Early Literacy for Your Little Chicks

 

The cock crows in the morning
To tell us to rise,
And he that lies late
Will never be wise;
For early to bed,
And early to rise,
Is the way to be healthy
And wealthy and wise.

It was 6:04 a.m. and still very dark. The sun was not up yet (sunrise in early February wasn't gonna happen 'til 7 a.m.). Laurenjoan, however, was up and at 'em - stumbling through the dark backyard to the chicken coop. There was not a peep in the coop, all seemed sleepy quiet, but when the coop door rattled open Alice popped her head out and then jumped to the ground. Joanie B., meanwhile, was still waking up.

Alice: Wrawwk - I know I want to be healthy, wealthy and wise, but this is awful early to rise isn't it?

Laurenjoan: I know we don't usually get up before the sun, but that's what SCCLD's Librari-hens do for Every Child Ready to Read training with Sarjo Ghoting, Early Childhood Literacy Consult.

Joanie B. came wobbling up, looking a little wonky.

Joanie B: Braaak! Who turned off the sun??

Alice: We need to get up early to wise up, I mean to get wise about getting ready to read. While we wait for the sun, take a look at the Overview of Early Literacy poster from the Library of Virginia Early Literacy webpage.

 

Joanie B: Cluck! Saroj helps by decoding the poster.

Alice: Wrraaight! We've got resources, now let's go and get there! As the song says:

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun (doo doo doo doo)
Here comes the sun, and I say
It's all right.

Notes from Laurenjoan:

SCCL Children's Services had the opportunity to host a training session for librarians on the Every Child Ready to Read^® @ your library^® - a parent education initiative of The Public Library Association (PLA) and Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) of the American Library Association (ALA).


The training -- STAR POWER™ :Sing Talk And Read Play On and Write for Easier Reading™--Putting Every Child Ready to Read® 2nd ed into Practice was presented by nationally recognized early literacy consultant and librarian Saroj Ghoting.
SCCLD Children's Services librarians will be sharing hints on early literacy for young children, infants through preschool, and their parents/caregivers in storytimes and other programs in times ahead.

For more information - checkout these books on early literacy and encouraging your baby/toddler/preschooler to be ready to read:

Resources on Early Literacy - for checkout from SCCLD libraries

Raising Confident Readers	Beyond Bedtime Stories
Growing A Reader from Birth	What to Read When

Reference Resources (in-house, in-library use only)

Early Literacy Storytimes @ your Library

The Early Literacy Kit

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Sources:
http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2011/06/the_cock_crows_in_the_morning.html
The Beatles - Here Comes The Sun Lyrics Writer(s): LENNON/HARRISON/MCCARTNEY
Note on the early literacy poster: With the assistance of Saroj Ghoting, early literacy consultant, the Library of Virginia graphics arts department created an early literacy poster which reflects the research and principles outlined in second edition of Every Child Ready to Read®