There’s something really special about jumping into the imaginary world of the children in your care. But finding the balance between supporting children’s play while giving them ownership of their experiences can be tricky. Try this strategy called “Yes, and…” as one method for jumping into the imaginary…
School districts are critical partners for Children’s Literacy Initiative, as demonstrated in the successful launch of our Investing in Innovation (i3) Scale-up project in four urban school districts, including Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) in Florida, during the 2016-2017 school year. BCPS Superintendent of Schools Robert W. Runcie,…
We spoke with Leah Eller, a Kindergarten teacher at Green Valley Elementary in Denver, CO about her experience with CLI and why our partnership with teachers is so important. How has Children’s Literacy Initiative training impacted your early literacy instruction? The training that I have received from Children’s Literacy Initiative…
Ingrid is a proud 2nd grader who loves to read. When asked to name her favorite book, she will tell you that she has many, but her most favorite book right now is The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds. The Dot, part of the Children’s Literacy Initiative Spanish…
Learning to read and write is a big task! Luckily, our children enter preschool and kindergarten already equipped with one of the most powerful teaching tools – their names! Children’s names are one the most important words in their lives. The first letters they learn are the letters…
Teachers often ask us to recommend books that promote a positive classroom culture. Below are some wonderful read alouds that can help children learn to take care of themselves, take care of others, and take care of their classroom. Children’s Literacy Initiative calls this the Power of Three….
Pre-Writing, Drafting, Revising, Editing and Publishing. While these are the five steps most closely, and most generally associated with the writing process, we must not forget one critical aspect of genre studies, the “Immersion Phase”. It was early in my teaching career when I engaged in the planning…
There Destiny stood, all of four feet tall, holding a single piece of paper tightly in her hands. She smiled proudly, anxiously awaiting her audience members’ attention. She gently brushed her freshly curled hair away from her face and carefully groomed the front of her dress as if…
Here’s what students had to say about the literature circles in their classrooms: “I get to ask more questions and learn more by talking about the books with my friends. We help each other with new words, reading them and understanding them.” “During book clubs we talk to…
March is National Women’s History Month. What better way to celebrate the legacy of female resilience, ingenuity, and limitless possibilities than with rich, diverse, picture books? A good book has the power to shift our thinking and challenge preconceived notions. Intentional Read Alouds provide the opportunity for students…