University of Michigan

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• University of Michigan

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Purpose of our project

• Enhance the knowledge base of early childhood
  educators in language, literacy, and mathematics
• Examine different delivery systems (face-to-face
  online-hybrid) of instruction
• Enhance early childhood practices in these areas
• Examine the benefits of coaching
• Improve child outcomes

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Benefits of Coaching

• Does coaching enhance early childhood educators
  ability to use knowledge to enhance practice?
• Does consistent, ongoing, intensive, coaching
  make a significant difference on providers
  practice?
• Does it improve child outcome?

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University of Michigans Role

• Sample size Almost 300 sites (treatment
  control)
• Assessment of teacher knowledge
• Ellco/Chello
• Child Outcomes
• Ongoing progress monitoring

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Our philosophy

• Language and literacy and numeracy must be
  embedded in high quality early childhood practice
• Learning to read and write Developmentally
  appropriate practice
• Begins at birth
• Reading and writing occur interchangeably
• Children need to understand the purposes of using
  literacy
• Literacy practice must build on good early
  childhood practice

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Core Competencies

• Child Development
• Child Development and Learning
• Health, Safety and Nutrition
• Family and Community Collaboration
• Program Management
• Teaching and Learning
• Observation, Documentation and Assessment
• Interaction and Guidance
• Professionalism

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Child Development Assessment

• Example of test item based on Competency V
• Which of the following activities would be most
  supportive of 3-4 years olds natural curiosity
  about the world?
• a. Take children on an exploratory walk in a
  nearby park to look at the colors of Spring.
• b. Visit a planetarium and view the stars.
• c. Ask children to bring in a favorite toy
  from home for show and tell.
• d. Visit the library and have the librarian
  read story books to the children.

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Core Competencies

• Core Competency I Oral Language

Core Competency Teacher Practice Knowledge Base
A. Recognizes that language skills play a prominent role in early literacy development Engages children in interactive storybook reading Uses multiple genres and a variety of levels Extends children's learning Uses different group arrangements
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What are the skills in the early years that will
build skillful reading?

• Oral language comprehension
• Vocabulary and background knowledge
• Phonological awareness
• Letter name knowledge
• Also consider access time

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Oral language comprehension and vocabulary
development

• Demonstrations and interactions with highly
  literate adults
• Exposure to high-quality books--narrative and
  expository
• Repeated readings of favorite books
• Book-related conversations that focus on
  open-ended responses in small group settings
• Visits to the library

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Phonological awareness

• Playing with words and sounds
• Rhyming, singing activities that introduce
  children to the sounds of words
• Activities that focus childrens attention on
  initial and ending sounds in words
• Driting and invented spellings

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Letter name knowledge

• Functional print throughout the environment
• ABCs in childrens eye view
• ABC song
• Puzzles, games, books that encourage children to
  distinguish between letters
• Learning the letters of ones name

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5 Essentials

• Supportive learning environment
• Storybook Reading
• Small group interaction
• Developmental writing
• Literacy and play

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A supportive learning environment

• Carefully defined interest centers
• Child-related displays
• ABC at childrens eye view
• Functional print
• Tools within close proximity
• Provider involvement and interaction
• Lots of love and positive reinforcement

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Storybook reading

• Important issues to help providers consider
• What genre should I select Different text types
  enhance different skills
• How do I introduce the story?
• How can I extend childrens learning
• What group arrangement works best for learning?

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Small group or individual activity

• Identify a specific skill/concept to be
  reinforced
• Oral language/vocabulary
• Print concepts
• Alphabetic principle
• Numeracy
• Keep careful records of progress monitoring

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Developmental Writing

• Allows children to connect sounds and letter
  names
• Focuses on phonological awareness the
  alphabetic principle
• Combines different types of symbol-making
  numbers, letters, pictures
• Writing center

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Why is play important in literacy?

• Play--A critical feature in early development
• Why is play important in early literacy?
• Language/vocabulary
• Developing narrative skills
• Zone of proximal development
• Development of abstract

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Context Matters

• Insights from Chello/Ellco
• Accessibility differs
• Interest areas differ
• Concept of curriculum differs
• Multi-ages