Promoting Early Literacy Through the Professional Development of Preschool Teachers
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-2014
DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2013.827157
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a professional learning program on the emergent literacy skills of preschool children. Building Blocks for Literacy® is a program consisting of training supported by mentoring designed to teach early childcare providers how to promote the development of early literacy skills. A previous investigation found positive effects of the program on the pre-literacy skills of children in Vermont. The current study extended their work by replicating the training for Head Start teachers (n = 27) in another state. Teachers were divided into three groups. One group received the training and live mentoring; a second group received training and distance mentoring; and a third group of teachers served as controls. The results indicate that children (n = 97) served by teachers who received the training (n = 18) made higher gains on a measure of early literacy skills than those children (n = 36) served by control teachers. The gains made by children in the treatment groups were consistent for teachers who received either live or distance mentoring. Implications for practice are discussed.
Publication Information
Lane, Cristianne; Prokop, Mary Jo Surges; Johnson, Evelyn; Podhajski, Blanche; and Nathan, Jane. (2014). "Promoting Early Literacy Through the Professional Development of Preschool Teachers". Early Years: An International Research Journal, 34(1), 67-80.