Programs & Projects

The Institute engages in various activities to help strengthen reading instruction across the lifespan, including the early elementary years.  Current projects include:

• Information Dissemination.  The Institute manages an outreach program to disseminate publications and information on childhood literacy to federal government agencies, higher education institutions, patent organizations, governors and local early childhood programs.
• Spanish Language Publications on Reading.  The Institute is developing several publications for families of K-3 children who are learning to speak and/or read English.  The publications, which will be developed organically rather than translated, are intended to introduce information about how K-3 children learn to read in a way that connects to Hispanic families’ beliefs about the role of the family, community, and school in children’s education. 
• School Reading Programs Based on Scientific Research.  The Institute is supporting an initiative to develop criteria and a strategy for identifying schools with strong student reading outcomes in grades K-3 that are using a program of reading instruction based on findings from scientific research.  The project is identifying similar efforts already underway; identifying and examining data sources; collecting additional data from the field; and developing a methodology for identifying the schools.
• Building Parents’ Knowledge of Children’s Reading.  The Institute is completing a pilot project that taught parents of K-3 children at sites in Massachusetts and Rhode Island how children learn to read and how to use that knowledge to help their children become successful readers.  Parents met weekly over several months to learn about the components of reading and engage in hands-on activities to develop those skills.

Last updated: Sunday, 26-Jul-2009 18:50:57 EDT