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Brunswick R.O.C.K.S. R eading O pportunities C reate K indergarten S uccess!. Funded by a grant from United Way!. Funded by United Way of Medina County.
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Brunswick R.O.C.K.S.Reading Opportunities Create KindergartenSuccess! Funded by a grant from United Way!
Funded by United Way of Medina County Project: LEARN was given a grant of $6,200 designated to provide a summer program for families of children who would be entering kindergarten in fall of 2011.
The Success Was Built on Collaboration United Way of Medina County Project: LEARN of Medina County Brunswick Library Holy Trinity Church Staff from Brunswick City Schools
Empowering Parents • The concept was to empower parents to assist their children in developing early literacy skills critical to learning to read. • A child’s parent can help to establish an environment at home and provide opportunities which encourage the development of literacy skills. • Parents are given the knowledge to provide their children rich opportunities that are fun and easy.
Each Student Was Pre-Tested • Each child participated in a pre-intervention assessment of several early literacy skills: • Identify name • Write name • Spell name • Recite alphabet • Identify random letters • Recognize rhyming pairs • Produce rhyming pairs
Parents Hear Guest Speakers Parents learn the connection between music, movement, and learning. This is an activity in which children exercise passing the midpoints of their body. This helps them read through the line and not stop midway.
Parents & Children Learn Together Print Awareness Activities Parents learned to help children become aware of the environmental print that surrounds us by finding letters on cereal boxes and by noticing letters on signs as they drive together in the car.
Parent & Children Learn Together Letter Recognition Activities Children learned to name the letters of the alphabet and alphabet order by working with magnetic letters on cookie sheets. Each family was given a set of magnetic letters to take home.
Parents & Children Learn Together Comprehension Skills Parents learn to ask their children questions and to point out words and the connections between words and pictures when they read aloud to their children.
Parents & Children Learn Together Comprehension Skills Principal Judy Galo asks questions about a story the children just heard so children begin to understand terms such as “main character,” “title,” “illustration,” and “what happens next?”
Post-Assessment Measures Change The same skills assessed before the interventions were assessed after the three sessions.
By the Numbers • The same program was offered twice each time. We provided an afternoon session and an evening session for working parents. • Afternoon Session: 10 children, 10 adults 7 families attended 3 out of 3 sessions • Evening Session 21 children, 28 adults11 families attended 3 out of 3 sessions
Results of Post-Assessment MASTERY means child completed assigned task with 84% accuracy or better.We did not have any activities which focused on spelling, but there was improvement. We did focus on pre-writing and there was a significant increase in the number of children able to write their names.
Results of Post-Assessment 77% of the children recited the alphabet correctly upon initial evaluation, but only 71% did so correctly on re-evaluation. This is an anomaly that is difficult to explain or interpret but may have some relation to the fact there were fewer children participating in post assessment than pre-intervention assessment.
Results of Post-Assessment Prior to attending the sessions, 33% of the children were at mastery level in discriminating between rhyming and non-rhyming pairs when they heard them. The leap to 76% mastery and the decrease in the number at the frustration level is a good indicator what a difference parents can make with a little information. The ability to produce rhyming words was even more difficult for children. In addition to the increased number at the mastery level, it was gratifying to see the decrease number who were frustrated after attending sessions. While more work is needed in this area, parents now have the knowledge they need to practice with their children at home.
Parent Survey: What did you like best? • “It was organized and interesting.” • “The good ideas for working with my child.” • “Working with my son one-on-one and getting info to help get ready for kindergarten.” • “Small groups; a lot of different activities for instruction for parents.” • “The literacy ideas for summer activities.” • “Interacting with my child.”
Parent Survey: What did you like best? • “All of the interaction and staff.” • “It was informative and fun. Kept the kids interested & gave me a lot of great ideas.” • “Hands-on activities.” • “Having fun with my daughter and doing educational things with her • “The way the teachers interacted with kids.” • “Involvement of parents with kids and teachers.” • “Very interactive. Child care available.” • Energetic speakers with lots of great ideas to pick and choose from. It was great to do with my son. 1 on 1 time is always good.”
Parent Survey: What activity did you do at home with your child?” • “Magnetic letters on cookie trays that I shared with my child and other children.” • “Story time and talking about the book.” • “We did the activity calendar.” • “We liked the pointed finger for reading books. We tried everything! He learned a lot.” • “Music and movement = learning. Different ways of reading, following with finger.
Parent Survey: What activity did you do at home with your child? • “We have done most everything, but have really enjoyed the fun with sponges.” • “A lot of them! Our favorites were the sad/happy face for rhyming, throwing the sponge, and using magnetic letters.” • “Clapping game.” • “Put story events in order.” • “Read books.” • “Made play objects out of household items.” • Lots of rhyming activities.” • “Asking questions about books.”
Parent Survey: Additional Comments • “Truly has been a great program. I would come every month if you had this. Thank you all for your time.” • “So glad we participated. Thank you for offering babysitting.” • “I think that this is a great program. I love Brunswick R.O.C.K.S. • “Thank you all for your dedication to this program.” • “I wish it could be longer.” • “More sessions, please.”
Parent Survey: Additional Comments • “I really enjoyed Brunswick R.O.C.K.S. with my daughter.” • “We have a great time here and at home doing the take-home packets. It’s been fun!” • “Thank you so much for the free books and learning materials.” • “I think you did an excellent job. Hopefully you will be here again next year for my second daughter.” • “This is a wonderful program. I hope that it will always continue so I can bring my other two children.”
Take-Home Materials Provided • After each session, parents were given materials to continue the work at home. Over the three sessions families received: • 7 High quality children’s books • Magnetic alphabet • Marker board, sidewalk chalk, scissors, glue, primary pencil, organizer tote • Handouts on phonics, nutrition, comprehension skills, rhyming words, and more
Culminating Activity: Family Literacy Night at the Library! The Family Literacy Fair was an evening dedicated to families and their young children. Location: Brunswick Library Events: Games Guest appearances by Froggy & Clifford the Big, Red Dog Author/Illustrator Wendy Sefcik Puppet Show Music Storyteller
Family Literacy Night Over 100 families with a estimate of over 250 people attended the night. All games were literacy based. Skills included: Alphabet Recognition Visual Discrimination Story Comprehension Spelling Name Phonemic Awareness Parents interacted with their children in developmentally appropriate literacy activities that were both fun and beneficial.
Family Literacy Night Informational tables included: Brunswick R.O.C.K.S. Project: LEARN Brunswick City SchoolsBrunswick Library Quality family fun for the whole community with a focus on reading and reading readiness activities All families who took part in Brunswick R.O.C.K.S. received books to take home and read together.
