Using explicit instruction to develop emergent writing skills for preschoolers. Lessons from the USAID/LAC Reads training program in Guatemala

• In Event: Teaching and learning experiences during COVID-19

Proposal

Teachers who provide young children with a diverse array of early writing experiences lay the foundation for kindergarten readiness. However, little is known how the development of emergent writing skills can be fostered at the pre-school level particularly in low resourced contexts. This presentation will focus on the fundamentals when building a formative process of how to teach emergent writing to early childhood educators and caretakers. Findings based on pre and post tests results will shed light on the effectiveness of the training including lessons learned when replicated by the participants in their early care centers. This experience can serve as a reference for anyone who is involved in teaching writing, both directly with children and in teacher training processes.
The process of acquiring writing skills begins from the first years of people's lives and is expected to continue throughout their lives, since “writing is an activity that satisfies multiple needs, which covers different areas of the person —knowledge of the world, of oneself and of others— and that allows gathering, preserving and transmitting all kinds of information in different contexts and on a daily basis. "(Flotts, et al., 2016: 11). Emergent writing skills, such as the development of name writing proficiency, are important predictors of children’s future reading and writing skills (National Center for Family & Literacy 2008; Puranik & Lonigan 2012). Children as early as 3 years of age benefit from teachers modeling writing and from opportunities to interact with others on writing projects (Hall et al. 2015). Structured learning situations where the teacher models and accompanies the acquisition of writing skills in children are important to strengthen learning, especially when they have the experience of writing with the teacher (Graves, 1994). Therefore, it is important to include writing in pre-schoolers daily activities.
Research findings in Guatemala where this training takes place, as well as in other countries, showed that very little time if any at pre-school level is dedicated to support the develop emergent writing skills. The “yo me expreso” emergent writing training activity was created under the USAID/LAC Reads Capacity Program to respond to the request of the Early Care Centers (Cientro de Atendimiento Integral) CAI- of the Ministry of Social Welfare in Guatemala that serve children at the initial (0-3 years old) and pre-primary level (4 -6 years old).
To support teacher’s understanding of emergent writing practices and how to work with explicit support young children, Puranik & Lonigan (2014) developed a framework composed of three domains: conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and generative knowledge. This will be the framework under which this study will be built on. Pre and post tests will be administered to the 45 early childhood center directors and 9 educators from an interdisciplinary group and early childhood educators working in Early Care Centers (CAI) in three different regions in Guatemala participating in the “yo me expreso” training. Pre and post tests will also be given to the caretakers who will receive the training replicated by the “yo me expreso” participants. This data will be analyzed to try to find learning outcomes of the training in supporting the inclusion of emergent writing activities in the Early Care Centers (CAI) pedagogical curriculum as well as the effectiveness of this virtual training in developing the capacity of to early childhood educators in remote and low resourced regions in the country.
This presentation will be divided in three parts. It will start with presenting the emergent writing foundations and frame work underpinning this study. The second part will describe the main features of the training within the LAC Reads Capacity Program, how it was imparted and goals expected to be achieved. Finally, a summary of findings from the pre and post test results and analysis, and recommendations for programming will be presented. Lessons learned will be shared and discussed.
It is hoped that this experience will serve to continue developing this type of training, and be the basis for more in-depth programs that want to address the subject of teaching and learning emergent writing and support the foundations for primary school readiness.

Authors

• Analice Schwartz, Juarez

• Tania Patricia Santisteban López, Juarez

• Jason Mann, Juarez & Associates