Growing Readers: Infant Presentation Agenda

 

I. Intro – Growing Readers project purpose

• Goal to share the message about the importance of early language and literacy development

• Develop an awareness of how oral language is critical to learning

 

II. Video #1 – Importance of talking to and around infants

*Ask participants to observe the interaction and be prepared to share their thoughts after the video

 

CONCEPTS INCLUDED IN VIDEO SEGMENT:

• Mother repeats certain words

• Mother uses voice to engage infant

• Mother touches infant when saying body parts

• Infant is focused on the mother and her speech

• Infant is animated 

    

Video: Talking To Your Baby

 

DISCUSSION FOLLOWING VIDEO:

    Ask participants to describe what they saw (you are looking for the bullet points above)

    Share the key points below:

• Talking to and around infants builds their auditory skills and receptive vocabulary

• Infant does not understand what is being said, but that does not matter because it is about exposing the child to language

 

GROUP PARTICIPATION ACTIVITY

• Draw a web on chart paper

• Ask participants to describe the times/situations throughout the day they could talk with their child like the mother in the video

 

III. Video #2 – Importance of reading to infants

 *Ask participants to observe the interaction and be prepared to share their thoughts after the video

 

CONCEPTS INCLUDED IN VIDEO SEGMENT:

• Mother holds book close to child's face

• Mother uses expression to excite and engage the infant

• Infant responds to the mother's expression

• Infant responds to the bright colors and simple pictures

           

Video: Reading To Your Baby

 

DISCUSSION FOLLOWING VIDEO:

*Ask participants to describe what they saw (you are looking for the bullet points above)

• Beginning around 3 months, baby show interest in looking at picture books

• Attention span is short so do not feel pressure to read the whole book

• Stop on baby’s favorite pages and talk about the pictures, point to things, etc.

• Picture books with simple text, bright colors, limited background are best

• Model read aloud: pointing out pictures, repeating words, using expression, etc.

 

IV. Share contents of gift bag

Bags:

• Growing Readers brochure

• Picture books

• Read and Rise book

• Gift items (hand sanitizer, baby wipes, disposable changing table, etc.)

• Pamphlets

 

V. Q&A