Orelena Hawks Puckett Institute

American Institutes for Research

PACER Center

University of Connecticut Center for Excellence in Disabilities

Presentation prepared for the Center for Early Literacy Learning

Advisory Board Meeting, Washington, DC, October 11, 2007

Center for Early Literacy LearningCenter for Early Literacy Learning

CELL Aims

• Synthesize research evidence on effective early literacy learning interventions

• Identify evidence-based practices from the findings of this research

• Implement and evaluate the use of evidence-based practices

• Conduct general and specialized technical assistance promoting the adoption and use of evidence-based early literacy learning practices

Advisory Board Focus

• Early literacy learning practices and outcomes

• Parent and family perspectives of early literacy learning

• Scaling-up early literacy learning practices

• Inservice training and technical assistance to States

Early Literacy Learning Practices and Outcomes

• Domains of early literacy learning

• Literature review and study identification

• Practice-based research syntheses

• Evidence-based practice guides and tool kits

Domains of Early Literacy

• Alphabet and print awareness

• Written language

• Reading comprehension

• Phonological awareness

• Oral language

• Listening comprehension

Literature Review of Relevant Studies

Approximately 900 empirical studies of literacy and literacy-related studies have been identified that included infants, toddlers, or preschoolers. About 30% of the studies included or were investigations of young children with identified disabilities or developmental delays.

Literature Search Results

The studies identified by the literature search have been sorted by type of practice, type of outcome, and other study and practice factors to categorize the studies into logical groups and subgroups.

Linking Research to Practice

Practice-Based Research Syntheses

Isolating the Practice

Characteristics That Matter Most

Evidence-Based Practices

Disentangling and Unpacking What Matters Most

Any practice, intervention, or experience afforded a child is “made up” of different features or elements that can either have development-enhancing or development-impeding characteristics and consequences. “Sorting out” which development-enhancing elements and features are most important is the main goal of a practice-based research synthesis so that one can make informed decisions about what evidence-based practices should look like.

Key Components of CELL Literacy Learning Practice Guides

Literacy-RichEnvironments

and Experiences

InstructionalPractices

ChildInterest-Based

Learning

LiteracySkills

Framework for Developing Literacy Practice Guides

• What is the practice?

• What does the practice look like?

• How do you do the practice?

• How do you know the practice worked?

Parent and Family Perspectives of Early Literacy Learning

• Social marketing survey findings

• Using the survey findings for promoting parents’ knowledge and awareness of early literacy learning opportunities

• Procedures of promoting inclusion of literacy outcomes and objectives on IFSPs and IEPs

• Collaborations with PTIs, CPRPs, and other parent organizations to “get the word out”

Social Marketing Survey Questions

• It is important for young children with disabilities to learn prewriting and prereading skills

• Prewriting and prereading activities should be part of early intervention and preschool special education practices

• Prewriting and prereading outcomes and objectives should be on IFSPs and IEPs

Respondents Strongly Agreeing to Each Item Statement

Importance IFSPs/IEPsPractices

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

SURVEY ITEMS

PE

RC

EN

T O

F P

AR

EN

TS

Differences Between Parent Endorsed and Experienced Practices

Importance IFSPs/IEPsPractices

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

SURVEY ITEMS

PE

RC

EN

T O

F P

AR

EN

TS

Strongly Endorse Routinely Experience

Scaling-Up Early Literacy Learning Practices

• CELL definition of scaling-up

• CELL model for scaling-up

• CELL state resource teams

• CELL TA approaches

– Specialized TA

– Generalized Training and TA

CELL Definition of Scaling-Up

The adoption of policies, practices, and implementation strategies

that promote widespread, sustained use of evidence-based early literacy learning practices

by early childhood intervention programs and practitioners serving young children, birth to 5 years of age, and their families

to achieve outcomes that are socially and developmentally important and valued

CELL Conceptual Model for Scaling-UpV

ertic

al S

calin

g-U

p

Horizontal Scaling-Up

Local

End-Users

End-Users

End-Users

End-Users

Regional

State

National

CELL Resource Teams

StateResource

(Leadership)Team

Regional Resource Teams

Local Resource Teams

One

Number of Teams

Many

Specialized Technical Assistance

• Helps stakeholders adopt policies, practices, and implementation strategies that promote the effective and sustained use of CELL practices

– Information Sharing Communities: states share experiences, discuss needs, and explore solutions to early literacy learning challenges

• 5-7 states per year

– Statewide Training Assistance: individual states develop their own training programs for using CELL Toolkits and Practice Guides to improve early literacy outcomes

• 2-3 states per year

Distance Learning for CELL Specialized TA

• Website in which groups of users can privately:– Discuss

– Share documents

– Maintain a calendar, learn about upcoming and past events

• Examples of distance learning vehicles:– Conference calls

– Online chats/discussions with experts or leaders

– Webinars

– Events and documents archived on the website

CELL Capacity-Building Strategy

• State vision

• Leadership team

• Needs assessment

• Outreach and training

• Self evaluation

Generalized Training and Technical Assistance

• Mapping state, regional, and local Part C and Part B (619) technical assistance and training initiatives

• CELL partnerships with NECTAC, Regional Resource Centers, Parent Organizations, etc.

• CELL website

• CELL dissemination activities (email databases)

• CELL presentations and publications

Advisory Board Members’ Feedback

• Questions

• Comments

• Suggestions