The modules were developed by I-LABS researcher Jason Yeatman, who worked closely with the I-LABS Outreach team as a Hearst Fellow. Patrick Donnelly, Yeatman's graduate student, also contributed to both modules. The Hearst Fellowship Program brings the scientific expertise of I-LABS researchers together with the translation and dissemination skills of the outreach team. Through the fellowship, I-LABS researchers communicate their scientific knowledge into easy-to-understand materials that can be used by non-expert audiences, and the early learning community gains access to leading-edge research.
In the new modules, "Foundation of Literacy" and "Development of Literacy," Yeatman discusses how reading skills build on the fundamentals language skills that children acquire during childhood. The modules include information about supporting young readers as they develop the necessary skills for reading and comprehension.
“These modules are an important addition to the I-LABS module library,” said Sarah Lytle, Director of Outreach and Education. “Children's literacy development is foundational for later learning and these modules provide important information that parents and teachers can use to support children's early reading skills.”
These new resources will be the 16th and 17th training modules in the I-LABS library of free, online modules on child development topics. Each 20- to 25-minute module is designed to equip parents, early learning professionals and other caregivers with practical ways to use the latest science in their interactions with children. Discussion guides accompany each module to support the use of these resources in professional development settings.
