EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL

EDUCATION COORDINATOR’S
CONFERENCE
October 2nd, 2012
Interviews
 What are the books from your childhood that you
have not been able to forget?
 What were your favorite books from childhood?
 What memories do you have of being read to?
 What memories do you have of reading on your
own?
 What memories do you about learning how to read?
 What do you do after you read a book that you love?
 What do you do when you are reading a book that
doesn’t hold your interest?
Common Questions, Concerns, &
Misconceptions
Based on your experience, what are the
most common questions, concerns, and
misconceptions that parents and
caregivers have about literacy in early
childhood? What questions do you have?
Belief Statements
What do you believe about early
childhood literacy?
Belief Statements
 Step 1: Personally reflect on your beliefs about the Rights of the Reader in
Early Childhood

 Step 2: Discuss with your group and come up with the TOP TEN
statements, illustrate them if you’d like

 Step 3: Post it on the wall

 Step 4: Go on a GALLERY WALK

 Resource: Continuum of Children’s Development in Early Reading and

Writing from Learning to Read and Write: Developmentally Appropriate
Practices for Young Children - A joint position statement of the
International Reading Association and the National Association for the
Education of Young Children
A Belief Statement: Engaging Readers of All
Ages

 What we believe works for readers at all

levels…
 Wide reading
 increasing interest, access, exposure to books by
offering a variety of formats
 Making connections and building community
 making reading personal by developing relationships
through the written word, including with authors and
illustrators
 It’s both intrapersonal and interpersonal
 The power of a good story
 Information sharing in various formats
30 Ideas in 30 Minutes
A rapid-fire approach to provide you
with ‘beyond the basic’ ideas for
helping parents promote literate
behaviors in the home.
 Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

30 IDEAS IN 30
MINUTES
On your mark, get set, GO!
1

You are a Reading Role Model

Kids benefit from seeing caregivers read

novels, newspapers, traditional print,
and tablets. It conveys the message
that reading is important.

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

2
Send Fan Mail

Write to the author by finding addresses

online (usually in care of the publisher)

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

3
Tweet or “Like”

“Like” author pages and follow Twitter

handles of your child’s favorite authors

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

4

Build a Mini Library

Friends, neighbors, and passersby take a

book and leave a book.

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

5

Coordinate a Book Swap

Round up 3-100+ families who are willing

to donate gently used books in
exchange for “book bucks”. Donate 5
books, earn 4 book bucks (come up
with a suitable formula so that you will
have some books left over for donation
and that the books don’t become too
picked over).
6
Audiobooks

Listening to books together can give

caregivers a break and they offer a
wonderful model for reading aloud.

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

7
Digital Story Time

Download interactive book apps to

break up the read aloud routine.
Variety might be just what kids and
caregivers need to sustain a reading
routine.

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

8
Magazines

Children typically LOVE receiving mail,

so subscribe to a periodical that will
get your child exited to read and
expose him or her to a different format
of literature.
9
Wordless Picture Books

Use wordless picture books to help your

child notice how illustrators tell stories
through their work. Add your own
words to the story.

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

10
Pop-Up Magic

Explore the wonders of Pop-Up books.

Try your hand at making some pop-up
books of your own!

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

11
Poetry, Songs, and Pattern Books

Once kids pick up on the rhythm and

rhyme, they can use the pattern to
figure out the words on the page.
Combine this with picture cues and
kids can see themselves as readers
from an early age.

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

12
Joke Books

Jokes are typically committed to

memory and recited aloud – which
means they are read repeatedly and
performed with rehearsed expression.

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

13
Change the Setting

A tent, a hammock, a sleeping bag on

the floor – break up the read aloud
routine by changing up the setting.

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

14
Children’s Books that Appeal to Adults

Why don’t you both learn something

new together from a book? It conveys
to your child that you are a lifelong
learner and are curious.

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

15
Storytelling

Set the books aside and tell stories. Use

a MagnaDoodle or whiteboard to draw
a basic storyboard as you go. Take
turns!

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

16
Shared Storytelling

Take a lesson from improv and take

turns telling stories. Let your child
make key plot turns. “Yes, and…”

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

17
A Series-ous Addiction

Finding a book series a child enjoys is

like winning the jackpot. Let him or her
indulge in that addiction. Nudge
towards other books later.

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

18
Dive Deeply into Interests

Create a “text set” around your child’s

interests. Reading different books
about the same topic is an important
life skill (and relates to lots of
academic standards).

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

19
Get Hooked on an Author or Genre

Help your children notice their personal

tastes in literature. Who are their
favorite authors? What genres do they
gravitate towards?

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

20
Make Books Accessible

Consider displaying books in baskets

with covers facing out. Make sure the
books are within easy reach for your
little one.
21
Treasure Chest

Keep a “treasure chest” or something

similar for books written by your child
or books that can be read
independently.
22
Start a Wish List

It’s hard to know what to buy for a child

and sometimes relatives appreciate
guidance. Wish lists help to keep track
of books that you have your eye on.
(Amazon.com – people don’t have to
buy the books there to remove books
from the list)
23
Co-Author a Story

Look for blank books, illuStory kits, or

just fold paper and staple it.
24
Co-Author a Digital Story

www.tikatok.com is a guided program,

Puppet Pals app is great, or just type
as your child narrates and add clip art.
25
“Great Reading, Buddy (or Honey)”

When your child reads the Cheerios box,

McDonalds arches, or his or her own
name, let him or her know that you
noticed. It’s reading!

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

26
You to Me, I’ll Read to You

Take turns reading pages in books - even

if your child just reads one or two
words from the page. Keep it fun.

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

27
Bring in a “guest readers”

Skype with a relative or get a little silly

by joining in as a “listener” while a
“guest reader” reads for the night.

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

28
Predicting

Encourage your child to predict what

might happen next in a story. Be
careful not to “reward” for correct
predictions since that is not the point.
Comprehension comes from
confirming and refuting the prediction.

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

29
Attention to the Illustrations

How are the pictures supporting the

story? What do you notice about the
artists’ techniques? Can the pictures
help us figure out the words or
understand the story better? Help your
child notice the richness of quality art.

Esteves & Knipstein Meyer 2012

30
Local Library

Check out books from the library, go to

library programs, talk to the librarians,
hang out at the library
What ideas do you have?
 Discuss other ideas at your table or with
a partner

 Please share 3-5 additional ideas with

the whole group
Helping to Make Home/School
Connections
•Resources to give to teachers
•Resources to give to parents
Parent Teacher Connections
 Describe the experience you had
when you left home. List the
emotions and use your senses to
describe it.
 How did you and your parents deal

with this change?

 Name an experience where your

parents did a great job as parents.

 Name an experience that you

believe you parents did not handle

well.
Parenting the Law of Return
 Parenting is a process. You never arrive with all the skills
that you need.
 Parenting is a journey, not a destination.
 Parents are the most significant influence in a child’s life.
 A parent is the greatest teacher a child will ever have
and we have to remember that role.
 Successful parenting is predictable, reliable ,and
consistent not perfect.
 The greatest aspect of learning is through modeling.
 Parents modeling is unspoken as well as spoken words.
 Parents are the most powerful force in shaping a child’s
life.
 Reasons to Involve Parents
 Special Education requires
 Reinforce academic and other skills

at home
 Reinforce behaviors that lead to

success in school
 Parents have many reinforcements

available to them
 Minimizes the chances that teacher

and parents are played against each

other.
 Cautions Regarding Parents
 Don’t draw conclusions about why
parents aren’t involved -culture, past
experiences/perceived ability,
situations, work
 Children are born-parents play a role

in who they become not who they

are inside
 Some parents have poor parenting

skills (knowledge-doing)
 When to Involve Parents…?
Any CHANCE you get

Beginning of school year-brief

letter/call home, Open Houses,
home visits

9 weeks/Semester

Call home/Notes to parents on

good things

Minor offenses

Serious
offensesEmail/teleconferences

Letters from School

Notes Home from you

Practical Points for Parents and Reading

 Read to children at an early age. Establish that

reading is fun and also essential.
 Be a good role model and read yourself.
 Read aloud the recipes you are preparing for
meals. Ask questions about sequence of the
recipe.
 Read the rules of the game and ask questions for
understanding.
 Shut off the DVD and Read billboards on the road
 Read the breakfast cereal or labels on cans
 Communication with
Parents
 Parents do know their child best
 Be consistent

 Make periodic checks

 Be direct, concise, and specific

 Enjoy your role with parents

 Be on the same team

How Books Can Raise Readers and
Promote Literacy Discussion
How do you use books?
•
What’s New in Children’s Literature

Thanks to Carl Harvey!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1
ikFqMD382HerRf9AzmVixvxHPf0Jcpizw
rEd-EuMvOE/edit
Reading Aloud
Why, What, How, When, Where, and
with Whom?
Why Read Aloud?
 In Becoming a Nation of Readers, the report
of the National Commission on Reading states
that the single most important activity for
building the knowledge required for eventual
success is reading aloud to children.

-Anderson, R.C., Hiebert, E.H., Scott, J.A., &

Wilkinson, I.A.G. (1985). Becoming a
nation of readers: The report of the
Commission on Reading. Washington,
DC: National Academy of Education,
Commission on Education and Public
Policy.
 Language
Development
 • Framework for Reading •
DECODING COMPREHENSION
Word
Academic Comprehension
Recognition Fluency Strategies
Strategies Language

• John Shefelbine/ Developmental Studies Center •

 • Framework for Reading •
DECODING COMPREHENSION
Word
Academic Comprehension
Recognition Fluency Strategies
Strategies Language

Language
Development

• John Shefelbine/ Developmental Studies Center •

Why Read Aloud?

 Share a common bond

 “Hey can I borrow your

frindle?”
What should teachers & caregivers read
aloud?

 Magazine articles
Fiction
  Novels
Newspaper articles
 Short stories
 Non-Fiction
 Poetry
Informational text
 Picture books
Biography
 Child authored writing
Autobiography
 Speeches
 High interest
Content area selections with absorbing plots, lively
 characters, and multiple layers of meaning!
Historical documents
Guidelines to Think About…

 Literary quality
 The lessons they teach
 Illustrations
 Absence of harshness, scariness, swearing
 Familiarity of content
 Personal preference and level of
engagement
 Appropriate reading or listening level
 Appropriate content (from a developmental
perspective)
Preparation for read alouds

 Pre-read and re-read selection

 Consider reading goals
 Identify the process and strategy
information (at work in the text)
 Anticipate where background knowledge
needs to be built
Preparation for read alouds

 Highlight places to stop, question, make

predictions, or make connections
 Write discussion questions before the
lesson
 Practice reading the selection using
gestures and voice intonation
 Plan before, during, and after reading
activities to enhance comprehension
A note for Teachers &
Caregivers

The Great Balancing Act – Use

Caution!!!
Read Aloud for Caregivers

 Picture walk – predictions

 Think aloud – model

metacognition
 Asking questions – model

strategies
 Analyze text – plot, theme,

characters
 Examine text structure
How to Read Aloud

 http://www.memfox.net/reading-magic-
intro
When, Where, and with
Whom?

 When?…ANYTIME!
 Where?...ANYWHERE!
 with Whom?...Kids of ALL AGES!
eBooks, book apps, & audiobooks

Benefits and Cautions

eBooks

 Ebook, audiobook, book app…So, what is

the difference?
eBooks

 International Children’s Digital Library

 www.storylineonline.net

 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/storyti
me/
Book Apps

 ‘Read to Me’ Feature

 Differing levels of interactivity

 Astounding levels of creativity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7UYJ9CTZUQ&feature=player_embedded
Sample Book App
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=
player_embedded&v=vBUa97Z-JZo
Book apps

 Smart phone app store

 Digital-storytime.com (@iPad_storytime)

 http://www.tcea.org/ipad
Audiobooks

 Library

 iTunes.com
 Playawaydigital.com
 Recordedbooks.com

 Audible.com (20% discount if your email ends in .edu)

More Literacy and Tech…
 http://skypeanauthor.wetpaint.com/
More Literacy and Tech…
 http://blogs.butler.edu/esteveschildrensli
t/
Final Thoughts on Literacy
& Tech
What concerns do you have?

Goodnight iPad
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.ph
p/2011/11/14/goodnight-ipad/

It’s a Book!
Strategies for Developing Readers

What to try when students are not

thriving
It is not like Spoken
Language
•Reading is not a natural ability. There
are no areas of the brain that
specialize in reading.
•To read the brain must recruit regions

that are specialized for other purposes.

•Reading is the most difficult task a

young brain undertakes.

Before They Learn to
Read…
 Acquire vocabulary by listening to others
 Repeat the words frequently
 Practice pronunciation and usage of new
words in conversations.
 Children with language impairments are
at risk for problems with reading.
 Reading Operations
1. Decoding=student needs phonemic awareness,
understand phonics, adequate vocabulary
(mental lexicon)
2. Comprehend=student needs to know what the
words in the lexicon mean (vocab) and be able to
decode with reasonable fluency
3. Three Neural Systems:
Visual-processing system
Auditory-processing system
Executive system
Detecting Reading Problems
 Not an easy task
 Early signs of problems with spoken
language delays
 Early signs of difficulties with spoken
language
 Failure to respond to reading interventions
 Social
 Cultural
 Physical
 Physical Causes
1. Phonological deficits
2. Differences between auditory and visual
processing speeds
3. Structural differences in the brain
4. Working memory to long term memory
5. Genetic issues
6. Poor perception of sequential sounds
7. Inability to discriminate certain sound frequencies
8. Inability to detect sounds from background noise
9. Deficits in the cerebellum-poor motor coordination
 Detecting Reading Problems in Young
Children

 Difficulty recognizing written words

 Difficulty rhyming or sequencing syllables
 Difficulty determining the meaning or
main idea of a simple sentence
 Poor sequencing of letters or numbers
 Difficulty with encoding words-spelling
 Delayed spoken language
 Difficulty with handwriting
 Difficulty in expressing thoughts verbally
 Possible family history of dyslexia
Increase Reading
Achievement
Kids need…
•to read a lot

•access engaging classroom and school library

media center collections

•choice in selecting books appropriate to their

independent reading levels

• to be read aloud to every day

•positive reading role models

•engage in a variety of reading activities every day

•talk to others about what reading

•quality teachers and high-quality instruction

Common Questions, Concerns, &
Misconceptions
Based on your experience, what are
the most common questions,
concerns, and misconceptions that
parents and caregivers have about
literacy in early childhood?

Let’s address these….

References
 Learning to Read and Write: Developmentally Appropriate
Practices for Young Children - A joint position statement of the
International Reading Association and the National Association for
the Education of Young Children
http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSREAD98.PDF
 The Rights of a Reader by Daniel Pennac & illustrated by Quentin
Blake
http://www.walker.co.uk/UserFiles/file/Rights%20of%20the%20rea
der/NYOR_ROTR.pdf