Newswise — The National Center for Family Literacy is accepting applications from early childhood programs to participate in an innovative initiative based on the findings of the National Early Literacy Panel, which will be released later this year.
Three to five programs will be selected to receive parent workshops at their sites and have materials created by NCFL and funded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. The deadline to complete the online application is noon (Eastern Time) June 22. The application can be found at http://www.famlit.org/nelp.
This initiative will translate findings from the National Early Literacy Panel's report into practical guidance for early literacy practitioners and parents, which will result in improved literacy practices and support for preschool children.
The report will provide the most comprehensive synthesis to date of scientific research on the development of early literacy in young children. It will identify interventions and practices that produce positive results in literacy for preschool children.
"We must continue to evaluate and improve our strategies that involve our youngest learners," said Laura Westberg, director of special projects and research at NCFL and project director of the NELP. "The report will provide an important foundation for change and will influence the literacy learning of young children in order to improve future reading achievement."
This campaign includes:"¢ Parent workshops piloted at three to five early childhood programs selected through an RFA (request for application) process;"¢ Parent products designed by NCFL to support literacy activities at home and in the community. Parents will receive training and interactive literacy products for home use, so they are equipped with practical ways to support the early literacy development of their children;"¢ Teacher guides and video demonstrations that distill research into practice and will allow them to lead future workshops; and"¢ Video examples of parents and children engaged in learning activities that both parents and teachers can use to encourage literacy play.
Selected programs will be notified by July 15.
The National Center for Family Literacy, the worldwide leader in family literacy, has raised more than $115 million for literacy efforts since its founding in 1989. More than 1 million families have made positive educational and economic gains as a result of NCFL's work, which includes training more than 150,000 teachers and thousands of volunteers.
NCFL has pioneered the family literacy solution, which helps parents and children form a learning partnership that ends the cycle of poverty and illiteracy. Research shows that it results in greater literacy for parents and better academic achievement for children " accomplishments that lead to a more stable family, a stronger community and a better prepared work force. For more information, visit http://www.famlit.org.
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