Staff Development in a Pre-K Literacy Project

Belinda Biscoe and Priscilla Griffith(Debra Corey, Susan Kimmel)

University of Oklahoma

bpbiscoe@ou.edu pgriffith@ou.edu

Go Sooners!

United States United States Department of Education Department of Education Early Literacy First GrantEarly Literacy First Grant

FocusFocus: Pre-K 3 and 4 year olds: Pre-K 3 and 4 year olds PurposePurpose: :

– Create early childhood centers of Create early childhood centers of excellenceexcellence

– Prepare young children to enter Prepare young children to enter kindergarten with necessary skills to kindergarten with necessary skills to ensure school successensure school success

GOALSGOALS Create language and literacy rich classroom Create language and literacy rich classroom

environmentsenvironments Integrate curriculum, activities and materials Integrate curriculum, activities and materials

into classrooms and family literacy practicesinto classrooms and family literacy practices Assess literacy learningAssess literacy learning Build partnerships to support the transition of Build partnerships to support the transition of

all children into formal classroom instructionall children into formal classroom instruction Support family literacy Support family literacy Provide research-based sustained Provide research-based sustained

professional developmentprofessional development

COMPONENTSCOMPONENTS

Professional DevelopmentProfessional Development– InstructionInstruction– Child Assessment/Progress MonitoringChild Assessment/Progress Monitoring

Literacy MentorsLiteracy Mentors Assessment Coordinator (Year 3)Assessment Coordinator (Year 3) Family Literacy ComponentFamily Literacy Component

– Family Literacy NightsFamily Literacy Nights– Family Literacy ResourcesFamily Literacy Resources– Home VisitsHome Visits

Project EvaluationProject Evaluation

Project DevelopmentProject Development

Year OneYear One– Physical transformation of classroomsPhysical transformation of classrooms– Initiate literacy classesInitiate literacy classes– Learn to mentorLearn to mentor

Year TwoYear Two– Implement spiral curriculum of literacy classesImplement spiral curriculum of literacy classes– Learn to develop portfoliosLearn to develop portfolios

Year ThreeYear Three– Focus on examining student work to plan Focus on examining student work to plan

instructioninstruction

Three C’s of Professional Three C’s of Professional DevelopmentDevelopment

CommunityCommunity– Professional development classesProfessional development classes– Examine student learningExamine student learning

Curriculum Curriculum Content: Assessment and Instruction Content: Assessment and Instruction of Oklahoma ERF Benchmarksof Oklahoma ERF Benchmarks– Oral languageOral language– Phonological awarenessPhonological awareness– Print conceptsPrint concepts– Alphabet knowledge and writingAlphabet knowledge and writing– Listening comprehensionListening comprehension

CoachingCoaching– Implementing instructional strategiesImplementing instructional strategies

Structure of Structure of Professional Development Professional Development

ClassesClasses Two groups: certified and non-Two groups: certified and non-

certified teacherscertified teachers Classes off campusClasses off campus Classes two times each month for 3 Classes two times each month for 3

hourshours Literacy instructor Literacy instructor Literacy mentors attendLiteracy mentors attend

Content of Professional Content of Professional Development ClassesDevelopment Classes

Portfolios and AssessmentPortfolios and Assessment Observations and Anecdotal NotesObservations and Anecdotal Notes Oklahoma PRIDE Literacy BenchmarksOklahoma PRIDE Literacy Benchmarks Oral LanguageOral Language Phonological Awareness Phonological Awareness Environment/Classroom ManagementEnvironment/Classroom Management At-Risk Child Language Development At-Risk Child Language Development Alphabet KnowledgeAlphabet Knowledge ComprehensionComprehension Concepts of PrintConcepts of Print Teacher-Child InteractionsTeacher-Child Interactions Home VisitsHome Visits Family Literacy NightsFamily Literacy Nights Doors to Discovery CurriculumDoors to Discovery Curriculum

OBSERVATION

REFLECTION

ASSESSMENT

PLANNING

INSTRUCTION

STAFF DEVELOPMENT

The Continuous, Recursive, and Interactive Process of Progress

Monitoring

Data Data CollectionCollection

SystematiSystematicc

ObservatiObservationon

AssessmeAssessmentnt

TasksTasks

Work Work SamplesSamples

Data Data AggregatioAggregatio

nn

PlanningPlanning and and ReflectionReflection

using Portfoliosusing Portfolios

InstructionInstruction

Oklahoma P.R.I.D.E. Progress-Monitoring Plan

Project EvaluationProject Evaluation ClassroomsClassrooms

– Before and after photosBefore and after photos TeachersTeachers

– Concept MapsConcept Maps– ELLCO: Early Language and Literacy Classroom ELLCO: Early Language and Literacy Classroom

ObservationObservation– Focus GroupsFocus Groups

StudentsStudents– PALS: Phonological Assessment Literacy PALS: Phonological Assessment Literacy

ScreeningScreening

Changing the Physical Changing the Physical EnvironmentEnvironment

Transforming a Transforming a disorganized disorganized environmentenvironment

Setting up CentersSetting up Centers

Dramatic PlayDramatic PlayWritingWritingLibraryLibrary

Concept MapsConcept Maps

Early

Literacy

Concept MapsConcept Maps

Voltz, 2004 (Voltz, 2004 (Action in Teacher Action in Teacher Education, v. 27 # 3)Education, v. 27 # 3)

Rated maps for variation and Rated maps for variation and quantityquantity– Variation = number of categories Variation = number of categories

represented in the maprepresented in the map– Quantity = total number of ideasQuantity = total number of ideas

Early Language and Literacy Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation Classroom Observation

Literacy Environment ChecklistLiteracy Environment Checklist– Book Use and Availability - 20 pointsBook Use and Availability - 20 points– Writing Materials and Display – 21 pointsWriting Materials and Display – 21 points

Classroom Observation ProtocolClassroom Observation Protocol– General Classroom Environment – 30 pointsGeneral Classroom Environment – 30 points– Language and Literacy Curriculum – 40 Language and Literacy Curriculum – 40

pointspoints Literacy Activity Rating ScaleLiteracy Activity Rating Scale

– Book reading – 8 pointsBook reading – 8 points– Writing – 5 pointsWriting – 5 points

ELLCOELLCOLiteracy

Environment Checklist

Classroom Observation Protocol

Literacy Activity Rating Scale

Book Use

Writing Material

s

Classroom

Environ

Curriculum

Book Reading

Writing

Baseline February 04

12.30 8.30 17.80 22.70 4.20 2.20

End of Year 2May 05

19.20 18.20 23.30 31.50 6.70 3.80

End of Year End of Year 33

May 06May 06

20.00 20.00 24.83 34.33 6.83 3.17

Focus GroupsFocus Groups

Accomplishments – Year 2Accomplishments – Year 2– Professional growthProfessional growth– Focus of the program on their roles as Focus of the program on their roles as

professionals – before the program Pre-K professionals – before the program Pre-K teachers were “considered by some to teachers were “considered by some to be babysitters but now they were using be babysitters but now they were using research-based teaching principles that research-based teaching principles that can be measured and validated”can be measured and validated”

– Provided roadmap for meeting state Provided roadmap for meeting state standardsstandards

Accomplishments – Year 3Accomplishments – Year 3– Increased familiarity with the curriculum Increased familiarity with the curriculum

enhanced implementation of the program enhanced implementation of the program because teachers are now comfortable using because teachers are now comfortable using the curriculum and modifying it to suit their the curriculum and modifying it to suit their classroom needs.classroom needs.

– Increased knowledge of literacy principles and Increased knowledge of literacy principles and application.application.

– Teaching methods have been strengthened, Teaching methods have been strengthened, and the program curriculum provided “a and the program curriculum provided “a wonderful foundation to build upon.”wonderful foundation to build upon.”

– Family Literacy Night was an important Family Literacy Night was an important component of the program. It was an avenue component of the program. It was an avenue for reaching families.for reaching families.

BenefitsBenefits– Access to resources/research-based, Access to resources/research-based,

developmentally appropriate instructional developmentally appropriate instructional strategiesstrategies

– Mentor supportMentor support– Professional development classesProfessional development classes– Progress of childrenProgress of children– Credit towards CDACredit towards CDA– Interact with other teachersInteract with other teachers– Peer supportPeer support– Opportunity to attend professional conferencesOpportunity to attend professional conferences

Challenges/ConcernsChallenges/Concerns– Letting go of old curriculum and waysLetting go of old curriculum and ways– Over-emphasizing literacyOver-emphasizing literacy– Leaving their assistant alone with their Leaving their assistant alone with their

class in order to attend professional class in order to attend professional development classesdevelopment classes

– Having resources to sustain parent Having resources to sustain parent activity component after the ERF grant activity component after the ERF grant endsends

– More modeling of different types of More modeling of different types of classroom instruction by their mentorclassroom instruction by their mentor

PALS/AMIGOSPALS/AMIGOS

Rhyme AwarenessRhyme Awareness Beginning SoundBeginning Sound Upper-Case AlphabetUpper-Case Alphabet Lower-Case AlphabetLower-Case Alphabet Verbal memoryVerbal memory Print KnowledgePrint Knowledge Concept of WordConcept of Word Name WritingName Writing

Child Data OutcomesChild Data Outcomes

Cohort 2 Cohort 2

(Year 2 of the (Year 2 of the Project)Project)

Significant Significant differences differences between treatment between treatment and comparisonand comparison Rhyme AwarenessRhyme Awareness

Cohort 3 Cohort 3 (Year 3 of the Project)(Year 3 of the Project)

Significant Significant differences between differences between treatment and treatment and comparisoncomparison Rhyme AwarenessRhyme Awareness Beginning SoundsBeginning Sounds Upper-Case AlphabetUpper-Case Alphabet Lower-Case AlphabetLower-Case Alphabet

What Have We LearnedWhat Have We Learned

Childcare research is very messy.Childcare research is very messy. It has taken three years to see It has taken three years to see

differences in child outcomes.differences in child outcomes. Mentoring has to be learned.Mentoring has to be learned. Early childhood educators with a strong Early childhood educators with a strong

literacy background are difficult to find.literacy background are difficult to find. There is a tension among early There is a tension among early

childhood and literacy educators over childhood and literacy educators over DAP and purposeful instruction. DAP and purposeful instruction.