Promoting Child Literacy

Promoting Child Literacy

Jessica Howell, MDNicole Laney, MDKannie Chim, MD

Elizabeth Ryan, MD2/19/13

Outline

• Reading to children• Who is at risk? • What you can do• Books in WCC

When children are poor readers at the end of 1st grade the probability that they will remain poor readers by the end of 4th grade as high

at 88%

Emergent Literacy Skills

• Holding a book• Turning the page• Recognizing a beginning and ending• Print concepts/written language• Story structure – start at the beginning• Syntax and grammar• Phonological awareness – syllables,

rhyme, emphasis, letter sounds (alliteration)

Language Development

• Parent-child literacy activities improve language skills

• Books contain 50% more rare words than prime-time television or college students’ conversations

• More complex language • Describer style • Interactive reading

Plus . . .

• Bonding• Coping• Peer Relationships• World Knowledge

Social Risk Factors• Socioeconomic Class

– Kids from middle class families knew:• 54% of letter names at 4yo and 85% of letter

names at 5yo. – 4-5yo children from low income families

that enter Head Start knew:• 4 letters and learned and additional 5 while

enrolled in the program. – At age 3 children in professional families

heard average of 2153 words per hour; children in working class families heard 1251 words per hour; children in welfare families heard 616 words per hour.

Social Risk Factors

• Socioeconomic Class• Race/ethnicity• Parental education• Working parents, full-time• >1 child

The National Research Council’s Committee on the Prevention of Reading Difficulties in Young Children stated that most reading

difficulties can be prevented by ensuring that all children, in particular those at risk for reading difficulties, have access to

early childhood environments that promote language and literacy development and encourage those skills needed to learn to

read.

2004 National Survey of Early Childhood

Health– 52% of children 4-35months read to daily– Significant factors:

• Older age (OR 1.87)• Maternal education (OR 2.14)• Increased number of Children’s Book in the

house (OR 1.01)• Discussion of reading by pediatric provider

(OR 1.65)

What we can do

• Increase number of children’s books in the house

• Discuss reading !!!!!– 37% said not

discussed, 47% of those would have liked it to be discussed

Reach out and Read Evidence

• Hispanic parents given books, education during WCC, more likely to report reading to children at least 3 days per week (66% vs 24%) and reading was one of favorite activities with child (43% vs 13%) - big numbers!

• Children in ROR demonstrated higher receptive and expressive vocabulary, increased language scores, dose effect with more interventions resulting in higher scores - every visit!

• Parents in ROR more likely to rate pediatrician as helpful and pediatricians more likely to rate parents at receptive

Summary

1. Early Shared Reading with children promotes literacy

2. Providers talking to parents and giving books promotes early reading

3. Therefore if you talk about reading and give out books you are promoting child literacy

An experts in action:

6mo visit5yo visit

YOU ARE CREATING READERS!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kHE79dklGw8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QElKz8Yctwk

More Guidance

• Code Card . . . . .

Developmental Code Card6 MONTHS

H: raking grasp, passes cube hand to hand

*C: looks after fallen object

L: babbles

B: excited by picture book, tries to touch, grab, mouth

P: routines important, e.g. bedtime story; sleep and separation

problems often appear around 9 months

Developmental Code Card3 YEARS*M: jumps, both feet off floor; mature crayon grasp

C: plays out familiar events, and changes outcomes

S: separates more easily; average age dry at night

*L: 3-4 word sentences

L: gives full name, knows “cold”, “tired,” and hungry”

B: holds book without help: gives simple actions; sits for

5-minute story or longer; likes rhymes, nonsense words

AVS at every WCC:

.kidsbooks

AVS reading milestones• Age Book Use• 6mos Excited about pictures, tried to touch, grab, mouth• 9mos Ask “where” questions then point “there it is!”• 12mos Holds book with help, turns pages several at a time• 15mos Mobile child, may not sit long for a story• 18mos Points to pictures in book, book interaction joyful• 24mos Carried book around house, “reads” to dolls• 30mos Parent asks “what” questions, relates actions in book to child’s life, child wants same

story repeatedly• 3 yrs Holds book without help, gives simple actions, sits for 5-minute story or longer, likes

rhymes, nonsense words• 4 yrs Turns pages one at a time, retells familiar story, pretends to read and write, makes up

“tall tales”• 5 yrs Parent asks “what will happen next?”, 10-20min stories• 6-7 yrs Read-aloud books more difficult (and interesting) than child’s reading level; library

card• 8 yrs Ask about favorite books, reading aloud can continue, child and parents can alternate

pages, high-interest books, regular library visits important• 9-10 y Ask child about favorite book, family reading

AVS Tips for Parents• Effective book sharing feels good. Make it fun!• Work books into daily routine (e.g. bedtime story).• Read labels and signs wherever you go.• You don’t have to read the words: talking about

the pictures, and listening to your child are the most important!

• If your child enjoys the book the doctor gives, how about a trip to the library?

• Let your child tell you when he/she has had enough.

• Not all kids love books at first--give it time.• Your child will love books because your child loves

you.

And they lived happily ever after.

The End!

Resources• Duursma E, Augustyn M, Zuckerman B. Reading aloud to

children: the evidence. Arch Dis child. 2008; 93 (7): 554-557• Kuo A, Franke TM, Regalado M, Halfon N. Parent Report of

Reading to Young Children. Pediatrics. 2004; 113: 1944-1951• Reach out and Read:

http://www.reachoutandread.org/index.aspx • National Center for Education Statistics:

http://nces.ed.gov/naal/estimates/ • Goldfield S, Napiza N, Quach J, Reilly S, Ukoumunne OC, Wake

M. Outcomes of a Universal Shared Reading Intervention by 2 Years of Age: The Let’s Read Trial. Pediatrics. 2011;127;445-453