue Brief defines literacy-rich environments and discusses what actions states can take to support these environments. Available in PDF on this site.
Early Childhood Education: Early Literacy Experiences in the Home
Description: Provides percentages of children ages 3 to 5 who were read to, told a story, or taken to the library by a parent or other family member
Author: Altamirano, Suzie; Patricia Madrigal; Danny Brassell; Joan Massa
Description: These journal articles find very encouraging results on the effectiveness of a preschool emergent literacy intervention in a "skid row" child-care facility in downtown Los Angeles. The study shows that both preschool teachers and parents established regular habits of shared book reading and numerous ways for children to write and display their work and children entered kindergarten on or above grade level in understanding concepts about print.
Description: This paper summarizes the details of a workshop which sought to bring together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and university educators to consider the current state of knowledge about emergent and early literacy learning, with the overarching question: what additional knowledge is needed about early literacy learning? Six specific topic areas were addressed: (1) Meeting Context, Background, and New Frontiers; (2) Emergent Literacy and Prevention; (3) Emergent Literacy and Identification of Risk Factors; (4) Emergent Literacy and Intervention; (5) Summary and Conclusions; and (6) Research Agenda and Suggestions for Practice. Common themes addressed in the workshop were: converging findings and research gaps in emergent and early literacy; practical concerns that influence research design and implementation in investigations of emergent and early literacy; and implications for individuals working in different professional roles and disciplines. The workshop also considered the influence of parents and caregivers in enhancing literacy skills, and it sought to identify processes that could assist families in implementing literacy activities and identifying whether their children might be at risk in literacy development.
Description: The document has two components. The first section identifies those elements that research cites as the foundations of literacy and includes some specific examples. The second section, taken from the work of the National Research Council, defines a series of developmental accomplishments of literacy acquisition for children from birth to grade 3.
Full-Day Kindergarten: A Study of State Policies in the United States
Author: Kauerz, Kristie (3 more by this author)
Description: This report provides a state policy overview of full-day kindergarten in the United States. It is intended, however, to accomplish more than simply describing current policies. Based on an Education Commission of the States’ (ECS) review, the report identifies four key areas where states need to strengthen their full-day kindergarten policies. For each of these four areas, the report discusses efforts that state policymakers should undertake to better position full-day kindergarten as an important experience for student learning and development.
Helping Your Child Become a Reader: With Activities for Children from Infancy Through Age 6
Author: DeBruin-Parecki, Andrea
Description: The booklet is designed for helping children from infancy to age 6--the most important years for learning the skills they will need to become readers. It offers parents suggestions on how to: talk with their children; read aloud with him/her; help him/her learn about printed words and what they mean; show her/him that they value reading; and do other activities at home that encourage reading. To help show when children can take certain learning steps, the booklet ties much of the discussion to four age groups: baby (birth to 1 year); toddler (1 to 3 years); preschooler (ages 3 and 4); and kindergartner/early first grader (ages 5 and 6). A section discusses "If You Think There's a Problem." Contains a reading checklist, a list of typical language accomplishments for children, resources for families and caregivers, resources for children, and an 11-item bibliography. Also available in Spanish at http://www2.ed.gov/espanol/parents/academic/lector/index.html.
To order copies go to http://www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/reader/part1.html.
Hispanic Fathers and Family Literacy: Strengthening Achievement in Hispanic Communities
Author: Seleme-McDermott, Carmen; Lisa A. Gilmore; Linda Mellgren; Jackie Melandex
Description: This report discusses the roles of Hispanic fathers in parenting and education.
- More about "Hispanic Fathers and Family Literacy: Strengthening Achievement in Hispanic Communities"
Home Literacy Activities and Signs of Children's Emerging Literacy
Author: Winquist-Nord, Christine
Description: This brief report presents information on the extent to which families are engaged in literacy activities with their 3- to 5-year-olds who are not yet enrolled in kindergarten. It also presents information on signs of emerging literacy, such as whether children recognize letters, can write their own names, or read or pretend to read. The report examines changes in both home literacy activities that families engage in, and signs of children's emerging literacy between 1993 and 1999. The report then examines the association between home literacy activities and signs of emerging literacy in 1999. Data used in the report are from the 1993 and 1999 National Household Education Surveys.
Improving Early Literacy Skills to Reduce Special Education Referrals
Author: Lynn, Dane
Description: This report suggests ways to lessen the referrals for special education by increasing literacy. It suggests making state reading standards correspond with current research about reading growth from kindergarten through grade three; improving teachers' reading preparation; etc.
Improving the Reading Comprehension of America
Description: This analysis describes what kind of teaching is needed for effective literacy comprehension among children.
Infant and Toddler Language and Early Literacy Activities
Author: Notari-Syverson, Angela (3 more by this author); Rytter, Kristin; Hedlund, Rodd; Challoner, Judy
Description: These materials include twenty home and community activities for adults and children birth to three that encourage early language and literacy development. They are appropriate for children with disabilities as well as children who are developing typically.
Each of the twenty activities includes an activity description, and hints for making the activity fun and developmentally appropriate. In addition to the activities, you can download an activity checklist that helps parents and caregivers notice their children'
s skills, and also cue adults to examine and grow their own interactions with children. Available in English and Spanish.
Author: Green, Stephen (1 more by this author)
Description: This Journal of Extension article reports on a pilot conducted in Texas on the importance of fathers taking on an active role in their children's educational development in order for their children to have greater academic success.
Learning to Read and Write: Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Young Children
Description: This joint position statement of the International Reading Association (IRA) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is endorsed by many language, early childhood, reading, and education groups. The primary purpose of this position statement is to provide guidance to teachers of young children in schools and early childhood programs (including child care centers, preschools, and family child care homes) serving children from birth through age eight. The principles and practices suggested here also will be of interest to any adults who are in a position to influence a young child's learning and development-parents, grandparents, older siblings, tutors, and other community members.
A "Where We Stand" summary (2005) is also available in English at http://208.118.177.216/about/positions/pdf/WWSSLearningToReadAndWriteEnglish.pdf and Spanish at http://208.118.177.216/about/positions/pdf/WWSSLearningToReadAndWriteSpanish.pdf.
Linguistic Diversity and Early Literacy: Serving Culturally Diverse Families in Early Head Start
Description: In this publication practices are identified that create a culturally responsive environment rich in literacy experiences for all participating families and that promote the later development of reading and writing.
Put Reading First: Helping Your Child Learn to Read: A Parent Guide: Preschool Through Grade 3
Description: These brochures provide parents with ways to help their children learn to read, and enjoy to read. Also available in Spanish at http://www.edpubs.gov/document/ed001975h.pdf?ck=312.
Put Reading First: The Research Building Blocks of Reading Instruction
Description: This report gives instructions and tips on how to teach children to read and learn with awareness for children kindergarten through grade 3.
Read With Me: A Guide for Student Volunteers Starting Early Childhood Literacy Programs
Author: Arnold, Chandler
Description: These training materials contain information on how individuals can make a difference in the lives of children by volunteering in preschool and elementary programs to assist in children's development of literacy skills.
- More about "Read With Me: A Guide for Student Volunteers Starting Early Childhood Literacy Programs"
Reading Helpers: A Handbook for Training Tutors
Author: Collins, Raymond (1 more by this author)
Description: Designed to be used in conjunction with On the Road to Reading: A Guide for Community Partners, this handbook focuses on the knowledge and skills necessary for tutors to help children from birth through third grade master reading fundamentals. The 5 chapters of the handbook present 11 training sessions for tutors, comprising 36 hours of training. Chapter 1, First Steps for Reading Helpers, provides an orientation to basic principles and techniques of tutoring. Chapter 2, How Children Learn To Read, presents an overview of how children become readers and writers. Chapter 3, Tutoring Strategies for Preschool and Kindergarten, addresses strategies for talking with children, reading aloud, and writing with children. Chapter 4, Tutoring Strategies for the Primary Grades, explores reading together, helping children with reading strategies, focusing on meaning, and improving writing skills. Chapter 5, Partnering with Families, discusses how to support children's reading at home and promote family literacy. Each chapter is organized in two parts--an overview summarizing the topic and highlighting the principal themes, and the training sessions and activities related to the theme. Each training session follows a standard format: (1) learning objectives; (2) basic concepts; (3) tutor reading; (4) trainer preparation; (5) materials needed; (6) activities; (7) debriefing; (8) tutor follow up; and (9) evaluation. The handbook's two appendices list of training resources and includes overhead transparencies and handouts. Contains a 47-item annotated bibliography.
Resource Center: Tools and training for volunteer and service programs
Description: This website contains resources for training volunteers and directing services programs in the community. It includes information on mentoring, tutoring, disaster preparedness and response, days of service, at-risk youth, etc.
Materials for training volunteers is available on many topics.
Start Early Finish Strong: How to Help Every Child Become a Reader
Author: Collins, Raymond (1 more by this author)
Description: This book suggests that, powered by the dynamics of the economy, the reading crusade of Americans, a blueprint for action, and unprecedented momentum, a significant reading breakthrough in reading achievement is within reach in the United States. By "starting early," the roots of reading take hold well before children go to school; and by "finishing strong," schools alone cannot do the job of teaching children to read--parents must stay involved, the community must help, and nothing is more important than a highly skilled, well-prepared teacher. After an executive summary that discuses how to help every child become a reader, and an introduction that addresses the "right kind of reading war," chapters in the book are: (1) Raising Readers: The Tremendous Potential of Families; (2) Ready to Read: Building Skills through Early Care and Education; (3) Read to Succeed: How Schools Can Help Every Child become a Reader; and (4) Every Child a Reader: How Citizens, Public Leaders, and Communities Can Help. Contains approximately 150 references; appendixes contain a 28-item annotated list of reading resources, and summaries of recent state laws on reading for children in grade 3 and younger.
Starting Out Right: A Guide to Promoting Children's Reading Success
Author: Burns, M.; Peg Griffin, Catherine E. Snow,
Description: This book identifies questions and explores answers, regarding early literacy development, that are from the “Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children” study. Questions include: what are the key elements children need to succeed in reading; what can parents and caregivers provide to prepare children for reading instruction upon entering school; what language and literacy concepts to include in reading instruction; how can reading difficulties be prevented; and what to ask school boards, principals, policy makers regarding early reading instruction. In addition, the book offers checklists of specific reading accomplishments from preschool through third grade, 55 literacy activities, a list of 100 recommended children’s books, a guide to computer software and CD-ROMs, and a list of internet resources. The book can be purchased or read online for free.
Supporting Early Literacy in Natural Environments
Author: Notari-Syverson, Angela (3 more by this author); Sturm, Marilyn; Hedlund, Rodd; Haetig Sadler, Faith; Sook Lim, Young; Rytter, Kristin; Challoner, Judy
Description: These materials include 46 home and community activities for adults and children that encourage early language and literacy development. They are appropriate for children with disabilities as well as children who are developing typically. Each of the twenty activities includes an activity description, and hints for making the activity fun and developmentally appropriate. In addition to the activities, you can download a self-evaluation form that helps parents and caregivers notice their children' s skills, and also cue adults to examine and grow their own interactions with children. Available in English and Spanish.
The Family Storyteller Program: Ways to get your child ready for reading
Author: Weigel, Dan (15 more by this author); Sally Martin; Patricia Behal
Description: Family Storyteller is a family literacy program aimed at getting parents and children involved in literacy and language activities. The program encourages and teaches parents to play a vital role in the literacy development of their children. It is designed for families with preschoolers and beginning readers. Family Storyteller helps all families but is specifically designed for parents who may have limited language skills and few children's books at home.
The Wonder Wise PIcture Book Reviews
Author: Smith, Charles (28 more by this author)
Description: This Web site is part of the Wonder Wise programs and provides book reviews for 18 books. The books were chosen for their potential to appeal to both adults and children.
Description: This technical guide is designed to enhance the skills of education staff to support young children's emerging language and literacy by fostering their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills, and by collaborating with parents and other staff to create language and literacy-rich environments in the home and in the center.
What Works: An Introductory Teacher Guide for Early Language and Emergent Literacy Instruction
Author: Bell, Donna; Westberg, Laura
Description: Based on the work reported in c, this guide describes ways teachers can use the research effectively for early childhood instruction, assessment, choosing curriculum, and helping parents better support their young children’s language and literacy learning.
The Early Literacy Initiative is a project developed and implemented by the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) with generous support from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation.
Where we Stand on Learning to Read and Write (NAEYC & IRA 2005)
Description: This summary statement of the International Reading Association (IRA) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is an update from their 1998 position statement. It includes what current research has shown about learning to read and write and provides recommendations for supportive policies and resources.
A Spanish version is available at http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/WWSSLearningToReadAndWriteSpanish.pdf.
Where We Stand: Learning to Read and Write
Description: This NAEYC news brief discusses policies and resources that need to be provided in order to support children as they learn to read and write. To reach these outcomes, teaching practices must be appropriate and effective for young children, not just adaptations of what may work in the later grades. These practices must respond to young children’s changing developmental characteristics as well as to their culture, language, and individual learning needs. Teachers must be prepared to implement varied, research-based teaching methods that will help all young children gain competence in language and literacy.
Available in Spanish also at http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/WWSSLearningToReadAndWriteSpanish.pdf.
Word Play All Day — Early Literacy in Action
Description: This tip sheet, part of the Growing Ideas Toolkit, discusses the importance of early literacy. Explanations are included about oral language, print awareness, phonological awareness, and alphabet knowledge and writing. Suggestions on how the staff can support early literacy is included.
– Research –
BABY TALK: Language, Literature and Love for Infants
Author: Quigg, Claudia
Description: A Web site constructed by Baby Talk Inc., to provide information to parents regarding the importance of reading to their children at a very early age, as early as infancy. Studies have shown that infants that are read to from birth have higher literacy rates than children who's parents don't begin reading to them until they are toddlers.
CELLnotes: Children’s active participation in reading and storytelling
Author: Trivette, Carol (1 more by this author); Carl J. Dunst
Description: Children’s active participation in reading and storytelling can enhance early literacy learning
This Cellnotes summarizes findings reported in Robyak, A., Masiello,
T., Trivette, C. M., Roper, N., & Dunst, C. J. ( 2007). Mapping
the contemporary landscape of early literacy learning, Cellreviews
1(1), 1-11.
The findings are condensed in this newsletter for early childhood professionals. It discusses what it means to practice children's active participation in reading and story telling, what research tells us, and how to act on the evidence.
CELLnotes: Early Literacy Learning
Author: Masiello, Tracy
Description: Early literacy learning can be promoted through experiences with print and language. The findings from research are condensed in this newsletter for early childhood professionals. It discusses early literacy and recent research.
This Cellnotes summarizes findings reported in Robyak, A., Masiello,T., Trivette, C. M., Roper, N., & Dunst, C. J. ( 2007). Mapping the contemporary landscape of early literacy learning, Cellreviews 1(1), 1-11.
Developing Early Literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel
Description: This report serves as the basis of several powerful, research-based recommendations to the early childhood community – educators, caregivers, Head Start providers, and parents – on promoting the foundational skills of life-long literacy. Some of the key findings of the report reveal the best early predictors of literacy, which include alphabet knowledge, phonemic awareness, rapid naming skills, writing (such as writing one's name), and short-term memory for words said aloud. Instruction on these skills may be especially helpful for children at risk for developing reading difficulties. More complex oral language skills also appear to be important. Executive summary also available.
Description: This paper summarizes the details of a workshop which sought to bring together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and university educators to consider the current state of knowledge about emergent and early literacy learning, with the overarching question: what additional knowledge is needed about early literacy learning? Six specific topic areas were addressed: (1) Meeting Context, Background, and New Frontiers; (2) Emergent Literacy and Prevention; (3) Emergent Literacy and Identification of Risk Factors; (4) Emergent Literacy and Intervention; (5) Summary and Conclusions; and (6) Research Agenda and Suggestions for Practice. Common themes addressed in the workshop were: converging findings and research gaps in emergent and early literacy; practical concerns that influence research design and implementation in investigations of emergent and early literacy; and implications for individuals working in different professional roles and disciplines. The workshop also considered the influence of parents and caregivers in enhancing literacy skills, and it sought to identify processes that could assist families in implementing literacy activities and identifying whether their children might be at risk in literacy development.
Description: This news brief discusses teaching practices to improve language and literacy skills for latino dual-language learners.
The Nuestros Niños Early Language and Literacy Project at FPG developed and tested an intervention to improve language and literacy teaching practices for young DLLs. The team developed a professional development intervention based on the best available research on effective teaching practices that promote language and literacy skills in pre-k children, and especially those who are DLLs.
Full-day kindergarten and student literacy growth: Does a lengthened school day make a difference
Author: Zvoch, Keith; Reynolds, Ralph; Parker, Robert
Description: The abstract from this study, suggest that full-day kindergarten initiatives targeted toward students from disadvantaged backgrounds may be more successful when implemented in classrooms with relatively small student enrollments. Implications for instructional policy and practice are discussed. Additional studies are suggested.
Author: Green, Stephen (1 more by this author)
Description: This Journal of Extension article reports on a pilot conducted in Texas on the importance of fathers taking on an active role in their children's educational development in order for their children to have greater academic success.
Parent Involvement and Early Literacy
Author: Lin, Qiuyun
Description: The purpose of this study is to increase understanding of the relationship between different types of parent involvement and kindergarten children's early literacy. The two research questions considered were: What types of parenting practices are related to children's early literacy in reading, math, and general knowledge performance at the end of the kindergarten year? How does the relationship between parent involvement and early literacy vary for children from different racial/ethnic and income backgrounds?
Promoting Language and Literacy Skills in Children with Down Syndrome
Description: This news brief discusses recommendations to improve language and literacy skills in children with down syndrome.
FPG investigators reviewed the existing literature on language skills of individuals with Down syndrome and factors that may influence language development. Based on this review, FPG published recommendations that emphasize the importance of early and continued language and literacy interventions.
Starting Out Right: Pre-K and Kindergarten: Full Report
Author: Hull, Jim
Description: A study from the Center for Public Education looks at the effect of combinations of pre-k and kindergarten on third-grade reading skills. The study focused on two combinations -- no pre-k and full-day kindergarten vs. pre-k and half-day kindergarten -- and found that a combination of pre-k and half-day kindergarten was significantly better. Students attending pre-k and half-day kindergarten are more likely to have higher reading skills by the third grade than those attending full-day kindergarten alone. The impact of pre-k and half-day kindergarten was greatest for Hispanic children, black children, English Language Learners (ELL), and children from low-income families. The chances of Hispanic children and those below the poverty line reaching a higher reading level ranged anywhere from seven percent (for the basic third-grade reading level, "comprehension of words in context,") to over 20 percent (for the higher "extrapolation" level). The authors note that the findings do not take program quality into consideration, and that one could reasonably infer the impact of high-quality pre-k would be even greater. Findings also don't take into account how much time students spent in pre-k.