For Educators
Literacy Workshops
Workshops are designed for families of children grades TK-6 and promote intergenerational learning. During a workshop, a Cultivating Literacy facilitator introduces a literacy concept and strategy. The facilitator models the strategy and engages the parent and child in practice. As the parent and child practice the strategy, the facilitator provides guidance. Families leave with a takeaway activity to practice the strategy at home.
These workshops are designed for students in transitional kindergarten through sixth grade and are provided in multiple languages.
Types of Workshops
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Building Reading Routines
Cultivating practices of reading together and supporting reading habits
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Early Literacy Foundations
Building skills that support language, phonological awareness, phonics, and comprehension
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Writing with Comics
Developing short stories through comics to support character development and sequence.
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Phonics and Spelling
Learning multi-sensory strategies to support blending and segmentation
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Storytelling Together
Sharing and building stories together that build on prior knowledge while incorporating art
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Comprehension & Vocabulary
Connecting background knowledge and language learning across new topics
Example of a Family Literacy Workshop Session
Families gather together and share ways they support their child’s reading at home. In small groups or with partners, they share their goals for the session. The Cultivating Literacy instructor facilitates group norms and sets intentions for the session by introducing the strategy that families will practice together. Facilitation and materials are provided in multiple languages.
The instructor models the strategy with the children while parents observe and ask questions. Next, the instructor provides support as families practice the strategy with their children. For example, families would read or listen to a multilingual story together and use the previewing strategy to introduce new vocabulary words. After practicing the strategy, families share how they felt about the strategy and discuss how they might use it home.
Next, the instructor provides a game to facilitate the strategy, and families spend the last part of the session playing the reading game together. For example, a retelling board game, where each player roles a dice and lands on a question about the story the family read together. The session wraps up with families sharing how they might incorporate the strategy. Resources such as games and activities are provided for families to take home to support continued practice.