Never Too Early: Early Literacy Development Sylvia Kennedy-Godin February 28, 2019

The Never Too Early literacy program brings childcare providers together for training sessions to learn about children’s language and early literacy development and fun, instructive, and engaging ways to share books with children. Each of the program’s components - all structured as lively book discussion and activity workshops - provides wonderful age-appropriate books suitable for use with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Experienced early childhood professionals conduct trainings statewide. Trainings are free to childcare providers and other early care and education professionals. Literacy learning begins at birth and is a cornerstone for later academic achievement and lifelong opportunities. Early literacy includes all activities involved in speaking, listening, reading, writing, and appreciating both spoken and written language. Early childhood professionals with families are key to creating meaningful opportunities for young children to develop early literacy skills, the love of reading and writing, the participation in meaningful conversations, and the strengthening of relationships with the adults in their lives. This two-part workshop enables early educators to a) identify the components of quality children’s literature for ages birth to six; b) plan how to use children’s books to both launch and enhance all areas of the curriculum; and c) practice reading and using quality literature to help children develop and express their early literacy skills.