Care to Read Program                                        

The Up Center is launching efforts to provide early language and literacy training workshops for child care providers, preschool teachers, family child care providers, and parents. The workshops are part of the Care to Read program developed by Reading Is Fundamental, Inc., the nation's oldest and largest child literacy organization. The workshops model effective and appropriate practices for supporting the language and literacy explorations and discoveries of children ages 18 months to five years. There are six, 

2 to 2-1/2 hour workshops as follows:

1. Understanding Early Language and Literacy Development gives an overview of
CARE TO READ® and early language and literacy development 

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2.. Creating Literacy-Rich Environments provides tips for arranging and outfitting a
classroom or home so that it invites children to listen, talk, read, and write.

3.. Where Conversation Leads presents techniques for engaging children in conversation and encouraging them to build oral language skills.

4. Reading Aloud addresses strategies for reading aloud with children from selecting
appropriate books to planning activities that extend children's understanding and
enjoyment of books.

5. Making My Mark covers practices for encouraging children's scribbling, drawing,
painting, and writing efforts.

6.. Supporting Language and Literacy Development Every Day allows participants to
apply the lessons from the first five workshops to incorporate language and literacy
throughout the curriculum.

Although each workshop has a specific focus; the topics are interrelated. For example, trainers model and discuss read-aloud strategies in every workshop. The content is based on early literacy research and developmentally appropriate practices and supports the following recommended strategies from the Committee on Preventing Reading Difficulties:

1. Adult-child shared book reading times that involve talking about the book and other topics and promote children's language and vocabulary development and knowledge of print concepts.

2. Activities such as singing rhyming songs, reciting rhyming poems, and playing word games that help children pay attention to the sounds and structures of spoken words.

3. Activities that help children understand the connections between print and speech and allow children to gradually build their understanding of the alphabetic principle.

To schedule a workshop or to receive more information, please contact Heather Mathews at 757.397.2121 ext. 312.