The Center for Family & Community Partnerships in the College of Education at the University of New Mexico was awarded a grant for $2.3 million from the U.S. Department of Education to implement Project LEER, an Early Reading First program, in 2003.
LEER (Spanish for “to read”) is an acronym for “Learners Eager for Early Reading.” Prof. Polly Turner directs the project, among 30 projects funded initially in the United States.
The UNM project will hold its third Summer Institute from Aug. 1-5, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Rotunda, Science and Technology Building, 801 University Blvd. SE.
The institute serves teachers and assistants from 14 classrooms participating in LEER, administrators from APS and the city and other invited guests.
Sylvia Linan-Thompson from the University of Texas at Austin will present “Starting out Right: Activities for Language and Literacy in Preschool,” Aug. 2. She is co-investigator for three national research projects examining the development of English- and Spanish-speaking children.
Jim Stone, a teacher and researcher from La Mesa, Calif., who spent more than 25 years using research in language development, reading research and brain research to develop Animated Literacy Ô , will present an approach to beginning reading and writing instruction that incorporates, literature, storytelling, songs and manipulatives on Aug. 4.
The goal of the E arly Reading First project is to transform existing early education programs into centers of excellence that provide high-quality, early education to young children, especially those from low-income families. The overall purpose of the program is to prepare young children to enter kindergarten with the necessary language, cognitive and foundational literacy skills to prevent later reading difficulties and ensure school success.
The ERF project is a partnership of the UNM Center for Family and Community Partnerships at the University of New Mexico, Even Start and Child Find programs for 3- and 4-year-olds in the Albuquerque Public Schools and Child Development Centers under the auspices of the City of Albuquerque.
For more information, contact Polly Turner, pturner@unm.edu, or 277-4135.
Contact: Laurie Mellas Ramirez, (505) 277-5915
Posted by scarr at July 19, 2005 05:22 PM