Developmental Milestones

1. Developmental Milestones Presenters: Lorraine Medici, Executive Supervisor Marianne Gernetzke, OTR/L, Supervisor 2006 UBAH National Convention

2. Part I: Focus on Child Development

3. Why Focus on Developmental Milestones? • BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE: understanding of child development can assist in improved book suggestions for your customers. • EDUCATE: Improve ability to represent yourself as an educational consultant in promoting literacy and reading readiness. • INCREASE YOUR PASSION: Better appreciate the expertise applied in the design of our wonderful books.

4. Your Typically Developing Child and Usborne Books Provides basic developmental tasks & interests of the typical child, sorted by age, and correlates with suitable Usborne books. Can be used as: • Reference tool • Book selection assist • Consultant Training

5. Today’s example: How does the first year of life prepare a child to read? Is it relevant?

6. Ready to be a Great Reader? • Visual/perceptual, auditory, and cognitive abilities to learn and sequence letters/phonemes • Physical ability to manipulate books and to control body (e.g. posture) • Awareness/familiarity with reading role models • Emotional ability to relate to and/or imitate role models; also to focus and maintain attention • Associate reading/learning with fun • Background knowledge and vocabulary are important for increased comprehension and motivation to read.

7. Development of a Reader Are books of importance in my infant’s development? Why should I read to my infant? Is this child REALLY getting ready to read??

8. Building Blocks of Child Development: the First Year Tasks completed in the first year provide the foundation for ALL development including reading readiness and skills necessary for literacy.

9. Baby/Toddler Enjoys Sensory Experiences Exploration and sensory experiences prepare child for ALL life learning experiences: brain and body are learning to interpret and influence the world.

10. Sometimes we can’t (or don’t) appreciate something’s value until it is missing!

11. Early Developmental Experiences

12. Fetal Research Babies who were read to in utero demonstrated recognition of vocabulary after birth. Research has also demonstrated recognition of music.

13. Auditory Sensation • Present before birth • Child recognizes parent’s voices • Can serve to soothe child, give feedback • Needed for early receptive communication

14. Missed Development • Delayed language • Poor vocabulary and reduced background knowledge • Reduced ability to respond appropriately to sounds or language • Missed opportunity to imitate and connect with adults

15. Touch Sensation • Also developed prior to birth; continues to develop with experience • Is earliest form of communication between parent and child • Essential for bonding and emotional growth • An integral part of reading books!

16. Missed Development • Attachment (bonding) issues and poor emotional development • Difficulty interacting appropriately with people, pets, and objects • Poor body awareness & coordination • Poor ability to manipulate objects like pages in a book

17. Movement Sensations(Vestibular, Proprioceptive, Kinesthetic) Vestibular sensation present at birth: rocking, bouncing, etc. soothe baby – also connected to emotional growth. With experience and exploration, child develops increased awareness of movement sensations and his/her body Movement sensation is necessary to develop normal movement.

18. Missed Development Results include: • Poor body awareness • Poor coordination and posture • Poor self-control

19. Visual Sensation & Perception • Visual acuity (ability to focus) is fully developed by 6 months of age w/stimulation • Important for non-verbal communication and learning by observation • Visual experiences are needed to develop accurate perception of objects, images, and symbols.

20. Missed Development • Very poor visual focusing ability • Lazy eye and eye misalignment • Poor understanding of what he sees --reduced background knowledge AND very delayed visual perception

21. If those blocks have been assembled… • Child is connecting with and beginning to imitate adults • Sensory exploration has provided strong foundation for ongoing learning, development of emotional control, increased physical coordination, and emerging attention skills • Child has obtained background knowledge of all types • Child is familiar with and enjoying simple books, pictures, and activities

22. Can Usborne Books Help Assemble those Blocks? YES! • Clear simple pictures and vibrant colors are easy to see • Claymation photos are fun and easy to understand • Easy to manipulate pages • Simple puzzles and manipulation opportunities • Touchy-feely fun • Bath books incorporated into sensory time • Rattle books encourage movement experiences • Vocabulary builders • Wonderful chance for parent-child interactions

23. So, how do I use the Developmental Milestone documentin my home show demonstration?

24. Main goals for using the Developmental Milestones document • To sell LITERACY! • Increase individual and overall home show sales. • Provide great customers offers through sets, combined volumes and “stand alone” books over $10. • Help parents with decision making by combining developmental education and product knowledge.

25. Developmental Milestone Document

26. Front page highlights of theDevelopmental Milestones document • Give a brief overview of the different markets Usborne offers. • Home Shows • Book Fairs • Reach for the Stars • Literacy for a Lifetime (Corporate matching) • Business Opportunities

27. Front page highlights of theDevelopmental Milestones document 2. Sell Literacy! Need a reason?? • 30% National Dropout Rate – (Time Magazine, 4/17/06)

28. Front page highlights of theDevelopmental Milestones document • Provide contact information • Name, address, phone numbers, website, email address.

29. Developmental Milestone Document

30. Back page highlights of theDevelopmental Milestones document • Explain sets and combined volumes. • Explain how they save. • Explain purpose for the check boxes. • Then, introduce each age group with reading the developmental milestones that apply and sharing recommended best buys.

31. Highlight a Specialty Set for Each Age • Infant and Toddler Set (Music, Touchy-Feely, Words, Numbers)

32. Highlight a Specialty Set for Each Age • Reading Readiness Set (Fiction, Art, Math, Phonics)

33. Highlight a Specialty Set for Each Age • PreK-2nd Grade (Fiction, Early Science, Rare Words) Picture Book Stories

34. Highlight a Specialty Set for Each Age • Middle School Age Internet-link Encyclopedia Set

35. Specialty Sets • Science Lover’s • $69.95

36. Does the Developmental Milestone document work at home shows? YES!! Here’s how: • We have a real crisis in this country! Our product is timely. • You address all aspects of your business. • You highlight developmental and educational milestones through literacy statistics and the benefits of our books. • Your show will have a more “professional” approach; cut above other shows.

37. Does the Developmental Milestone document work at home shows? YES!! Here’s how: • Help tailor the needs of your customers with great choices and savings. • You will increase your individual and overall home show sales when you focus on sets, combined volumes and stand alone books over $10. • This document can help a new recruit learn “the ropes” as well as a more experienced consultant wanting to polish her home shows.

38. Thank you!Questions?