Weather has not been a friend to Vermont lately. Hard hit, twice now, in ways that have been not only damaging but also disheartening, roadbeds have turned into ravines, fields flooded, and life is now even harder for those businesses and families that already had just a bit "too little" already.

I suppose, in the end, through such hardship comes awareness about what truly matters. I'm pleased I work for an organization that tries to help Vermont families have a little bit more of what does truly matter: more caring advice from healthcare providers, more quality children's books in their homes, more children growing up with a love of books, and thus, more chances for those same children to enter kindergarten well-prepared for school on "Day 1." 

I certainly hope winter is kinder and gentler to you,

What a Difference a Mom Can Make ...

Jean Ciborowski Fahey, PhD

Early Literacy Research Specialist

Reach Out and Read National Center

A 2011 study of 1,850 low income families with infants, toddlers and preschoolers shows the impact a mother or otherwise primary caregiver can have on school readiness. The research shows, among other things, the degree to which parents not only read, but also converse with their child about the story can have long lasting effects on language and early literacy skills years later.1   Other research shows that when mothers, despite income or educational level, had knowledge of child development and rated their infants as responsive, this also created more language rich-environments.2

Using children's books to generate conversations (dialogic reading) is an effective method for parents to build their young children's foundation for learning-to-read.3, 4. Dialogic reading encourages children to become the story teller. Over time, the adults become the listener, asking clarifying questions to encourage the child to generate new ideas related to the story.

Interestingly, a 2011 Utah State University study compared early literacy and language skills in older toddlers whose mothers used traditional children's books and books without words. Researchers found "more complex language and interactions were present between mother and child using the wordless book." 5 The reason for this finding may be that when parents are encouraged to 'create in the moment', much like play, they elicit more responsive and productive language interactions with their child.

Together with mother's knowledge of child development and an increasingly responsive child, the difference a Mom can make in building the foundation for learning to read is remarkable indeed. So, remember to help your parents understand the real difference they can make:

Beginning in infancy: Acquaint mothers and caregivers with child development stages and recommend reading, back and forth conversations, and singing to baby - every day - with the goal of increasing mother-baby closeness and responsiveness in the infant.

Toddlerhood: Reinforce child development stages and recommend back and forth conversations, singing, reading books, and talking about the story - every day - to increase closeness, responsiveness and vocabulary.

Older Toddlerhood and Preschool: Reinforce child development stages and recommend back and forth conversations, singing, and reading books with and without words - every day - to increase closeness, responsiveness, and vocabulary.

References

1. Rodriguez, E.T., et al (2011). "Trajectories of the Home Learning Environment Across the First Five Years: associations with children's vocabulary and literacy skills at prekindergarten." Child Development, 10.

2. Vernon-Feagans, L., et al (2008). "Predictors of maternal language to infants during a picture book task in the home: Family SES, child characteristics and the parenting environment. The Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 29(3), 213-226.

3. Chrisler, A. & Ling, T. (2011). "What Works for Early Language and Literacy Development; lessons from experimental evaluations of programs and intervention strategies." (see: www.childtrends.org).

4. Huebner, C.E., et al., (2005). "Intervention to change parent-child reading styles: a comparison of instructional methods. The Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 26, 296-313. (see: www.sciencedirect.com).

5. Gillman, S. et al (2011). "Maternal Input During Book Sharing: wordless vs. printed books." Presentation at the Annual Convention of the American Speech, Language and Hearing Association in Philadelphia.

Online CME Course:  A Reach Out and Read Requirement

Yes, you read it here in the last issue.

No, this is not an editor's error!

Yes, there are many Sites whose provider staff have not yet completed the online CME Course.

                                     No, there is no reason not to do it NOW!

On-Site Coordinators will have just received an invitation to a conference call/webinar that will help answer questions about the course and how to sign up your provider staff; please sign up with Avery.Borreliz@reachoutandread.org .

Note: Reach Out and Read is about parental engagement and literacy promotion offered by medical providers; it is not a book give-away program. Providers can create positive outcomes only when the Reach Out and Read model is implemented in its entirety.  The CME course grounds you in the U.S. literacy crisis, the research, using the book for developmental information, and offering effective anticipatory guidance. 

Now, more than ever, we must assure all our funders that our physicians and nurse practitioners are practicing our model with fidelity. They choose to fund us because of our strong evidence base; when books and anticipatory guidance are paired, and repeatedly offered, behaviors change at home. Parents speak to and read more frequently with their children. Vocabularies are enriched. Expressive and receptive language skills show marked increases.

We want to be able to state in our funding requests that 100% of all Vermont Reach Out and Read providers are trained in the model!  

So, special thanks to all our Coordinators and Medical Consultants who have helped ensure that Vermont providers have done this continuing education.

One Vermont Provider Weighs In

Dr. Gwen Lattimore, of Associates in Pediatrics-Berlin, suggests just how important Reach Out and Read is to her personal style in the exam room:

How is a book integral to my practice?

"I use the book to begin a discussion with the parent, complimenting them on their nurturing interaction with their child. I use it in my cognitive screening to see whether children identify colors or letters or animals. I use books to do anticipatory guidance: 'See how Eli is eating that paper - do you have Poison Control's number?' or 'Jenny seems to be having some trouble with her new sibling, so maybe you could have her read to the new baby.' And, I always use the book as a starting place for my soapbox on limiting media exposure."