Little Rock School District Early Reading First Consulting Contract
Project Description:
Diverse and ever changing populations in Arkansas educational settings require now more than ever that classrooms are equipped to welcome all children and family compositions. To be inclusive and to provide culturally competent programs goes beyond adding a few items to the environment. Quality programs personalize each classroom for children and provide an inclusive setting with interactions and environment. Recognizing that diversity exists even when populations appear to be similar serves to facilitate classroom learning. In being culturally sensitive, children build self esteem, families build on the partnership with staff, and a welcoming environment maximizes learning.
Locating and recruiting bilingual staff present special challenges. Once hired, it is important to provide ongoing support to bilingual staff in order to retain them and be recognized in the community as a welcoming and inclusive early childhood setting. By providing specific professional development for bilingual staff, a program can maintain consistency of services, increase parent involvement, and retain bilingual staff members. A strong inclusive early childhood program with clearly defined bilingual staff roles ultimately benefits all staff and all families and addresses the ERF goal of developing early literacy skills.
Description of services to be provided:
1. Provide training to classroom teachers, paraprofessionals, literacy coaches, and other staff involved with the Early Reading First Project.
2. Provide onsite classroom observation and feedback focusing on cultural sensitivity, cultural competency, inclusion and second language learners. Provide individualized training and technical assistance to Literacy Coaches on observation goals and techniques. Conduct additional observation visits on classrooms for which Literacy Coaches have concerns regarding cultural sensitivity, cultural competency, inclusion and second language learners.
3. Provide individualized training and technical assistance for bilingual staff to enhance professional skills. This individualized training should positively affect future recruitment and retention of bilingual staff for ERF as well as enhance family satisfaction.
Keyword(s):
diversity, early childhood, language,
Core Function(s):
Performing Technical Assistance and/or Training
Area of Emphasis
Child Care-Related Activities, Other - Cultural Diversity, Other
Target Audience:
Professionals and Para-Professionals
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Racial or Ethnic Minorities, Disadvantaged Circumstances, Limited English
Primary Target Audience Geographic Descriptor:
Single-County
COVID-19 Related Data:
N/A
