Promoting Early Literacy

Early Literacy Initiative Focused on Family Child Care Providers and Infants and Toddlers

Statewide Professional Development Opportunity EEC and ESE Partnership Focused on Strategies for Closing the Early Literacy Proficiency Gap

Board of Early Education and CareDecember 8, 2009

Early Education and Care System Components: Early Literacy

Workforce and Professional Development (Q, WF)Informed Families and Public (FS, C, I)Finance (Q, FS, WF, I)

EEC Strategic Directions:Q = QualityFS = Family support, access, and affordabilityWF = Workforce C = Communications I = Infrastructure

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Proposals Align with Several EEC Initiatives

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1. Supported by the recommendations for early literacy from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Early Literacy Subcommittee of the Proficiency Gap Task Force to create and align literacy efforts birth to age eight.

One of the Task Force’s top recommendations includes:

Early Education and Care and K-12 Alignment:Create an aligned assessment of literacy from Pre –K (3 and 4) to 3rd grade. Develop shared professional development for preschool through 3rd grade to demonstrate aligned strategies.

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2. EEC’s new regulations; Excerpts from New Regulations; Curriculum:

The licensee must provide a well-balanced curriculum…the curriculum must ...support school readiness and/or educational development; and 4. include goals for the knowledge and skills to be acquired by children in the areas of English language arts, mathematics, science and technology/engineering, history and social science, comprehensive health, and the arts.

The licensee must have evidence of a plan describing how program activities support and engage children through specific learning experiences. Such plan must...provide for: educators reading books daily with children of all ages in an engaging manner in group or individualized settings; learning experiences that support problem solving, critical thinking, communication, language and literacy development, social skills and relationship building;

3. Aligned with feedback from EEC Advisory Council to spend ARRA funding on professional development opportunities that support the implementation of the new regulations.

Proposals Align with Several EEC InitiativesContinued

Early Literacy Initiative Focused on Family Child Care Providersand Infants and Toddlers

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Improving educational interventions in the child care setting can lessen the developmental risks faced by very young children

Early literacy is essential for success in school and life. Research has shown that early literacy at kindergarten correlates strongly with literacy skills throughout subsequent grades, and those children who start behind typically stay behind1. In 2009, 43% of 3rd grade students score below proficient in reading on MCAS2.

Children who are exposed to books and stories from infancy are more likely to be successful at learning to read;

Early literacy skill acquisition begins in the first year of life and continues into the preschool years;

Children need exposure to literacy materials and social interaction for successful literacy development

1See for example, Snow, Catherine E; Porche, Michelle V; Tabors, Patton O; Harris, Stephanie Ross. (2007). Is literacy enough? Pathways to academic success for adolescents. xix, 153 pp. Baltimore, MD, US: Paul H Brookes Publishing.2Retrieved from The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website, http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/results.html, November 18, 2009

The Importance of Early Literacy

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The National Early Literacy Panel (NELP) 1was convened in 2002 to examine the implications of instructional practices used with children from birth through age 5 and found:

Book-sharing interventions produced statistically significant and moderate-sized effects on children’s print knowledge and oral language skills

Home based and parent programs yielded statistically significant and moderate to large effects on children’s oral language skills and general cognitive abilities.

Studies of preschool programs produced significant and moderate to large effects on spelling and reading readiness.

Language-enhancement interventions were successful at increasing children’s oral language skills to a large and statistically significant degree.

Together, these findings suggest that there are many things programs and parents can do to improve the literacy development of their young children and that different approaches influence the development of a different pattern of essential skills. 1Executive Summary, “Developing Early Literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel, A Scientific Synthesis of Early Literacy

Development and Implications for Intervention.” National Institute for Literacy

The Importance of Early Literacy

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One study1 broke down the basics of effective early literacy instruction into eight specific strategies with strong research links to early literacy skills and, in some cases, with later elementary-grade reading achievement. T

The study noted that linking literacy and play is one of the most effective ways to make literacy activities meaningful and enjoyable for children.

The eight strategies are: Rich teacher talk Storybook reading Phonological awareness activities Alphabet activities Support for emergent reading Support for emergent writing Shared book experience, and Integrated, content-focused activities.

1“The Essentials of Early Literacy Instruction,” Kathleen A. Roskos, James F. Christie, and Donald J. Richgels, Young Children March 2003, 52-59

 

The Importance of Early Literacy

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Family Child Care Provider’s Role in Promoting Early Literacy

With appropriate information, support and materials, Family Child Care providers are key partners in promoting early literacy development in the first three years.

There is a lack of professional development opportunities and high staff turnover among providers for this age group.

Alignment with EEC Initiatives

Increasing skills of Family Child Care providers to increase quality for Infants and Toddlers in early education and care programs;

Need for Professional Development opportunities focused on infants and toddlers;

Focus on importance of Early Literacy;

Supported by the recommendations of the Birth to Three Task Force

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Primary Factors That Contribute to Poorly Developed Literacy Skills

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Lack of understanding/emphasis on early literacy development in early education and care settings (parents or providers).

Adult illiteracy/low literacy among parents and child care providers.

Lack of books and resources in programs.

Approach to Meeting Specific Challenges

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Specialized training and ongoing technical assistance for family child care providers focusing on relationship-based care, early literacy development in the first three years of life, creating literacy rich child care environments, and promoting parental involvement in book sharing, reading aloud and storytelling.

Distribution of developmentally and culturally appropriate children's books with the goal of each program receiving a small library of books.

Information and support for early education and care

providers and parents to encourage early literacy development.

Goals of Initiative

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Increase providers’ awareness and knowledge of early literacy development in the first three years of life.

Further develop providers’ skills in promoting early literacy skills during daily routines with the infants and toddlers in their care.

Increase providers’ confidence in storytelling, communicating, and reading aloud to children.

Develop providers’ skills in choosing, accessing, and evaluating high quality children’s books.

Increase availability of developmentally and culturally appropriate books in early education and care programs

An evaluation component to determine the efficacy of the training.

Considerations for Vendors/Models

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To be funded through a competitive process

Intensive Intervention (timeline ~6-12 months for full implementation)

Components of Model(s) for Consideration • Model to be used (evidence based or supported by research or practice)• Cost/Number of family child care providers caring for infants and toddlers

across the state. (# of participants in each of the 5 regions) that can be trained

• Cost/Number of other professionals trained (e.g. early literacy specialists for additional trainings of staff within their region.)

• Cost of training materials to be distributed• The potential creation/promotion of literacy rich child care communities

through collaborations with other community early literacy programs such as children’s librarians, etc.

• Cost/Number of books provided to under-resourced early education and care programs (encourage vendors to seek donations where appropriate)

Funding Proposal for Early Literacy Initiative Focusing on Family Child Care Provider and Infants and Toddlers

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Use of up to $150,000 of ARRA quality funds through a competitive RFR to support an early literacy focused professional development initiative for Family Child Care providers serving infants and toddlers.

Statewide ProfessionalDevelopment Opportunity

EEC and ESE Partnership Focused on Strategies for Closing the Early Literacy Proficiency Gap

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Proposed Professional Development Opportunity for ARRA Funding

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Conference held in partnership with ESE on early literacy within a pre-k to eight frame focused on strategies for closing the early literacy proficiency gap.

March 3, 2009

~800 EEC and ESE providers; including:• Early Education and Care providers • district literacy coordinators• public school literacy coaches• family literacy coordinators • Title I staff • PK staff (mixed delivery) with literacy backgrounds• Leadership• Others interested

Conference Planning

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Joint planning will ensure consideration of the audience as the menu of breakout sessions are developed that address strategies for closing the achievement gap

Will consider the timing of the event to better accommodate the schedule of different types of providers (e.g. Family Child Care providers; may provide two sessions)

Include an opportunity for post-conference peer support for reflective practice

Other organizations/individuals have agreed to help plan the day: - Strategies for Children

- Three-to-Third - ESE: Kindergarten office, Adult Basic Ed, Family Literacy, Office of

Literacy, Curriculum and Instruction

Preliminary Presentation Topics

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Presenters will be selected to address issues cutting across the pre-K to eight continuum, such as:

early childhood assessment family engagement accountability/summative & formative elements standards-based literacy curriculum research-based instructional practices ongoing professional development and educator preparation in

literacy including the role of literacy coaches targeting ELLs/oral language development & students with special

needs

Proposal for Joint Professional Development Opportunity

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Use of $25,000 of ARRA funding to support a one time professional development opportunity in partnership with ESE focused on closing the early literacy proficiency gap within the pre-k to 8 frame that includes an opportunity for post-conference peer support for reflective practice.

Funding Proposal for Early Literacy Initiatives

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Total Proposal = $175,000 Use of up to $150,000 of ARRA quality funds

through a competitive RFR to support an early literacy focused professional development initiative for Family Child Care providers serving infants and toddlers.

Use of $25,000 of ARRA funding to support a one time professional development opportunity in partnership with ESE focused on closing the early literacy proficiency gap within the pre-k to 8 frame that includes an opportunity for post-conference peer support for reflective practice.