Share your Teachers Rock story and you could win $200 for your school!

Have a teacher who inspired you? Tell United Way (http://www NULL.uwba NULL.org/) about him or her! Click here (http://www NULL.uwba NULL.org/mobilize/advocate/teachers-rock/) to submit your story and read other stories. Your story submission qualifies you for a raffle drawing for $200 in classroom supplies for a Bay Area school of your choice! And a chance to win a free DVD of the documentary film, Waiting for Superman (http://www NULL.waitingforsuperman NULL.com/).

Myths & Truths about Bilingualism

On Saturday February 12th, Raising a Reader Coordinators, Sara Rizik-Baer and Jo McConnell, presented RAR’s new workshop, “Myths and Truths of Bilingualism: Supporting English Learners through Literacy” at  Jumpstart’s annual Early Childhood Education Academy. The event  held at San Francisco State University provided Jumpstart (http://jumpstart-sf NULL.sfsu NULL.edu/)Corps members with an opportunity to utilize scientific evidence to dispel common myths about bilingualism and language development. Participants brainstormed and modeled strategies to  support English language development in the classroom that will respect and support  students’ diverse home languages. Fun and learning was achieved by all!

Five common myths are addressed below:

Myth: Children who are exposed to more than one language get confused.
Truth: Young children have the brain capacity and the neural flexibility for learning two or more languages without becoming confused.

Myth: Bilingual children are slower than monolingual children in developing speech.
Truth: There is no evidence regarding a later age in developing speech for  bilingual children.

Myth: Mixing languages or ‘code switching’ is a sign of the child being confused.
Truth: ‘Code switching’ is a normal part of bilingual language development and a  common communication strategy for bilingual children & adults.

Myth: Home language interferes with children’s ability to learn English.
Truth: Home language does not interfere with the ability to learn English. In fact, a strong foundation in the home language positively impacts the learning of a  second language

Myth: Children can learn a second language very quickly.
Truth: It takes two years for children to incorporate a conversational level in a second language, and five to seven years to achieve an academic level (i.e., school related skills – language of text).

**Developed by: SCMOE Early Childhood Language Development Institute**

To learn more on this topic read:

Psychology Today’s article  Myths about Bilingualism (http://www NULL.psychologytoday NULL.com/blog/life-bilingual/201010/myths-about-bilingualism-0)

Linda M. Espinosa’s article Challenging Common Myths about Young English Language Learners (http://www NULL.claytonearlylearning NULL.org/files/espinosaarticle NULL.pdf)

Raising A Reader Promotes Social and Emotional Development

Today on Morning Edition, NPR featured a story on how learning self control  in preschool contributes to success later in life (http://www NULL.npr NULL.org/2011/02/14/133629477/for-kids-self-control-factors-into-future-success).

Raising A Reader contributes to the social and emotional development of children in our program by promoting self concept, self control, cooperation, social relationships, and knowledge of families and communities.

Specifically our take home book bag program:

• fosters self-regulation abilities through shared book experiences.
• incorporates themes of respect for other’s feelings and rights through book subject matter.
• requires sharing of materials.
• encourages responsibility for book bag care rotation.
• provides opportunity for library ceremony that evokes a sense of completion and pride in children.
• provides regular book bag rotation in classroom.
• promotes establishment of book-sharing routines at home.
• provides a wide variety of books that reflect diversity, multiculturalism, social-emotional concepts, and reflects the child’s experiences well as the world at large.
• promotes child-driven book and book-sharing interest.

If you love children or love literacy, we would love for you to sponsor a reader (http://www NULL.rarbayarea NULL.org/get-involved/sponsor-a-reader/).  Happy Valentine’s Day!

Language Development is a Child Driven Process

Raising A Reader staff find it interesting that kids confuse our ‘child reading a book’ logo  for a ‘child driving a car’.

(http://www NULL.rarbayarea NULL.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/RAR-red-logo NULL.jpg)Pat, Program Coordinator in Alameda County,  responds by telling the kids that books can take them on amazing adventures!

CAR is an acronym developed by Washington Learning Systems (http://www NULL.walearning NULL.com/products/language-is-the-key/car-strategies/) to help promote early literacy, early language and cognitive development.
When reading with a child, CAR is a reminder for adults to …

• Comment on the pictures and wait to see how the child responds.
• Ask questions about the pictures and wait to see how the child responds.
• Respond to the child by adding a little more information, such as new vocabulary, verb tense or a concept related to the child’s environment.

Which book will you be driving on your next adventure?

Black History Month Events at the local Library

(http://www NULL.rarbayarea NULL.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/librarylogo NULL.jpg)

Raising A Reader encourages parent engagement by providing training and books for parents to read with their children with the goal of developing early literacy skills (http://blog NULL.jumpitz NULL.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/cb9dfaf3d045c3ac5f2dada7879425eb NULL.png)and school readiness. We do love reading, but  there are additional ways to develop the skills necessary to prepare our children for school and lifelong success.

Song, storytelling, art and rhymes (http://sfpl NULL.org/index NULL.php?pg=2000152501) are just a few of the activities highlighted for Black History Month at local libraries:

BERKELEY
Saturday, February 5, 2011, 3:30 – 4:30pm (http://www NULL.rarbayarea NULL.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/nshange_ellington NULL.jpg)
Berkeley Central Library, 2090 Kittredge St.
Jazz Art: Art, Music, and Poetry
Live music and poetry to inspire and a chance to make your own art! In honor of Black History Month, the poem I Live in Music, by Ntozake Shange (http://www NULL.berkeley-public NULL.org/search~S1?/Xshange&searchscope=1&SORT=D/Xshange&searchscope=1&SORT=D&SUBKEY=shange/1%2C7%2C7%2CB/browse), will be read, accompanied by violin music by composer and educator India Cooke. Art supplies will be provided by artist and educator Lisa DiPrima. For ages 5 and up.

OAKLAND
Saturday February 5, 2011 – 2:00 PM
Oakland Library – Melrose Branch, 4805 Foothill Blvd.  510 535-5623

AND

Thursday February 24, 2011 – 10:45 AM
Oakland Library – Elmhurst Branch, 1427 88th Ave.  510 615-5727

J.P. Myrick Presents Harriet Tubman (http://catalog NULL.oaklandlibrary NULL.org/search~S23?/Xtubman%2C+harriet&searchscope=23&SORT=D/Xtubman%2C+harriet&searchscope=23&SORT=D&SUBKEY=tubman%2C%20harriet/1%2C74%2C74%2CB/browse)
In this interactive musical performance, J.P. Myrick becomes Harriet Tubman. She demonstrates how Christian hymns were used by the Underground Railroad conductor to lead slaves to freedom. The audience also learns about Quakers and abolitionists. (http://catalog NULL.oaklandlibrary NULL.org/search~S23/?searchtype=X&searcharg=abolitionist&searchscope=23&sortdropdown=-&SORT=DZ&extended=0&SUBMIT=Search&searchlimits=&searchorigarg=Xquakers)

(http://www NULL.rarbayarea NULL.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/htubman NULL.jpg)
Also at Oakland Public Library “The Funny and Unique Derique (http://www NULL.kqed NULL.org/arts/programs/spark/profile NULL.jsp?essid=4348)“, an Emmy Award winning clown, is internationally known for his unique blend of Hambone Body Drumming (an African American body percussion art form), circus skills, and modern day physical comedy, will be featured throughout the month as various Oakland branches.  Derique will tell the story of how African-American slaves were deprived of drums and developed the traditional form of body percussion known as hambone. Check the Events Calendar (http://www NULL.eventkeeper NULL.com/clients/oakland/ek_oakland NULL.cfm?curOrg=OAKLAND) for dates, times and locations.

SAN FRANCISCO
Visit the San Francisco Public Library online calendar (http://sfpl NULL.org/index NULL.php?l=0&t=0&s=0&a=1&k=black+history&m1=2&d1=3&y1=2011&m2=&d2=&y2=&m=month&orderby=name&pg=1100000001&action=calendar&lower-limit=&lang=1)for music, crafts and storytelling events.