Dialogic Reading

Dialogic reading is a research-based technique that can be used effectively with children ages two through five. In dialogic reading, the adult encourages the child to participate in the telling of the story they're reading together rather than just listening. During this training, participants will learn how to use dialogic reading strategies in the classroom, and help parents transfer these strategies to use at home.

Dialogic Reading Workshops (Train-the-Trainer)

This train-the-trainer session will help staff provide parents with the knowledge and skills needed to use dialogic reading strategies with their children. Dialogic reading is a research-based strategy that can be used effectively with children ages two through five years. Participants will leave with materials to deliver parent workshops based on the findings of the National Early Literacy Panel (NELP) report, research supporting dialogic reading and the work of Dr. Grover "Russ" Whitehurst.

Oral Language Development

Oral Language is a leading predictor skill of later reading achievement for preschool children. Talking and learning to have conversations is a major developmental task. This session explores oral language development and how it supports skills that predict later success in reading and kindergarten readiness. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss and practice strategies that work to support young children at home, in school and childcare settings, and in the community.

Parent Workshops to Go

Preschool Focus: Looking for parent workshops focused on children’s language and literacy development? Based on the findings of the National Early Literacy Panel (NELP) report , this training provides participants with six tried-and-true workshops they can use with families as stand-alone presentations or in a continuing series. The topics cover the underlying building blocks of literacy development and stress ways parents can integrate language and literacy into their children's daily lives through traditional family routines.

Elementary Focus: Looking for ways to shift parent involvement to true parent engagement that improves student achievement? This training focuses on the skills and strategies important for educators of five to ten-year-old children. Specific focus is given to intentional and purposeful teaching strategies that parents can use to support their child's reading acquisition. Participants leave this training with an understanding of research-based strategies to share with parents concerning students' language and literacy skill development in the areas of: creating a home learning environment, phonics and phonemic awareness, vocabulary development, fluency, and comprehension.

Phonological Awareness

Phonological Awareness, Part 1: Phonological Awareness is the ability to hear and manipulate the separate sounds within words independent of the words’ meanings. This ability is directly linked to later reading ability, making this a vital area of instruction for preschool educators. This training will focus on the importance of code-focused instruction, strategies to use in the classroom, and how to support children as they learn to manipulate units of sound.

Phonological Awareness Taught with Alphabet Knowledge, Part 2: Letter knowledge skills support the acquisition of decoding ability and can be effectively used with preschool children. Phonological awareness is the ability to hear and manipulate sounds within words. Pairing phonological awareness instruction with alphabet knowledge experiences has a larger impact on children’s literacy development rather than teaching either skill alone. This training focuses on the types of experiences preschool teachers can provide to support skill development in both areas for greater impact.

What Works for Early Language and Emergent Literacy Instruction

This awareness training provides an overview of the teacher- and family-based strategies that support emergent language and literacy instruction for young children. Participants will review the practical applications of findings from the National Early Literacy Panel (NELP) report and will apply them to a classroom situation. Each participant receives a copy of the National Center for Families Learning's guide, What Works: An Introductory Teacher Guide for Early Language and Emergent Literacy Instruction.

Writing in Preschool

As with reading, learning to write is a developmental process. Writing enables children and adults to express their knowledge and thoughts. When children stumble with handwriting, their thoughts and ideas can get lost and communication breaks down. This training focuses on the development of children’s fine motor skills, stages of writing and handwriting, and the importance of name writing in preschool. Participants will leave with proven strategies to use in the classroom and how to incorporate them into their daily routine.