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Summary
of Studies Conducted by Dr. Virginia A. Walter, UCLA
Head Start Centers in Baltimore and
Los Angeles
That Received Professional Development from
Children's Literacy Initiative
Baltimore Head Start
Dr. Virginia A. Walter of the Graduate School of Education
and Information Studies at University of California, Los Angeles
(UCLA), evaluated the short-term outcomes of the training
received at Children's Literacy Initiative's Institute (a
three-day intensive training course) by two Baltimore Head
Start Centers from January through March, 1996.
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The
kitchen corner at this Baltimore Head Start incorporates
reading by posting receipes.
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One
center was a traditional site-based Head Start Center with
multiple classrooms in one location. The other site had, in
addition to its regular classroom-based activities, a home
visit program. The purpose of the study was to determine the
extent to which teachers who had participated in Children's
Literacy Initiative's (CLI) training were able to implement
in their classrooms and home visits what they had learned.
The report found that teachers who had attended the CLI Institute,
as well as those who were subsequently trained by the Institute
attendees, had accomplished the following:
•
Books had been effectively integrated into the curriculum
•
Teachers had created stimulating literacy environments in
their classrooms
•
Teachers had involved both parents and community leaders in
literacy activities
•
Center administrators had become enthusiastic supporters of
the literacy
efforts of their classroom
teachers (Dr. Virginia
A. Walter, 1996)
In summary, Dr. Walter found that Children's Literacy Initiative's
training was "effective in enhancing the ability of early
childhood educators working with the most disadvantaged children
to focus on literacy because it provided the teachers with
a rationale, necessary skills, and tools and materials needed
to implement an emergent literacy program in their classrooms."
(Dr. Virginia A.
Walter, 1996)
Los Angeles Head Start
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The
Housekeeping Center at a Los Angeles daycare, incorporates
both food-related books, as well as many examples of
environmental print.
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In
a similar study, Dr. Walter evaluated the effectiveness of
Children' Literacy Initiative's Institute as well as the short-term
impact of that training in a Los Angeles Head Start during
1995.
The evaluator attended a CLI Institute in Los Angeles and
then visited six Head Start sites four weeks later. She interviewed
administrators and teachers about changes in their literacy
practices after the Institute and plans for classroom literacy
activities.
Dr. Walter found the Institute to be "...a model of quality
training. The content is appropriate, the teaching methods
are effective. By combining inspirational and informational
content with hands-on experience, the trainers are able to
cover an extraordinary amount of material about the importance
of books and literacy experiences in the lives of young children.
They teach practical techniques for promoting and sharing
books and literacy with young children that can be implemented
by any classroom teacher." (Dr.
Virginia A. Walter, 1999)
Four weeks after the Institute, Dr. Walter reported that centers
had accomplished the following:
•
Formal training was provided to staff who were unable to attend
the
Institute by two of the three
agencies
•
Coordinators from the agency office were providing support
to classroom
teachers as they implemented
new practices suggested by the Institute
•
All centers had enlarged and refurbished their Library or
Reading areas
•
Quality books were well-integrated with other activity centers
besides the
Library areas in the classrooms
•
Most centers had established classroom Writing Centers
•
Teachers were reading aloud to children more often
•
Children and parents responded enthusiastically to new book
collections
(Dr. Virginia A.
Walter, 1999)
Walter,
Dr. Virginia A. Children's Literacy Initiative: Baltimore
Head Start Training
Evaluator's Report. University
of California, Los Angeles: Graduate School of Education
and Information Studies, July 1996.
p. 2.
Ibid. p. 6.
Walter, Dr. Virginia A. Children's Literacy Initiative:
Baltimore Head Start Training
Evaluator's Report. University
of California, Los Angeles: Graduate School of Education
and Information Studies, April 25,
1999. p. I.
Ibid.
p. 5-7.
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