3/23/2017

1

Early Literacy MakesA Difference . . .

When the Whole Library Is Involved!

Saroj Ghoting

Early Childhood Literacy Consultant

570-676-8613

sghoting@gmail.com

www.earlylit.net

Twitter sghoting

www.earlylit.netGoals

• Acknowledge the importance of the roles of the

public library in family engagement, informal

education, and in fostering early literacy

• Understand ways that supercharged storytimes

can support and strengthen these roles

• Recognize and understand the elements of

supercharged storytimes and ways to support

staff in incorporating them in programs

• Engage all staff in fostering family engagement,

informal education and early literacy

3/23/2017

2

• Are familiar with and use the outcome-based

tools offered in supercharged storytimes

• Support staff in becoming competent in

delivering supercharged storytimes on an on-

going basis, both in and outside the library

• Able to articulate to community leaders and

members the importance of your library in early

literacy and informal education

Outcomes Harvard Family Research Report

•Lifelong learning

• Informal learning

• “Free,” welcoming

http://www.hfrp.org/content/download/4911/128059/file/Public%20Libraries-A%20Vital%20Space%20for%20Family%20Engagement_HFRP%20PLA_%20August-2-2016.pdf

Public Libraries:

A Vital Space for

Family Engagement

2016

Ways that families matter

How do libraries make a difference?

• Opportunities for parents to connect

• Digital access and technology programs

• Job training

• Health, nutrition programs

• Connect with community agencies

• Provide information for families in

special circumstances

Ways libraries support families

3/23/2017

3

• Early childhood literacy programs

• Conversations about books and resources

• Activities to promote summer learning

• Discover and create events (STEM, Makerspaces)

• Services on how to use library research resources

Strengths in family engagement

• Reaching Out

• Raising Up

• Reinforcing

• Relating

• Reimagining

Ways libraries are encouraging family engagement

Growing Young Minds:

How Museums and Libraries

Create Lifelong Learners

IMLS Report 2013

https://www.imls.gov/assets/1/AssetManag

er/GrowingYoungMinds.pdf

Supercharged Storytimesand

VIEWS2 Study Findings

•Children are responding

• Intentionality makes a difference

http://views2.ischool.uw.edu/

3/23/2017

4

• Interactivity

• Intentionality

• Scaffolding

• Early Literacy Tips

• Self-Reflection

• Community of Practice

Elements of a Supercharged Storytime Storytime Cycle

Planning

DeliveryAssessment

Interactivity

Intentionality

Reflection

InteractivityBetween storytime provider and the children

Between adults and their children

Between storytime provider and the adults

Between adults and adults

• Theme talk

• Books

• Dialogic/Interactive Reading

• Songs/Fingerplays

• Actions/Act out

• Crafts

• Adults, too!

Ways to Be Interactive

3/23/2017

5

What Is Intentionality?

• Connecting storytime activities to

early literacy skills and development

• Being more aware of, and

articulating, these connections

during planning, delivery, and

reflection

IntentionalityMaking

Connections

• Knowing early literacy skills

• Being aware of what you do to support them

• Becoming more purposeful

• Thinking of new ways to incorporate early

literacy skills

VIEWS2 Planning Tool

Early Literacy Domain

Age of Child

ChildrenExamples of behaviors you may observe that demonstrate building early literacy skills

Educator/AdultExamples of strategies to support the domain

Early Literacy Goals based on Washington

State Guidelines

VIEWS2 Planning Tool

•Language Use

•Communication

•Phonological Awareness

•Print Concepts

•Alphabetic Knowledge

•Vocabulary

•Comprehension

•Writing Concepts http://views2.ischool.uw.edu/resources/

3/23/2017

6

Language Use

VIEWS2 Planning Tool

http://views2.ischool.uw.edu/language-use/Video for each domain available

VIEWS2 Planning Tool

Tip Sheet

http://views2.ischool.uw.edu/resources/

Blank Tip Sheet

http://views2.ischool.uw.edu/wp-

content/uploads/2016/11/Blank-Tip-

Sheet.docx

Applying Intentionality to Storytime Activities

New York State Early Learning Guidelines

Receptive Vocabulary

Expressive Vocabulary

Grammar and Syntax

Comprehension

Expressive/Oral Language

Listening Skills

Oral and Written

Communication

Conventions of Social

Communication

Reading: Phonological Awareness

Reading: Alphabetic Principle

Reading: Comprehension of Printed Material

Reading: Awareness that Written Materials

Used for Variety of Purposes

Reading: Appreciation and Enjoyment

Writing: Alphabet Knowledge

Writing Conventions

Writing: Use for Variety of Purposes

3/23/2017

7

Intentionality and

Scaffolding• Educational term noting

that we adjust our level of

support according to the

child’s abilities

• Scaffolding for a group

• Share with parents/caregivers

connections to early literacy

• 20 seconds or so

• Effective tip

• When we . . . format

Intentionality andEarly Literacy Tips

Early Literacy TipsExample

Adults, when we sing with our children, there is a

distinct note for each syllable so they hear the

smaller sounds in words. This helps them become

a good reader, because they’ll need to hear those

smaller sounds in order to sound out words on

the page. Singing with your children helps them

get ready to read!

Early Literacy TipsExample

When we read factual books with our

children, they are learning about the

world around them. The information they

learn builds their background knowledge

which will help them later understand

what they read. Remember, you don’t

have to read the whole book!

3/23/2017

8

Early Literacy TipsExample

When we do these fingerplays with

children, we are having fun, and also

helping them develop small muscle

coordination which they will need to write,

a first step to writing.

Storytime Cycle

Planning

DeliveryAssessment

Big Picture Assessment• Outcome-based processes

• What difference is your storytime making

in the children’s early literacy behaviors?

VIEWS2 Assessment Tools

• Self Reflection Worksheets

• On-going Outcome-Based Planning

and Self-Reflection Worksheet

• Long-Term Self-Reflection Worksheet

• VIEWS2 Peer Mentoring Worksheet

http://www.alaeditions.org/supercharged-storytimes-web-extra

and in Supercharged Storytimes book

3/23/2017

9

Self-Reflection • Ongoing Outcome-Based

Planning and Self-

Reflection Worksheet

• VIEWS2 Peer Mentoring

Worksheet

Observing Children’s Behaviors• Make mental notes of children’s behaviors during the

storytime

• Record the children using video

• Additional staff member can observe

and take notes on children’s behaviors

• Following storytime, ask the

parents/caregivers about

children’s behaviors

How can you use supercharged storytimes

to affect YOUR big picture?

Peer Mentoring

• Informal conversations

• More formal observations/meetings

http://www.alaeditions.org/supercharged-storytimes-web-extra

and in Supercharged Storytimes book

Community of Practice

Sharing ideas

Growing in

our practice

3/23/2017

10

Supercharging Your Storytime

• Interactivity

• Intentionality

•Scaffolding

•Tips for Adults

•Community of Practice

PUBLIC LIBRARY’S ROLE:

INFORMAL EDUCATION

AdvocacyElevator Speech

Value based language to advocate for the transformative

services the library offers children and families.

Everyone Plays a Role

What does itmean for all staff?

What CAN itmean for

your libraryand community?