Planning For A Family Literacy Event For This Assignment

Planning For a Family Literacy Event For this assignment, you will develop a Proposal for a small Family Literacy Event that you can create at your school/preschool setting.

Develop a proposal for a small Family Literacy Event at your school or preschool. Focus on building relationships with families and authentic engagement with books. The proposal should include a description of the setting, your role, the number of participants, how you'll utilize a reading tip sheet with families (including a read aloud and demonstration of tips), methods for sharing community resources, strategies for learning from families about home literacy practices, and how you might incorporate at least one idea from your literacy textbook to enhance the event. The event should be simple, practical, and aimed at fostering literacy at home and school connections.

Paper For Above instruction

The proposal I am presenting is designed for a small-scale family literacy event intended to strengthen the home-school connection and promote literacy development among young learners. The setting chosen for this event is Petree Elementary School, a Title I public school situated in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The school serves a diverse student population of 377 students in grades Pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade, with a significant percentage of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Specifically, approximately 75.1% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and 96% of the student body belongs to minority groups. Given these demographics, my goal is to create an inclusive and engaging event that addresses the specific literacy needs of our community and supports families in fostering literacy skills at home.

In my role as a third-grade teacher, I am responsible for delivering engaging instruction, building relationships with students and their families, and supporting their academic growth. For this event, I will work directly with third-grade students, with a total of thirty participants including fifteen students and their accompanying parents. This small size allows for personalized interactions and meaningful engagement.

The core of the event will revolve around the use of a designated reading tip sheet called “Reading Tips for Parents of Third-Graders.” I plan to distribute copies of this tip sheet to parents, explaining its purpose and importance. During the session, I will review the tips, provide clarifications, and model some of these strategies through a shared read-aloud of a carefully selected children's book. The book will be “Chrysanthemum” by Kevin Henkes, which addresses themes of self-esteem and acceptance — topics relevant to social-emotional development and literacy. During the read-aloud, I will demonstrate tips such as asking predictive questions, pausing to discuss vocabulary, and encouraging children to relate the story to personal experiences, thus modeling effective literacy-supportive conversations at home (Garan, 2007).

> To deepen parent involvement, I will introduce interactive practices such as "buddy reading," where older students or more confident readers model good reading strategies to their peers. I will also discuss the importance of shared reading, vocabulary development, and story-related activities such as drawing or writing responses. These interactive components aim to empower parents to support their children’s literacy at home using simple, accessible activities that can be integrated into daily routines (Colorado, 2019).

> Sharing resources in the community forms a critical part of the event. I will prepare a slideshow reviewing local library resources, including Forsyth County Central Library, Southside Library, Reynolda Manor Branch Library, United Way of Forsyth County, and Foundations Early Learning Center. The presentation will include practical information such as how to obtain a library card, accessing books in multiple languages, and discovering programs like book clubs, summer reading challenges, and literacy workshops. Pamphlets from each library and flyers about community literacy events will be available at an informational table to facilitate ongoing engagement (Colorado, 2015).

> Furthermore, I will explore ways to learn from families regarding their home literacy practices. During the event, I will facilitate an open discussion, encouraging parents to share strategies that work well at home through a recorded chart and a “best home literacy practices” box where they can post suggestions using sticky notes. Additionally, I will distribute a simple online survey via Google Forms linked to my class website, allowing parents to anonymously share their effective literacy activities and needs. This feedback will inform future classroom practices, allowing me to tailor instruction that honors and incorporates family strengths and preferences (Classroom, 2011).

> To extend the impact, I will incorporate an idea from my literacy textbook, such as organizing a family literacy workshop series. For example, I could schedule weekly after-school sessions focused on different aspects of reading and writing, using interactive read-alouds, shared writing activities, and parent involvement strategies discussed during the initial event. These workshops could focus on developing a love for reading, creating literacy-rich environments at home, and understanding the importance of ongoing literacy support beyond the classroom (Garan, 2007).

> As part of the event, I plan to host a 30-minute "Reading Rockstars" workshop after school, where students and parents participate together in a read-aloud and related activities. During this session, I will model an interactive read-aloud from “Chrysanthemum,” emphasizing conversation, questioning, and engagement. Before reading, I will invite children to analyze the book cover and make predictions, fostering critical thinking and vocabulary development. After reading, students will pair with peers or older students for "buddy reading," taking turns reading aloud and discussing the story — activities that align with research supporting the benefits of reading aloud and peer modeling (Garan, 2007; Classroom, 2011). Students will then complete a simple literacy task, such as drawing their favorite part, writing an alternative ending, or rating the story, which encourages personal response and comprehension skills.

To support literacy at home, I will provide parents with practical tips, such as engaging in conversations about stories, singing related songs, or creating simple writing responses to readings. I will encourage them to utilize the classroom library for weekly book checkouts and to involve children in responding to books through reports, drawings, or storytelling. These activities promote literacy development, confidence, and a lifelong love for reading (Colorado, 2019).

Reflecting on this project, I recognize the importance of understanding the community’s literacy landscape. My research on literacy gaps and resource availability in Winston-Salem revealed a paucity of accessible literacy support programs beyond tutoring and library stories. This realization fueled my commitment to creating an event that fills some of these gaps by offering practical, family-centered literacy strategies, information about community resources, and opportunities for meaningful family engagement. I believe this initiative can help meet an identified need by equipping parents with the knowledge and tools to foster literacy skills at home, which is foundational to academic success.

Looking ahead, I envision expanding this concept into a series of ongoing family literacy events, incorporating grade-level book clubs, literacy-themed celebrations such as character dress-up days, and community literacy challenges like read-a-thons. Additionally, involving local authors or community figures in hosting storytelling sessions or question-and-answer panels could further excite student interest and community involvement. These extensions would deepen connections, broaden literacy access, and sustain the momentum of early literacy support within our community.

Overall, this project has enhanced my understanding of the vital role that families play in promoting literacy and the importance of creating accessible, engaging, and culturally responsive literacy experiences. Continuous professional development through workshops and research will be essential for me to implement innovative strategies that close literacy gaps and foster a love for reading across diverse learners. This initiative aligns with my overarching goal as an educator: to inspire every child and their family to become lifelong readers, supporting their academic journey and enriching their lives through literacy.

References

• Classroom, C. F. T. C. (2011, September 23). Bringing Reading to Life After School [Video]. YouTube.
• Colorado, C. (2015, December 1). Tips for Parents of Third Graders. Colorado.
• Colorado, C. (2019, December 20). The Resources at Your Library. Colorado.
• Garan, E. (2007). Smart Answers to Tough Questions: What to Say When You’re Asked About Fluency, Phonics, Grammar, Vocabulary, SSR, Tests, Support for ELLs, and More. Scholastic Teaching Resources.
• North Carolina School Report Cards. (n.d.). North Carolina School Report Cards. Retrieved March 1, 2022, from https://www.ncreportcards.org
• Overview of Petree Elementary. (n.d.). U.S. News. Retrieved March 1, 2022, from https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/schools/petree-elementary-123456