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Assessing Early Literacy Programming for First-Time Parents: Creating an Environment that
Fosters Language Activities for Infants
Patricia E. Perles
Valdosta State University










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Abstract
Providing an environment where a child is stimulated by play, conversation and song to
promote early language skills is an essential skill for first-time parents. Parental involvement is
an important component at an early age for children to acquire the necessary skills for early
language development. This qualitative research study will examine a six-week Early Literacy
Program at a public library with the same first-time parent and infant participants attending the
program each week. The study will examine parental perspective on the implementation and
effectiveness of the librarys Early Literacy Program. Parents will be invited to fill out an open-
ended questionnaire at the beginning of the program to determine what skills they may already
have that promote early language development. At the end of the program, parents who chose to
participate in the study will be invited to fill out another open-ended questionnaire about what
they learned from the program. The results of the questionnaire will be coded and categorized
qualitatively using a descriptive narrative to describe the results. The questionnaire results will
be used to show the library Director that early literacy programming is successful in helping new
parents of infants gain the skills necessary to foster an environment that nurtures language
development.
Keywords: Early literacy skills Language development - Parent involvement Emergent
literacy - Library-programming



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Early Literacy Programming for Parents: Educating Parents how to Create an Environment that
Fosters Language Activities for Infants
Public libraries have long been a place where parents bring their children to borrow a
book and take it home to read. Once at home do parents know how to read with their children,
ask them pertinent questions about the story or point out letters, numbers and objects?
Early literacy programming educates parents how to foster an environment that
encourages language activity in infants. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that a six-
week Early Literacy Program for first-time parents of infants is effective in teaching the how and
why of creating an environment that values language activity. Parents will be surveyed before
the program to ascertain how they interact with their children in song and play through an open-
ended questionnaire. At the end of the program parents will be asked to answer questions about
what they learned from the program that influences how they interact with their children.
This qualitative research study is based on research performed by Diana Patricia Sukhram
and Amy Hsu. Their study seeks to find the relationship of the Reading Together Program and
parents being empowered with tools and confidence to foster positive reading relationships with
their children (Sukhram & Hsu, 2012).
Literature Review
For many years now there has been documented research on early brain development that
describes how children learn to read, including the importance of early childhood experiences
that promote literacy development (Ash & Meyers, 2009). Many parents know how to provide
an environment where their child is stimulated by play, conversation, and song; and some parents
know how to provide an assortment of books, pictures, and other visual resources so that their
child is able to learn that language is written in a code called print and pictures represent objects
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that have names (Meyers, 2002). However, many parents do not have the necessary skills or the
resources to provide the type of environment that promotes activities for language development.
Public libraries have been at the forefront of developing research-based curriculum for
parents and caregivers in support of early literacy (Ash & Meyers, 2009). Programs such as
Every Child Ready to Read @ your Library, Born to Read, and the Reading Together Program
have been developed to help parents attain the necessary skills, techniques and resources to
increase their knowledge of how to develop a reading partnership with their children (Sukhram
& Hsu, 2012). The literature shows that these programs have been successful in helping parents
acquire the necessary skills to promote language development in their children and helps parents
understand and appreciate the value of early reading habits (Sukhram & Hsu, 2012).
The Born to Read (BTR) program was developed over twenty years ago as a partnership-
based approach to early literacy promotion between public library planners and healthcare
providers. The aim of BTR was to foster relationships with expectant and new at-risk parents to
help them raise healthy childrenin both mind and bodywho were truly born to read
(Nemec, 2011). The program emphasizes modeling positive literacy behaviors and allows time
for parents to practice new skills and techniques. Library staff strives to provide parents with the
skills necessary to share books with their children at home and recognize their roles as their
childrens first teacher (Nemec, 2011). The BTR program became less popular in the late 1990s
and struggled to continue with funding after a grant from Prudential had expired.
The BTR program was reorganized in 2007 and the focus of the program was more
clearly defined to focus on expectant parents as well as parents of babies ages zero to two
(Nemec, 2011). Evaluation of the programs success is seen in a variety of ways with attendance
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statistics and anecdotes from parents and caregivers most frequently cited. Most libraries
reporting about the BTR program did not have a formal way to review their program.
As the BTR program was waning, a new program was beginning in libraries around the
country. The Every Child Ready to Read@ your Library (ECRR), is available as a tool kit for
promoting early literacy with parents and care providers. ECRR is promoted with the core
belief that public librarians must partner with the young childs first and most important
teachersparents and caregivers to impact positively a childs development (Ash & Meyers,
2009). ECRR workshops provide parents with simple and practical activities that empower them
because they are so doable (Ash & Meyers, 2009). The success of ECRR is dependent on the
adaptability of materials to particular community needs.
Evaluation of and success of ECRR at three case study libraries, Safford City-Graham
County Library in Arizona, Pierce County Library System in Washington state and Cuyahoga
County Public Library in Ohio (Ash & Meyers, 2009) was largely attributed to the number of
attendees and the call for more classes. No formal research was conducted to evaluate the
effectiveness of the programs.
Another program, the Reading Together program, focuses on families of children ages six
to thirty-six months in a community-based setting. In the Reading Together Program parents
and children are required to interact in a common learning environment where parents are taught
various strategies to build early literacy skills through modeling (Sukhram & Hsu, 2012).
Numerous opportunities are given for parents to practice these skills with their children.
Sukhram and Hsu (2012) studied the Reading Together Program to determine what are
parents/caregivers perspectives on the implementation and effectiveness of the Reading
Together Program? The researchers designed a parents/caregivers initial and final perception
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survey to obtain information and encourage parents/caregivers input. The initial survey was
distributed at the first Reading Together session to all parent participants. Questions related to
parents reading habits, joys and challenges of reading with their children, their childrens
interest in reading, book selections, as well as parent concerns (Sukhram & Hsu, 2012). At the
final session of the program participants were asked to complete the Final Reading Perception
Survey. Questions included what parents learned from the sessions, what they liked or did not
like about the program and how the program influenced the way they read with or planned to
read with their children (Sukhram & Hsu, 2012).
In collection of the data from the Reading Together study described above, participant
questions on the initial survey included: What are the appropriate books that will capture my 2
year olds interest and challenge him? What books should I be reading at this age level?
(Sukhram & Hsu, 2012) Final response perceptions included participants reporting that they
found the sessions useful and informative and they planned to continue reading with their
children. (Sukhram & Hsu, 2012)
The literature on all of the above programs identified for this review show that early
literacy programs are important to community members. The Reading Together Program has
substantiated evidence that provides the community a reason to keep funding the program.
Without documented accounts of a programs success it may be hard for libraries to continue
early literacy programs and justify the cost versus positive outcome. The BTR and ECRR
programs are undergoing some changes and hopefully libraries will collect data to support the
important missions that will enable these programs to flourish.


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Definitions
Early Literacy skills and language development will be defined as activities that
encourage infants to listen, talk and learn (Center for Early Literacy Learning, 2012, CELL).
Purpose and Research Problem
The purpose of this research study is to determine if a six-week Early Literacy program
in a public library is effective in teaching first time parents the how and why of creating an
environment that fosters language activity in infants. An additional purpose for this study is to
demonstrate to the Library Director that Early Literacy programming is an important program
that empowers parents with the skills necessary to help their infants develop early language
skills, and therefore appropriate funding should be continued.
Method
This study will be a qualitative descriptive research study with a purposive sampling of
first-time parents of infants 0-18 months of age. Participants will sign up at the public library,
where the program will take place, for a six-week, Early Literacy program consisting of 45-
minute sessions each. The number of participants will be restricted to eight to ten pairs of parents
with their infants. Keeping participant numbers low is considered best for optimum success of
infant programming (Georgia Public Library Service, 2002, GPLS). Informed consent will be
explained and participants will be assured that participation in filling out the questionnaire is not
mandated as part of the program. Parental volunteers will sign an informed consent form,
acknowledging their comments on a questionnaire will be used to confirm the positive or
negative outcomes of the program. Participants will agree to be observed for this program along
with their infants for research purposes. Parent will be assured that it is the feedback about the
program that is being sought for this research, and the infants actions will not be documented.
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Participants will be encouraged to attend all six weeks of the program, with assurance that
participants may stop the study at any time and still be part of the program.
Data Collection and Analysis
Program Format
The Early Literacy program will be based on Infant Practice Guides for Parents from
the Center for Early Literacy Learning, CELL. Each week a new language skill concept will be
introduced to parents to practice with their infants. Practice guide sheets will be made available
for each week. Twenty to twenty-five minutes of each program will be devoted to practice-play
of these concepts. Five to ten minutes will be devoted to one-on-one interaction between parent
and child, with the last fifteen minutes used as circle time to practice songs and finger plays.
(GPLS, 2002)
Data Collection
Prior to the start of the program parents who volunteer for the study will be asked to fill
out a questionnaire with open-ended questions relating to how they interact with their infants
(Sukhram & Hsu, 2012).
Sample questions are:
How much time do you spend time talking to your infant?
What do you talk about? Does your baby have favorite words or phrases that you repeat?
What books do you share with your infant? What is your favorite book?
What is the babys favorite book?
Do you sing to your infant? If yes, what songs do you like to sing to your infant?
What songs does your baby respond to in a positive way?
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At the end of the six-week program parents will be asked to fill out another questionnaire
and state what they feel they have learned from the program, what they did and did not like about
the program and how the program influenced the way they interact with their infant.
Sample questions are:
What did you learn about talking to your infant?
What have you learned about sharing a book with your infant?
How has this program helped you to communicate with your infant?
What suggestions do you have for this program?
Throughout the six-week program observation notes will be taken on how parents are
interacting with their infants. The researcher will be noting the progress of parents as they learn
the concepts of vocalizing and listening, rhymes and sound awareness, scribbling and drawing,
gestures and signing, reading stories and listening (CELL, 2012).
Program Analysis
At the end of the Early Literacy Program, the researcher will use content analysis to
examine all observation notes and questionnaires. The researcher will be looking for statements
such as useful, informative and will use the strategies learned (Sukhram & Hsu, 2012) in the
final survey comments to determine if the content of the program was of benefit to the parents.
Observation notes will be examined to determine if parents seem to grow more comfortable
working with their infants after each literacy concept is presented. For example, do parents talk
to their infant with ease eliciting sounds from their infant and the infant in turn tries to talk back;
while parents are reading books to their infant do they point out the pictures on the page and
identify the objects (CELL, 2012).
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Frequently found statements and observations will be recorded and reported in a written
narrative report to the library director. Both positive and negative responses to the program will
be reported.
Conclusion
In this proposed research study the main goal of the study is to offer written evidence to
the Director of the Library, that Early Literacy programming for first-time parents is a program
worth being funded. Programs such as Born to Read, Reading Together and Every Child Ready
to Read @ Your Library have all been shown to provide positive models for Early Literacy
programming. With these programs parents are learning skills that empower them with the tools
to provide early learning experiences for their children. However, individual libraries must
document that the program being offered in their facility is offering parents in the community the
needed skills to promote language development with their children.












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References

Ash, V., & Meyers, E. (2009). Every child ready to read @ your library.

Children & Libraries: The Journal of The Association for Library Service

to Children, 7(1), 3-7.

Center for Early Literacy Learning. (2012). Retrieved from
http://www.earlyliteracylearning.org/parentpg_inf.php
Georgia Public Library Service. (2002). Childrens and youth services staff

handbook.

Meyers, E. (2002). Research maps new routes for reading success in PLA early

childhood initiative. Journal of Youth Services in Libraries, 15(2), 3-8.

Nemec, J. (2011). It's (still) never too early to start!. Children & Libraries:

The Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children, 9(3), 15-21.

Sukhram, D., & Hsu, A. (2012). Developing reading partnerships between

parents and children: A reflection on the reading together program.

Early Childhood Education Journal, 40(2), 115-121.

doi:10.1007/s10643-011-0500-y