ABC Project Report: Pilot Phase - University of...

ABC Literacy Project: 2007-2008 Report 1

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ABC Literacy Project Report: 2007‐2008 Pilot Phase

July, 2008 Prepared by: United Way / Centraide Windsor‐Essex County


Executive Summary

Background In 2007, in collaboration with community partners and with the generous financial support of two donors, United Way / Centraide launched a pilot literacy and social skills development project targeted at children between the ages of 6 and 12 years. Called the ABC Literacy Project (After-School Building Character and Literacy Project), the project was designed by United Way / Centraide in response to concerns regarding the level of learning readiness and social engagement among children and youth in Windsor Essex County. This concern had been identified and validated through an extensive community consultation process led by United Way / Centraide (Appendix A). While it is well known that the early years are critical to healthy child development, influences in the middle years are also critical and long lasting. For children in this age group, this is a time of significant emotional, social, cognitive and physical development. Specifically, during the period from 6 to 12 years, the complex development of language skills, cognitive skills and peer social skills emerge. These children are laying down the building blocks for their future well-being and participation in society. . Research indicates that improvements in children’s literacy skills are linked with improvements in academic performance, better conduct and emotional adjustment, the development of social skills, increases in self-efficacy and, later in life, increased number of educational and employment opportunities (see full report). We also know through research that After-School Programs provide children with opportunities to increase social skills through positive relationships with other students and adults, and opportunities for active learning beyond the classroom. The ABC Literacy Project combined the goal of enhancing literacy and social skills for children in the middle years with the opportunity of building upon existing after school programs. Based upon the research and the premise that building upon existing after-school programs and child care infrastructure in Windsor-Essex County would strengthen learning opportunities for children while addressing the “root causes” of social problemsi, the Project incorporated literacy and social skills development components into the programming at five After-School Childcare facilities. This approach is based on the notion that building on existing assets is both an efficient and effective method of program development and delivery. Rather than creating an entirely new program (along with the associated costs), the ABC Literacy Project enriched the after school programs currently being provided, and offered a sustainable model for growth.

i For example, increased literacy/social skills are linked to better health and increased standards of living.


The ABC Literacy Project With funding received from Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Stone, P.L.C. and James Richardson & Sons Limited, and with the extensive involvement of the United Way / Centraide, University of Windsor, City of Windsor Children’s Services, Windsor Public Library, Youth and Family Resource Network, and five After-School Childcare facilities, United Way / Centraide facilitated the implementation of the ABC Literacy Project at five After-School Childcare facilities between September 2007 and May 2008. Thirty-eight (38) children from Grade 2 through Grade 6 (with an average age of 8 years), participated in this Pilot Phase of the Project. The participating After-School Childcare Program staff were trained in the most current and cutting-edge curriculum and assessment strategies, which included ABC Literacy Project procedures and evaluation logistics training; Tribes I training (Appendix B); and Diagnostic Reading Assessment training. Each site was provided with Literacy Kits and a Lending Library was created.

The literacy skills of each student, group literacy-enhancing skills, and other observations were recorded at three points throughout the school year (September 2007, February 2008, and May 2008). Literacy skills consisted of children’s reading abilities as assessed by After-School Childcare Program staff. Each of the After-School Childcare Program staff also maintained their own “Lessons Learned” Journals. ‘Lessons Learned Journals’ captured staff observations of project successes and project challenges, and were intended to facilitate program development as the Project moved forward in the next phase ABC Literacy Project Results From September 2007 to May 2008, ABC Literacy Project impacts included strong improvements in children’s literacy and social skills:

• Reading abilities improved significantly for about half of all children; • Children worked better together; • Children exhibited more positive behaviours (e.g., enthusiasm for more literacy activities); • Children began mentoring younger students; and • Children’s conflict-resolution skills improved.

Specifically with regard to literacy skills, nearly 50% of participating students demonstrated significant improvements in reading ability between September 2007 and May 2008. For these students, improvements in reading ability consisted of the following:

• 3% shifted from the Frustration reading level (< 90% Word Recognition and < 50% Comprehension), moving through the Instructional level (90-98% Word Recognition and 75% to 89% Comprehension) to the Independent reading level (99% to 100% Word Recognition and 90% to 100% Comprehension);

• 7% shifted from the Frustration reading level to the Instructional level; • 31% shifted from the Instructional reading level to the Independent level; • One Grade 2 student shifted from the Grade 2 Independent level to a Grade 5

Instructional level; and • One student with cognitive disabilities shifted from a Kindergarten Independent reading

Level to a Grade 1 Instructional Level. An unintended impact of the ABC Literacy Project included improvements in staff confidence regarding managing the class and delivering the literacy strategies from September 2007 to May 2008.


Based on suggestions made by the Advisory Committee (Appendix C) over the course of 2007-2008, the ABC Literacy Project should build on the success of Phase One and the next phase of the Project should consider:

• Increasing the number of participating After-School Program Childcare sites among those providers who participated throughout the 2007-2008 pilot phase.

• Increasing the number of After-School Program Childcare staff who receive Tribes training and who implement the Tribes method on site.

• Expanding the number of children who participate in the ABC Literacy Project.

Improved staff

capacity to deliver new learning opportunities

Improved literacy and social skills of

children

Enriched learning experience for

children

Next Steps: ABC Literacy Project 2008-2009 In light of these positive impacts, United Way / Centraide will continue working with the Windsor-Essex County community in support of:

• Increasing the number of After-School Childcare Program facilities that include in their programming literacy, social skills, and other activities that strengthen children’s assets;

• Improving the literacy levels and the conflict resolution skills of children who attend After-School Programs; and

• Communicating the importance of funding and supporting literacy activities that strengthen the assets of the children in our local After-School Childcare programs.

Enhanced literacy skills are critical to the short- and long-term physical, emotional, social, and academic development of our Windsor-Essex County children. Our community has a tradition of working together to improve the quality of life for all. Through continued collaborative work, the positive impacts of local initiatives such as the ABC Literacy Project can continue to significantly support the well-being of our children.


Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2

TABLE OF CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5

BACKGROUND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7

THE ABC LITERACY PROJECT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

ABC Literacy Project Goals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8

After-School Childcare Program Staff Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8 Diagnostic Reading Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Tribes Training and Conflict Resolution Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Language Learning Workshops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

9

Project Advisory Committee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

10

Project Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

10

RESULTS: ABC LITERACY PROJECT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Student Demographic Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11 Chart 1: Gender. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Chart 2: Age. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Chart 3: School Grade Level. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Chart 4: Household. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Chart 5: Parents in School. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Chart 6: Parents’ Employment Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11

Diagnostic Reading Assessment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Chart 7: % Children by Reading Ability Over Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12

Literacy-Enhancing Skills Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

13

Lessons Learned Journals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13


THE NEXT PHASE – ABC LITERACY PROJECT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

THE WAY FORWARD, TOGETHER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

APPENDICES: A – Context for a Community After-School Literacy Project. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

18

B – Background information about Tribes training and local contributions to the Training / evaluation components of the ABC Literacy Project . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20

The Tribes Cooperative Learning Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Tribes and the ABC Literacy Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Training / Evaluation Components of the ABC Literacy Project. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 C – ABC Literacy Project Advisory Committee (2007-2008) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 D – Literacy Kits: Content List and Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 E – Lending Library Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 F – Student Participant Demographic Information Sheet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 G – ABC Literacy Project Impact Survey and Reading Assessment Tool. . . . . . . . . 27 H – Lessons Learned Journal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 I – Staff Observations – Project Challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 J – Advisory Committee Suggestions: Consideration for the Next Phase . . . . . . . . 32 Meeting of October 24, 2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Meeting of February 20, 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Meeting of March 18, 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Meeting of April 8, 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Meeting of May 13, 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

ENDNOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

40

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

41

NOTES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42


Background

ABC Literacy Project: 2007‐2008 Report

In 2007, in collaboration with community partners and with the generous financial support

of two donors, United Way / Centraide launched a pilot literacy and social skills development project targeted at children between the ages of 6 and 12 years. Called the ABC Literacy Project (After-School Building Character and Literacy Project), the project was designed in response to concerns regarding the level of learning readiness and social engagement among children and youth in Windsor Essex County. This concern had been identified and validated through an extensive community consultation process led by United Way / Centraide (Appendix A).

While it is well known that the early years are critical to healthy child development, influences in the middle years are also critical and long lasting. For children in this age group, this is a time of significant emotional, social, cognitive and physical development. Specifically, during the period from 6 to 12 years, the complex development of language skills, cognitive skills and peer social skills emerge. These children are laying down the building blocks for future well-being and participation in society. .

Research informs us that improvements in children’s literacy skills are linked with improvements in academic performance1, better conduct and emotional adjustment2, the development of social skills2, increases in self-efficacy, and, later in life, increased health3 and increased number of educational and employment opportunities. We also know through research that After-School Programs provide children with opportunities to increase social skills through positive relationships with other students and adults, and opportunities for active learning beyond the classroom4.

The ABC Literacy Project combined the goal of enhancing literacy and social skills for children in the middle years with the opportunity of building upon existing after school programs. Based upon the research and the premise that building upon existing after-school programs and child care infrastructure in Windsor-Essex County would strengthen learning opportunities for children while addressing the “root causes” of social problemsii, the Project incorporated literacy and social skills development components into the programming at five After-School Childcare facilities. This approach also avoided creating an entirely new program along with the associated costs, enriched the after school programs currently being provided, and offered a sustainable model for growth.

ii For example, increased literacy/social skills are linked to better health and increased standards of living.


The ABC Literacy Project

With funding received from Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Stone, P.L.C. and James Richardson & Sons Limited, and with the extensive involvement of the United Way / Centraide, University of Windsor, City of Windsor Children’s Services, Windsor Public Library, Youth and Family Resource Network, and five After-School Childcare facilities, United Way / Centraide facilitated the implementation of the ABC Literacy Project at five After-School Childcare facilities between September 2007 and May 2008.

The participating After-School Childcare Program staff were trained in the most current and

cutting-edge curriculum and assessment strategies, which included ABC Literacy Project procedures and evaluation logistics training; Tribes I training (Appendix B); and Diagnostic Reading Assessment training. Each site was provided with Literacy Kits and a Lending Library was created.

The literacy skills of each student, group literacy-enhancing skills, and other observations

were recorded at three points throughout the school year (September 2007, February 2008, and May 2008). Literacy skills consisted of children’s reading abilities as assessed by After-School Childcare Program staff. Each of the After-School Childcare Program staff also maintained their own “Lessons Learned” Journals.

ABC Literacy Project Goals

The following goals were developed for the 2007-2008 pilot phase of the ABC Literacy Project:

1. To increase the number of after-school service providers (i.e., childcare facilities) that include in their programming literacy, social skills, and other activities that strengthen children’s assets.

2. To improve the literacy levels of children who attend After-School Childcare programs. 3. To improve the conflict resolution skills in children who attend After-School childcare

programs. 4. To demonstrate to funders the importance of supporting literacy activities in after-

school programs.

After-School Childcare Program Staff Training

The training curriculum used during the ABC Literacy Project pilot phase was developed based on the evidence cited from the literature and from other successful community literacy projects across Canada and the United States. The training was provided by local literacy experts with the aim of developing local standards of practice for further improving literacy and social skills of Children and Youth in existing Windsor-Essex County After-School Childcare Programs (Appendix B lists Background information about Tribes training and local contributions to the training/evaluation components of the ABC Literacy Project).


The following tools were used for ABC Literacy Project training of participating After-School Program Daycare staff:

1. Diagnostic Reading Assessment

One of the most critical aspects of literacy development is access to reading instruction in the areas each individual child needs most. Assessments of children’s reading abilities provide important information regarding the grade level of their reading and areas of reading development that require work. Reading assessment results can assist After-School Childcare Program staff in providing specific activities for the areas of reading and writing that are most needed for the student. This allows After-School Childcare programs to provide continuity and a bridge between the school and the home, and allows childcare workers the opportunity to provide enriched consistency for children who are learning to read and write.

2. Tribes training and conflict resolution development

Learning to work as a group is especially important in after-school programs in which the age range and linguistic abilities of students vary widely. Tribes is an approach to diverse group learning that helps teachers and childcare workers to find new ways of motivating students to work together by providing a safe, supportive environment for learning. Tribes training teaches child care workers how to encourage older students to mentor younger ones, and how to pair students with greater abilities in one area to coach and share their skills with students whose greater abilities lie in other areas. This way, students in the group help one another in raising literacy levels. Rather than the child care worker teaching all of the students without any assistance, Tribes enriched literacy learning encourages the overall group to teach and support itself, thereby creating a sustainable, long-term program with farther-reaching success (Appendix B further describes the Tribes approach). Childcare Program staff from each of the five After-School Childcare agencies that participated in the ABC Literacy Project throughout 2007-2008 completed an Introduction to Tribes over the course of four 3-hour days in June 2007. They also participated in 24-hour Tribes I certification training over the course of four 6-hour days in October/November 2007. Literacy kits were developed and distributed to each of the participating After-School Childcare sites. The Kits contained items and materials that supplemented the Tribes activities, and were used by participating staff to further develop children’s literacy and social skills (Appendix D lists the items contained in each Literacy Kit). Items were also available from the ABC Literacy Project Lending Library, and consisted of fun games aimed at further enhancing students’ literacy skills (Appendix E).

3. Language Learning Workshops

In June 2007, participating After-School Childcare Program staff attended five hours of initial reading, literacy, and reading assessment training led by Dr. Kara Smith, Faculty of Education, University of Windsor. As the ABC Literacy Project moved forward in 2007-2008, participating staff identified additional training needs in the areas of integrating the Tribes learning method and the periodic onsite Diagnostic Reading


Assessments into their After-School Childcare programming. Additional sessions on the topics of Language Learning and Literacy were offered throughout the year. In the months following the initial training of June 2007, Dr. Kara Smith provided onsite reading assessment training for participating staff. Monthly Advisory Committee meetings included a “Learning Community” component, where additional literacy information and resources were presented.

Project Advisory Committee

The ABC Literacy Project Advisory Committee (Appendix C) met monthly over the course of 2007-2008, and consisted of a number of community partners including project implementation sites and local expertise in literacy, evaluation and community research (i.e., University of Windsor, City of Windsor Children’s Services, Windsor Public Library, Youth and Family Resource Network, and five After-School Childcare facilities). Meetings included a “Learning Community” component in which literacy information, materials, and activities were shared to build staff/program capacity and efficacy. Project Evaluation

Evaluation tools were developed and implemented throughout the 2007-2008 pilot phase to determine the extent of the Project’s impact:

• Demographic information for each participating student was collected initially (Appendix F); • An assessment of each student’s reading ability, and general classroom observations were

made in September 2007, February 2008, and May 2008 (Appendix G); • Participating After-School Program Childcare staff completed a Lessons Learned Journal

describing the Project and personal reflections about their confidence levels in managing the class and delivering the literacy strategies both before and after receiving the Tribes I training (Appendix H).


Results: ABC Literacy Project

Student Demographic Information Demographic information was collected for each participating student (Appendix F). Thirty-eight school children in Grades 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, with an average age of 8 years participated in the projectiii (Charts 1, 2 and 3). Just over half of the student participants lived in a one-parent home (Chart 4). The vast majority of parents were employed and not attending school (Charts 5 and 6). Nine percent of student participants were diagnosed with either a behavioural disorder or a cognitive disorder. Chart 3:

School Grade Level

Grade2, 21%

Grade6, 6%

Grade5, 21%

Grade4, 21%Grade3, 30%

Chart 1: Gender

Boys, 41%

Girls, 59%

Chart 2: Age

12yrs, 6%

11yrs, 6%

10yrs, 15%

7yrs , 18%

8yrs, 30%9yrs, 24%

Chart 6:

Parents' Employment Status

Yes, 97%

No, 3%

Chart 4: Household

One-parent, 55%

Two-parent, 45%

Chart 5: Parents in School

No, 94%

Yes, 6%

iii There were missing values for 5 to 6 students per question. Missing values are not reported.


Diagnostic Reading Assessment

The literacy skills of each participating child were assessed at three points throughout the pilot phase of the ABC Literacy Project – September 2007, February 2008, and May 2008iv. Literacy skills consisted of children’s reading abilities which were assessed by After-School Childcare Program staff (Appendix G). Each child’s level of reading ability was assessed based on the following criteria, using a selected passage from an age-appropriate children’s book:

• Independent Level (where a child demonstrated 99% to 100% Word Recognition and 90% to 100% Comprehension);

• Instructional Level (where a child demonstrated 90-98% Word Recognition and 75% to 89% Comprehension); or

• Frustration Level (where a child demonstrated < 90% Word Recognition and < 50% Comprehension).

From September 2007 to May 2008, reading abilities increased significantly for approximately half of all children. Chart 7 illustrates an overall shift in children’s reading skills from an Instructional Level to the Independent Level. Specifically, nearly 50% of participating students demonstrated significant improvements in reading ability between September 2007 and May 2008. For these students, improvements in reading ability consisted of the following:

• 3% shifted from the Frustration reading level, moving through the Instructional level to the Independent reading level;

• 7% shifted from the Frustration reading level to the Instructional level; • 31% shifted from the Instructional reading level to the Independent level; • One Grade 2 student shifted from the Grade 2 Independent level to a Grade 5

Instructional level; and • One student with cognitive disabilities shifted from a Kindergarten Independent

reading Level to a Grade 1 Instructional Level.

010203040506070

Sept2007 Feb2008 May2008

Chart 7: % Children by Reading Ability Over Time

Independent LevelInstructional LevelFrustration Level

iv From September 2007 to May 2008, there was a 24% attrition rate in ABC Literacy Project participation. Reasons for attrition included a family move or the student no longer requiring childcare because the parent is no longer in school or no longer employed. Missing values are not reported.


Clear conclusions cannot be drawn about the fact that Frustration-level reading abilities seemed to remain consistent over the course of the project, because the percentage of children who were assessed as having Frustration-level reading abilities was exceedingly low. A larger sample of students representing all three reading levels is recommended for 2008-2009. Literacy-Enhancing Social Skills Assessment In addition to reading abilities, After-School Childcare Program staff made observations about general classroom behaviour at three points throughout the pilot phase of the ABC Literacy Project – September 2007, February 2008, and May 2008 (Appendix G). From September 2007 to May 2008, After-School Childcare Program staff observed that:

• Students were better able to resolve their own conflicts; • Students worked more positively together in the program; • Students exhibited more positive behaviour while in class; and • Older students were seen mentoring younger students more often.

Lessons Learned Journals After-School Childcare Program staff recorded additional information in a ‘Lessons Learned Journal’ which included observations about the effects of Tribes training and project activities on students and staff, and information about project administration, assessment materials, and other commentsv (Appendix H). ‘Lessons Learned Journals’ captured staff observations of project successes and project challenges, and were intended to facilitate program development as the Project moved forward in the next phase (Appendix I consists of a summary of observations regarding project challenges).

Table 1 reports staff observations about ABC Literacy Project successes regarding: • Project activities; • Project administration, assessment materials and procedures; and • Staff confidence.

It is important to note that, throughout 2007-2008, each of the participating After-School Childcare sites expressed a particular appreciation for the Tribes I training in facilitating children’s learning experience through team-building and group energizer activities.

v Information recorded in the journal entries was consistent with formal comments made during focus group sessions and advisory committee meetings, as well as informal conversations held with project staff throughout the duration of the ABC Literacy Project.


Table 1: Staff Observations – Project Successes

Topic

Key Observations

Project Activities: “Older children began to help with younger children.”

“The children are interacting more positively with each other and working better together... Children learned to work well together as a result of Tribes.”

“Children (are) willing to do more literacy activities.” “Children are enjoying the Tribes atmosphere. The group work is amazing to observe daily. Nice calm, happy after-school program.” “Children love the reading. They love to read.” “Children would read all day if we had the time.” “A lot of positive feedback from parents. Happy to see the older students working with younger students.”

“Overall a wonderful learning experience for all involved – teachers and children.”

Project Administration,

Assessment Materials & Procedures:

Tribes training: • “Tribes training (is) a big asset.”

Literacy kits & lending library:

• “The literacy kits and lending materials were very helpful to providing a successful program.”

• “Materials were wonderful, greatly needed and a great help.” Learning Community – Advisory Committee meeting component:

• “Sharing activity ideas with others involved in the project has been helpful in providing new literacy activities to the children.”

Procedures: “Children are the guest readers – they bring a book from home and read to the others.”


After-School childcare

program staff confidence:

An unplanned impact of the ABC Literacy Project were reports that participating staff saw an increase in their confidence levels both in managing the class and in delivering the literacy strategies, from September 2007 to May 2008:

• “My confidence level in regards to doing Tribes activities went

up after completing the Tribes training. In September I was nervous about doing the Tribes activities properly.”

• “I am confident in my ability.”

• “Being reminded that literacy is enriched by a variety of

strategies and activities was very confidence building. I am confident in my ability as I now realize (that) many activities enrich literacy.”

• “(I) learned some valuable strategies. Due to there being so

many activities, we don’t get stuck doing the same things over and over. Always new and exciting things to try.”


The Next Phase – ABC Literacy Project

Observations of project successes and project challenges were intended to facilitate program development as the Project moved forward in the next phase. In response to this, suggestions were made which would facilitate future literacy programming in After-School Program Childcare settings. Table 2 highlights suggestions that were made throughout the 2007-2008 pilot phase, and are derived from “Lessons Learned” Journals, formal comments made during focus group sessions, Advisory Committee meetingsvi, and informal conversations among participating After-School Childcare Program staff throughout the duration of the ABC Literacy Project.

Table 2: Considerations for the Next Phase

Topic Considerations Staff turnover rates: Increase the # of Tribes I trained staff, and increase the # of sites from facilities that

participated in the 2007-2008 pilot phase. Specifically, 2+ staff from each participating site should receive Tribes I training, followed by ABC Literacy Project Orientation.

Low enrollment rates:

Increase the # of children involved in the ABC Literacy Project.

Children’s

reading needs:

“(Additional diagnostic reading training for project staff) would provide valuable knowledge on how to help improve their literacy levels with specific strategies geared to their area(s) of need.” Specifically, having information on how to identify a child’s particular reading challenges, and how to address and follow-up on these challenges (using specific strategies geared to the child’s reading needs) would be helpful in determining specific reading improvements for that child.

Timing of reading

assessments: Only two, rather than three, reading assessments should be conducted. The first assessment should be held in October 2008, rather than September. The final assessment should be held in May 2009, just as it was in 2008.

Literacy materials geared for Grades 3 to 6:

“Having more information on specific activities for Grades 3 to 6 that would work in a childcare setting would be helpful… Having more literacy materials geared to school aged Grades 3 to 6 children would be helpful.”

Tailored literacy activities: “Children do not like activities that are very similar to (school) activities… It would be

beneficial to participants (to have a) program of activities that enrich literacy without looking like they are a school activity.”

Tailored literacy materials:

“Having books, magazines, comic books available that appeal to both girls and boys would be great… Having more materials with boys in mind would be advantageous… Perhaps having assessments from comic books and magazines would interest the boys.”

Literacy activities resource guide:

The Tribes strategies and related activities used during the ABC Literacy Project should be identified and recorded by participating staff, to serve as a resource guide.

vi The minutes of the 2007-2008 Advisory Committee meetings were reviewed for suggestions, and then collated and listed in table format (Appendix J).


The Way Forward, Together…

The 2007-2008 pilot phase of the ABC Literacy Project illustrated how After-School Childcare programming can have an impact on children aged 6-12 years by improving their reading abilities, enhancing their literacy, social and mentoring skills, boosting their enthusiasm for reading and literacy activities, and improving their conflict-resolution skills, while also improving staff confidence as they manage their classroom and deliver literacy strategies.

Improved staff

capacity to deliver new learning opportunities

Improved literacy and social skills of

children

Enriched learning experience for

children

In light of these positive impacts, United Way /Centraide will continue working with the Windsor-Essex County community in support of:

• Increasing the number of After-School Childcare Program facilities that include in their programming literacy, social skills, and other activities that strengthen children’s assets;

• Improving the literacy levels and the conflict resolution skills of children who attend After-School Programs; and

• Communicating the importance of funding and supporting literacy activities that strengthen the assets of the children in our local After-School Childcare programs.

Enhanced literacy skills are critical to the short- and long-term physical, emotional, social,

and academic development of our Windsor-Essex County children. Our community has a tradition of working together to improve the quality of life for all. Through continued collaborative work, the positive impacts of local initiatives such as the ABC Literacy Project can continue to significantly support the well-being of our children.


Appendix A

Context for a Community After-School Literacy Project

In the late 1990s, a number of important systems-level changes occurred in our community. These included shifting demographics, a shift in government core services and funding, increased competition for funding, the acknowledgement of the complexity of many social issues, and the need to address root causes of social issues. United Way / Centraide Windsor-Essex County, with key representation of the Children and Youth sector, recognized that despite all the money raised and the services we and other funders provide, many social problems in our community are growing. That is why the community identified a new way of thinking which includes a shift in focus to Community-Building. This Community-Building framework is a proven model for addressing complex community issues at their root core, and is based on the following principles:

• Builds on strengths of local individuals, associations, and organizations; • Focuses on specific actions and measurable results to improve community life; • Promotes relationships among and participation of all races, genders, ages, and cultures; • Ensures local decision-making and ownership; and • Draws on resources of the total community.

The ABC Literacy Project emerged from an extensive five-year community planning process…

Systems-level

changes impacting our

community

Five-year

community-wide planning

process to address changes

Agenda for Community

Impact 2006: Long-Term Community Investment

Strategy

After-School

Building Character and

Literacy Project (ABC Literacy

Project)

Using the Community-Building Framework, United Way / Centraide Windsor-Essex County led an extensive five-year planning process on behalf of the community. A Planning Advisory Group was established to oversee the community transformation process which engaged the total community and included the following local volunteer and professional Children and Youth experts:

• Big Brothers, Big Sisters • Drouillard Place • Essex Youth Centre • Harrow Youth Centre • House of Shalom • Kids’ Alliance (Teen Health Centre) • Ontario Early Years Centres (Leamington, Lassaline, and Benson sites) • Sandwich Community Health Centre • South Essex Youth Program


• Well-Come Centre • Youth and Family Resource Network • Community members at large

The results of this community engagement process are contained in the ‘Agenda for

Community Impact 2006: Long-Term Community Investment Strategy’ which includes Gaps in Services, Areas of Concern, Recommendations, and a Holistic Well-Being Model for Children and Youth.

Holistic Well-Being Model for Children and Youth: The results of this five-year community-wide consultation process included a Holistic Well-Being Model identifying the five critical elements to the healthy development of local Children and Youth.

The ABC Literacy Project was developed to specifically address 2 of 28 Recommendations identified for Children and Youth, specifically:

• Ensure service providers (of after-school programs) include in their programs literacy, social skills and other activities that strengthen children’s assets.

• Advocate on behalf of Children and Youth to funders about the role of After-School

programs and the impact on literacy and strengthening with the goals of removing barriers to accessibility.


Appendix B

Background information about Tribes training and local contributions to the training/evaluation components of the ABC Literacy Project

The Tribes Cooperative Learning Approachvii: More than 1,000 studies on the benefits of cooperative learning support the use of small group methods. Reports from schools using Tribes show at least 75% reduction in behavior problems, dramatic decline in school violence, and increases in academic achievement. After years of "fix-it" programs focused on reducing student violence, conflict, drug and alcohol use, absenteeism, poor achievement, etc., educators and parents now agree that creating a positive classroom environment is the most effective way to improve student behaviour and learning. The Tribes cooperative learning approach promotes a positive classroom environment. In a Tribes environment, students achieve because they:

• Feel included and appreciated by peers and teachers; • Are respected for their different abilities, cultures, gender, interests and dreams; • Are actively involved in their own learning • Have positive expectations from others that they will succeed.

The clear purpose of the Tribes process is to assure the healthy development of every child so that each one has the knowledge, skills and resiliency to be successful in a rapidly changing world. Tribes is a step-by-step process to achieve specific learning goals such as improving literacy and social skills. In Tribes, four agreements are honored:

• attentive listening • appreciation/no put downs • mutual respect, and • the right to pass.

Students learn a set of collaborative skills so they can work well together in long-term groups (i.e., Tribes). In Tribes, the focus is on how to:

• help each other work on tasks • set goals and solve problems • monitor and assess progress • celebrate achievements

The Tribes approach emphasizes community building, cooperation, collaboration, caring, individual recognition, participation, and inclusion as requirements that foster positive change. The Tribes approach has been implemented for a variety of purposes, such as enhancing academic achievement, professional development, mentor teaching, beginning teacher training, developing leadership, safe and drug free schools, comprehensive school reform, alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse prevention, violence and bullying prevention, conflict resolution and mediation, character education, service learning, small learning communities, alternative education, vii The Tribes information presented in the section was obtained from www.tribes.com

http://www.tribes.com/


charter schools, youth development, delinquency prevention, community development, technology in education, English language acquisition, diversity, multi-cultural education, health, wellness and physical education. Tribes and the ABC Literacy Project: The Tribes training for the After-School Childcare staff who participated in the Windsor-Essex County ABC Literacy Project was provided by Shirley Sewell, who has instructed numerous teachers across Ontario. Tribes training is required in classrooms across the Greater Toronto District School Board and the Lambton-Kent District School Board. Locally, teachers from the Greater-Essex County District School Board and the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board have received Tribes training. Student teachers from the Faculty of Education, University of Windsor, have the opportunity to attend Tribes workshops as part of their training. Tribes is a much-requested model for group learning at large corporations such as Union Gas Limited. ABC Literacy Project Childcare Program staff participated in Tribes Introduction training over the course of four 3-hour days in June 2007. Participants also completed Tribes I certification training over the course of four 6-hour days in October/November 2007. Training/Evaluation Components of the ABC Literacy Project: Dr. Kara Smith, Ph.D., is a professor of literacy and language learning at the Faculty of Education, University of Windsor. Dr. Smith has authored numerous articles on literacy and language, and has taught in South Western Ontario for the past two decades. Dr. Smith conducted the Diagnostic Reading Assessment training and provided consultation on the ABC Literacy Project pro bono. Also, Dr. Geri Salinitri, a professor at the Faculty of Education at the University of Windsor, contributed to the evaluation of the ABC Literacy Project pro bono. This assisted the project in further leveraging the $10,000 in funding received from Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Stone, P.L.C. and James Richardson & Sons Limited, thereby ensuring that all project costs were covered.


Appendix C

ABC Literacy Project Advisory Committee (2007-2008) ABC Day Nursery, Somme Site City of Windsor, Children’s Services Discovery Kingville, Kingsville Public School Jefferson Child Care Centre Lakeshore Township Community Daycare Centre Latchkey Day Care & Learning Centre, Victoria Elementary School United Way / Centraide Windsor-Essex County University of Windsor, Faculty of Education Windsor Public Library Youth & Family Resource Network


Appendix D

Literacy Kits: Content List and Description

Literacy Kits were distributed to each participating After-School Childcare site, and consisted of items recommended by participating childcare staff as a supplement to Tribes and literacy activities. Each Literacy Kit contained:

1) Attention Getters - An attention getter is a novel way to get children’s attention in the classroom.

a. Instrument Noisemaker (x1) b. Hand Clapper (x1) c. Party Noise Makers

2) Spinners – Spinners were used to select team members and to add an element of fun to literacy games.

a. Alphabet Spinner- Two separate spinners (A-M and N-Z) offer the child a

fun way of learning the alphabet (e.g., say the letter, make the letter sound, or brainstorm words beginning with that letter).

b. Rhyme Wheel- A prefix is randomly chosen and then children rotate the

wheel until they can find two words that rhyme.

c. Student Selector Spinner- Children use this spinner to select team

members randomly, so that every child has an equal chance to participate.

d. Vocabulary Spinner- A word is chosen from the dictionary. Children then

answer the question that the spinner indicates (e.g., explain what the word means, or everyone writes the word).

3) Items Used During Reading Activities a. Question Dice- A child rolls one of the dice and answers the question

indicated (e.g., questions pertain to the situation, the person, or the event).

b. Question Wheel- The child spins the wheel and answers the indicated

question as it relates to the story (e.i., Is? Did? Can? Would? Will? Might?).

4) Tribes Materials a. Tribes Agreements Poster & Tribes Trail Poster- These posters are hung

up in the classroom to remind children of the core elements of Tribes.


b. Tribes Energizers Box- This set contains over 90 ideas to use for energizing students. It is a way to rejuvenate children throughout the day.

5) Miscellaneous Materials a. Link ‘n’ Spell Letters and Numbers- Children can use these magnetic

letter and number pieces to spell and count in a variety of fun ways. b. Magnifying Glass- This item was included for children who have difficulty

reading small print.

c. Reading and Phonics Cards- Children can match words with classic Disney character pictures.

d. Resource Binder- This binder contains materials intended to increase the

teacher’s knowledge on literacy and Tribes-based activities (e.g., literacy and research-based components of Tribes).

e. Soft/Foam Balls- Each participating site received 8 soft/foam balls, to be

used in a variety of Tribes activities.


Appendix E

Lending Library Items Participating After-School Childcare Program staff had the opportunity to sign-out the following items to supplement Tribes- and Literacy-based activities:

1) Alphabet Bingo ⇒ A letter of the alphabet is called out, and the child searches their

card for the identical letter to cross off.

2) Rhyming Bingo ⇒ A word is called out, and the child searches their card for a word

that rhymes (for example, if ‘cat’ is called out, the child can cover the word ‘mat’ on their card).

3) Reading Rods: Sentence Building Reading Kit ⇒ Children can use the reading rods in a variety of ways, including

constructing sentences and learning how to use punctuation appropriately.

4) Scrabble Junior ⇒ Younger children use one side of the game board to match

letters with picture words. Older children use the other side of the game board to construct their own words.

5) Sight-Word Bingo ⇒ This game comes in three levels (1, 2, 3), corresponding to the

level of difficulty of the words listed on the bingo cards. The teacher says a word out loud. The child then covers the word on their card based on what they heard.


Appendix F

Student Participant Demographic Information Sheet

Please complete one for each child/student enrolled in the ABC Literacy Project.

Child/Student ID # __________________ Name of Elementary School Teacher: ________________________ Age: _____ Gender:

o Female o Male

Child’s Grade Level:

o Junior Kindergarten o Senior Kindergarten o 1 o 2 o 3 o 4 o 5 o 6 o 7 o 8

The child lives with

o One parent o Both parents

Is one or more of the child’s parents currently attending school?

o Yes o No

Is one or more of the child’s parents currently employed?

o Yes o No

Has the child been diagnosed as having any of the following?

o Yes o No

If yes, which of the following has the child been diagnosed with? (check all that apply)

o Physical Disorder o Cognitive Disorder o Behavioural Disorder o Emotional Disorder


Appendix G

ABC Literacy Project Impact Survey and Reading Assessment Tool

□ September □ February □ May

Please complete the following survey of your students once in September and again in November and May and return to: ABC Literacy Project, United Way / Centraide Windsor-Essex.

To ensure confidentiality, please do not include your name.

Survey: Daily Sometimes Rarely Never Students are able to resolve their own conflicts Students are sent home due to poor behaviour Students work positively together in the program Students exhibit positive behaviour while here Older students are seen mentoring younger students Program workers model positive behaviour while here There is frequent communication between the school and the program about our students

Workers are aware of what happens in each child’s classroom Parents speak to me about homework Parents speak to me about their child’s social growth Parents speak to me about their child’s language/literacy gains Students show me work they have accomplished

Informal Reading Inventories (IRIs):

Student ID #: □ Independent Level (99-100% Word Recognition; 90-100% Comprehension) □ Instructional Level (90-98% Word Recognition; 75-89% Comprehension □ Frustration Level (<90% Word Recognition; <50% Comprehension) Language area needs:










Appendix H

Lessons Learned Journal

ABC Literacy Project

SUCCESSES JOURNAL (2007-2008)

Time Period Please describe successes regarding:

Sept 2007 to end of Feb 2008

Early March 2008 to end of May 2008

(a) Project Activities:

(b) Observations of children’s learning as a result of project activities:

(c) Project Administration:

(d) Assessment materials:

(e) Assessment procedures:

(f) Additional comments about ABC Literacy successes:


ABC Literacy Project

CHALLENGES JOURNAL (2007-2008)

Time Period Please describe challenges regarding:

Sept 2007 to end of Feb 2008

Early March 2008 to end of May 2008

(a) Project Activities:

(b) Observations of children’s learning as a result of project activities:

(c) Project Administration:

(d) Assessment materials:

(e) Assessment procedures:

(f) Additional comments about ABC Literacy challenges:


ABC Literacy Project STAFF CONFIDENCE JOURNAL

(2007-2008)

Time Period Please describe:

Average levels of confidence Sept 2007 to end of Feb 2008

Average levels of confidence

Early March 2008 to end of May 2008 (a) Project staff confidence in managing the class:

1 = Nothing 2 = Very Little 3 = Some Confidence 4 = Quite a Bit 5 = A Great Deal Additional Comments about confidence levels in managing the class from Sept ’07 to Feb ’08:

1 = Nothing 2 = Very Little 3 = Some Confidence 4 = Quite a Bit 5 = A Great Deal Additional Comments about confidence levels in managing the class from March ’08 to May ‘08:

(b) Project staff confidence in delivering the literacy strategies:

1 = Nothing 2 = Very Little 3 = Some Confidence 4 = Quite a Bit 5 = A Great Deal Additional Comments about confidence levels in delivering the literacy strategies from Sept ’07 to Feb ’08:

1 = Nothing 2 = Very Little 3 = Some Confidence 4 = Quite a Bit 5 = A Great Deal Additional Comments about confidence levels in delivering the literacy strategies from March ’08 to May ‘08:


Appendix I

Staff Observations – Project Challengesviii

Topic Key Observations Children’s

varying schedules: “(The) biggest challenge is trying to be consistent – with children arriving and departing… It is challenging to observe each child’s learning consistently with (the children’s) varied schedules.”

Children’s

varying ages:

“(The project) was difficult to administer with such a varying age group.”

Children to staff ratio: “(Assessments were a) bit time consuming as it requires the teacher to be one on one with child being tested… The ratio of children to teacher… Staff still have other children to supervise… Time consuming – without time allotted, extremely difficult to complete assessments.”

Staff turnover rates5: “Staff turnover creates challenges for having enough Tribes trained

(staff) to implement the program.”

Time limitations: “Overall, time is a challenge. Less than 2 hours to do many things – activities, snack, outside play, etc.”

Space limitation:

“Space is an issue. Having the space to do small group work without interfering and disrupting others. The noise level really carries”

Low enrollment rates:

“With low enrollment it was hard to do some of the activities successfully.”

Timing of reading

assessments: There is a lack of time to conduct reading assessments in September, because childcare staff are establishing routines with the students, parents, and schools.

Children’s reading skills:

At times, it was unclear how to conduct reading assessments.

Children’s reading needs:

At times, it was unclear how to follow-up on a child’s reading needs.

viii The Project challenges reported consist of a summary of observations recorded in “Lessons Learned Journal” entries by participating staff, formal comments made by staff and Advisory Committee members during focus group sessions and committee meetings (Appendices H and J), as well as informal conversations held with participating staff throughout the duration of the ABC Literacy Project. Direct quotes are italicized.


Appendix J

Advisory Committee Suggestions: Considerations for the Next Phase

United Way / Centraide Windsor-Essex County solicited feedback from participating After-School Childcare Program staff. Participants identified areas where project activities could be enhanced, and made suggestions intended to be considered in planning the next phase of the ABC Literacy Project. Overall, participants consistently expressed strong enthusiasm for the project and its value to children, parents, staff, and childcare centres. The following observations, suggestions, and considerations are meant for:

• Planning purposes for the next phase; • Program refinement; • An orientation guide for participants who are new to the project. This

guide would ensure that the project continues to move forward without losing key lessons learned by past staff participants.


Meeting of October 24, 2007

Observation Steps Taken/ Suggestions Implementing Program Activities • Centres noted difficulty identifying grade levels

for reading materials. • Schools do not distribute textbooks early enough

(i.e. before September) to use in conducting the baseline assessment (an evaluation component).

• Reading materials from all grade levels needs to be available because the grade level may need to be adjusted during the assessment.

• Funds for additional materials and resources (e.g. balls, cards) used in the Tribes training for group activities are limited.

• Some sites reported difficulty involving parents while other sites reported success.

Program Administration • September can be a difficult month to begin the

project because it is the same time the Centres establish their schedules and routines.

• Selecting children for the program was difficult because the majority of children do not attend full-time.

• Dynamic daycare schedules pose challenges for implementing activities.

• Staff turnover creates challenges for having enough Tribes trained individuals to implement the program.

• Implementing literacy activities would be enhanced by training all staff.

Evaluation • Staff had questions whether testing reading level

using the current grade is appropriate at the beginning of the school year.

• The evaluation training was very complex and it was difficult to apply to actual children.

Implementing Program Activities • A list of commonly available books by reading

level was provided. • Create an on-going Learning Community to

share ideas and materials, communication strategies, and provide a forum for problem solving among project sites.

• A commitment was made to provide literacy education through the program advisory committee and Learning Community.

Program Administration • Have a flexible start date for the project to

allow individual centres to integrate the project into their overall program more efficiently.

• Include both part-time and full-time children in the program to evaluate the program’s effectiveness across both groups.

• Utilize the learning community to share strategies re: scheduling/time and evaluation.

• Develop strategies addressing staff shortages.

• Utilize pilot project experience in planning future programs.

Evaluation • Provide a refresher on evaluation/

assessment closer to the time it is implemented with the children. Staff noted it was not difficult after clarification.


Meeting of February 20, 2008

Observation Steps Taken/Suggestions

Evaluations Evaluations • For evaluation purposes, project

participants should identify which Tribes strategies they are using in the classroom in order to ensure consistency.

• Committee members will submit a

journal at the conclusion of the 2007 year, recording the Tribes strategies they have used in relation to the ABC Literacy Project.

Assessments Assessments

• Reading level of assessment

materials from September 2007 should be identified to compare them to the February 2008 and May 2008 materials.

• Each project site will send to

United Way a list of the materials they used for the September 2007 assessment.


Meeting of March 18, 2008


Implementing Program Activities Implementing Program Activities • Each participating site utilizes

numerous Tribes and literacy techniques (both similar and different) in their classroom.

• A resource guide will be developed for each participating site. This guide will contain ideas for activities to use in the classroom that were brought forward from project participants.

Project Administration


n/a

• Committee members feel that increased attendance at ABC Literacy Project meetings will help to enhance decisions made regarding the logistics of the project.

Evaluations

Evaluations

• More children at the daycare sites are interested in doing their homework. As well, parents express delight that their kids have completed their homework when they arrive to pick their child up.

n/a

• Since the implementation of Tribes techniques in the classroom, older children are seen helping younger children more often.

n/a

• Children involved in the project express a love for the reading aspect of the ABC Literacy project.

n/a


Meeting of April 8, 2008

Observation Steps Taken/ Suggestions Implementing Program Activities • In the past, assessment materials were not

always available nor consistent across daycare sites.

• Presently, daycare workers are observing that

their students show an interest in reading the entire story rather than being limited to only one page that was used for the assessment.

• There is a need for more materials for older

children, because the majority of the materials used in the project are aimed at younger, school-aged kids.

• Some children appear ‘burnt-out’ from school

when arriving at the daycare. Program Administration • As the program progresses, questions often arise

regarding specifics of the project. • Project participants find it difficult to complete

project activities and assessments in September because it is too busy during this time of the year.

• For the next year of the project, a greater amount

of flexibility is needed to move staff both within and between daycare sites.

Implementing Program Activities • As a response to this, consistent reading

materials were distributed to each site with identified reading/grade levels.

• Provide each site with the entire book used

for the assessment. United Way will take the lead in providing the daycare sites with these materials.

• A commitment was made to provide

information to each daycare provider on activity ideas for school-aged children. Also, project advisory committee members will bring resources to each meeting dealing with this subject. The City offered to provide materials from Ontario Early Years Centers.

• In resource binder and literacy kits, include

strategies and activities aimed at reducing burn-out in children.

Program Administration • Questions regarding assessments, literacy

kits, etc, will be asked on an ongoing basis. Kara Smith will be invited to provide a refresher information course in July or August, and act as a resource to the ABC Literacy Project as well as answer committee members’ questions at meetings throughout the year.

• Rather than having the program started in

September, it was suggested that it start instead in October. Also, there will not be an advisory committee meeting held during the month of September, and the assessment schedule will be October, March & June.

• More staff members can be trained in Tribes.

Also, increase number of facilities from each participating daycare site. Tribes training should be scheduled in October.


• Committee members feel that Tribes I training is

sufficient, and that Tribes II training is not necessary for additional program implementation.

• The advisory committee members feel it is

important to be present for issues surrounding program decisions and evaluation results. The learning community should involve project participants who carry out the activities at the daycare site.

Conducting Assessments • Staff do not know what is expected of them in

terms of when assessments are due (e.g., the beginning or the end of the month?)

• Only Tribes I training will be required to carry

out the ABC Literacy Project. The training schedule will be revised to take place on 2 consecutive Saturdays in October.

• Committee members expressed interest in

scheduling two separate meetings for each month: one for advisory committee members to deal with project implementation and administration, and another for a ‘learning community’, where committee members can send staff members to participate in front-line work. These staff members can bring information to share or materials to include in a ‘make-and-take’ to each learning community meeting.

Conducting Assessments • Provide an exact date (or a range) for

assessments to be due. The project advisory committee will review and approve these dates).


Meeting of May 13, 2008


Implementing Program Activities Implementing Program Activities • It is often challenging to find time to

work with an individual child when there are many children at the daycare site simultaneously.

n/a



• Inviting additional staff from existing centers to participate in 2008-2009 would result in the project participants being able to work together and support one another in the project.

n/a

• Most committee members are not receiving Tribes e-mails on a regular basis.

• A commitment was made to forward Tribes e-mails to committee members as they are received.

• It may be beneficial to hold two meetings per month- one for advisory committee members and one for the learning community.

• Committee members agree that when more staff members have been trained in each centre, there will naturally be more “learning community” opportunities within the centre itself, making it unnecessary to hold two meetings per month.

n/a

• If new daycare facilities join the project in 2008-2009, a group of participants from the original daycare sites should train the new participants.

n/a

• At least two staff from each participating daycare site should receive a minimum of Tribes I training, followed up with ABC Literacy Project Orientation for 2008-2009.

n/a

• In anticipation of the 2009-2010 year of the project, a Community Forum can be scheduled in 2009 to introduce Tribes and literacy to the wider community in order to gain the interest of other daycare facilities who may be willing to participate in the project.


Evaluations

Evaluations

• When a participating child is not included in an assessment, the reason for this absence is not reported and/or documented.

• On the assessment sheet, provide a note with the code of the child who is no longer in the program, as well as a short explanation as to why the child is not included in the assessment (e.g., Was the child on vacation? Is the child no longer at the daycare?)

Assessments

Assessments

n/a

• New project participants in 2008-2009 should have the opportunity to sit in on an IRI assessment being conducted by an existing participant in order to learn by observation.

n/a

• Included in the assessment will be a measure assessing the self-efficacy of the teachers (i.e., the teacher’s level of confidence for the first half compared to the second half of the project).


Endnotes 1 Posner, J. K., & Vandell, D. L. (1994). Low-income children’s after-school care: Are there beneficial effects of after-school program? Child Development, 15, 440-456. Shelley, J. F. (1984). Evaluation of the centralized structure, after-school tutorial. Journal of Educational Research, 77, 213-218. Vandell, D. L., & Corasaniti, M. A. (1988). The relation between third graders’ after-school care and social, academic, and emotional functioning. Child Development, 59, 168-177. 2 Posner, J. K., & Vandell, D. L. (1994). Low-income children’s after-school care: Are there beneficial effects of after-school program? Child Development, 15, 440-456. Shelley, J. F. (1984). Evaluation of the centralized structure, after-school tutorial. Journal of Educational Research, 77, 213-218. 3 Health Canada (1998). How Does Literacy Affect the Health of Canadian? A Profile Paper. Ottawa: Canada. Low literacy levels can be the direct cause of many safety risks in the workplace, the community and at home including accidents, injury, illness, health risks, etc. The indirect effects of low literacy skills are serious too. Living in poverty as a result of low literacy skills has consequences in four of the five major categories of the determinants of health including living and working conditions, personal health practices and life coping skills, physical environments, and health services. 4 Kugler, M. R. (November, 2001). “The Why and How of After-School Programs.” The Education Digest, www.eddigest.com 5 The literature also points to the challenge of After-school program staffing. For example: Kugler, M. R. (November, 2001). The Why and How of After-School Programs. The Education Digest, www.eddigest.com

http://www.eddigest.com/

http://www.eddigest.com/


Acknowledgements United Way / Centraide Windsor-Essex County gratefully acknowledge the After-School Daycare facilities and staff persons who participated in the ABC Literacy Project. Special thanks to Dr. Kara Smith and Dr. Geri Salinitri from the Faculty of Education, University of Windsor for providing their expertise on childhood literacy issues, and to Ronna Warsh and Shannon Hyatt from the City of Windsor for facilitating ABC Literacy Project implementation. Special thanks also to the Windsor Public Library and Youth and Family Resource Network for lending their expertise to the project. Acknowledgement to Nancy Adams, Dr. Lynn Perreault, Lauren Fowler, Lorraine Goddard, and Rebecca Rudman, United Way / Centraide Windsor-Essex County, for facilitating ABC Literacy Project components.

Extra special thanks to James Richardson & Sons Limited, and Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Stone, P.L.C. for funding the 2007-2008 pilot phase of the ABC Literacy Project and investing in key learning opportunities for Children and Youth in Windsor-Essex County.


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