Staff Workshop Topic: Learning to Read & Write

The new IRA/NAEYC position paper on literacy offers exciting opportunities to enhance teacher practices, enlist parent support, and foster children's growth.

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Instructions for the Workshop Leader

1 What You Need to Know

This workshop consists of two parts: these leadership instructions and a handout for the participating staff members.

2 What to Do in Advance

At least one week before your workshop, distribute the handout "Learning to Read and Write: Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Young Children", linked to this page.  Ask staff members to read it over carefully before you meet.

As they read, ask participants to choose three statements they particularly agree with and to write down three points they have questions about or would like to discuss.

3 Using the Handout

Begin the workshop by explaining to staff that this research is part of a position statement issued jointly by IRA and NAEYC. (See "Policies and Practices" in this issue for additional information.) Take time to talk about these organizations and what the phrase "developmentally appropriate" means. Encourage people to share examples of developmentally appropriate practices that are already taking place in your program.

Discuss the handout. Ask participants to talk about the parts of the research that have particular meaning to them.

Next, talk about research points staff questioned. You might want to use an experience chart or flip chart to record questions staff members have, and then go through them one by one, writing down people's responses and deciding together how you can find out more information.

Save time for discussion. Though some of the questions people raise may begin worthwhile discussions, staff may also have additional issues related to the research they'd like to talk about. You might want to collect these questions and, if time is short, use them to encourage discussions over your next few meetings.

4 Questions to Ask

Why is it so important to be able to apply research such as this to everyday interactions with children and their families? Ask teachers to share anecdotes from their classroom experience that come to mind as they relate to the research.

What strategies can we come up with together, based on this research, to support and enhance the development of reading and writing in the early years? Generate ideas and then provide each staff person with a copy of "Policies & Practices." Focus on "Teaching Practices" and "What Teachers Do." Together, come up with additional practical ways your program can incorporate this research.

Does drill and practice work? Research shows that by second grade, young children who were "stuffed" with letters by drill and practice are behind peers who were taught in a developmentally appropriate manner. Discuss why this might happen and how to avoid pushing or stuffing children.

What should a teacher do if a child seems totally uninterested in anything related to reading and writing? How about a child who comes into the classroom several steps ahead of her peers on the developmental continuum? Discuss appropriate responses and strategize how to work with individual children.

What steps can we take to in form parents about appropriate expectations for reading and writing? Tackle a few hypothetical or real situations, such as this one: How does a teacher respond to a parent who expects children to be drilled in letters at age four and reading by kindergarten?

5 Follow-Up

Encourage staff to share with parents. Take another look at "Policies & Practices." Brainstorm ways you can use the suggestions to help parents understand literacy development.

Provide time for staff to share strategies that work for them. Talk about classroom and curriculum changes, such as adding writing centers, more songs, fingerplays, and stories to their daily schedule.

Focus on increasing opportunities to involve parents and families in helping children read and write. Tell others about the "Parents and Family Members Can" section (in "Policies & Practices") through school or classroom posters, parent-teacher conferences, newsletters, and bulletin boards. During conferences, ask parents to share examples of things they do with their children.

Kimberly Moore Kneas, Ph.D., an author, lecturer, and consultant In Evergreen, CO, has more than 20 vears of experience in public and private early childhood education.

Staff Workshop Teacher Handout: "Learning to Read and Write - Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Young Children"
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