Literacy Kit and Workshops for Back to School and Ready for School

West Virginia Parent Connections at Edvantia recently developed a collection of resources that teachers and parents can use to help families support learners from preschool to high school.

The Parts of the Literacy Resource Kit

Families Helping Children Become Better Readers is a 136-page guide filled with information and activities. It describes West Virginia reading programs and standards, so parents can know what their children learn in school. It also includes activities and ideas for things parents can do at home to help children do better in school. Families who have children with special needs can learn about school programs and teaching methods that help their students. Information about state agencies and nonprofit groups can help parents around the state find services in their regions.
Horace the Hugging Hippo is a story and picture book for young readers. Written by Patricia Hamrick Penn, who worked in Edvantia’s Parent Connections program, the Horace story gives parents and children opportunities to talk about lots of topics—from the African landscape to the importance of friends. Activities related to this book are included in the guide described above.
The Magic of Reading Aloud is a DVD with two parts. One part is a 14-minute video that describes why it’s important to read aloud to children. The other part is a 3-minute reading of Horace the Hugging Hippo, designed so youngsters can follow along in their copy of the book.

Literacy Workshops for Families and Teachers

Literacy workshops, presented by staff of WV Parent Connections, may take anywhere from 2 hours to half a day. They can be held at community centers, libraries, churches, schools, or locations of after-school and summer programs.

• Parent workshops introduce family members to the literacy resource kit materials and do some of the activities with parents and children—so participants have fun while they learn.
  
• Teacher workshops help teachers plan meetings with their students' families to deliver the kits and information.

WV Parent Connections also offers other workshops for parents and teachers. These can be customized to your needs and address such topics as Title I, supplemental education services, and school choice. Contact Anita Deck for more information.

How to Get Kits and Workshops

To schedule workshops, contact Anita Deck, director of WV Parent Connections. Any school or family/community group in West Virginia can host a workshop.

Literacy resource kits will be provided to workshop participants for free. Materials can also be ordered from Edvantia; here’s how:

This Web site is supported in whole or in part by funds from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement, under grant #U310A060257. Its content does not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Education, any other agency of the U.S. government, or any other source.