San Joaquin Reads
Early Literacy Every Day
Becoming a successful reader begins long before third grade - even before kindergarten. To ensure that all children master the literacy skills on which their futures, and ours, depend, we must first ensure that, beginning at birth, they have access to early-learning experiences that prepare them for a successful start in school. And in a community where only one-third of 3-and-4-year olds attend preschool, we know that any effort to improve school readiness depends on parents.
But while we believe parents and caregivers want to help their children succeed in school, many may not know how. For example, only half of local parents say they read to their young children daily. Through the San Joaquin Reads initiative, University of the Pacific and its community partners are empowering parents and caregivers with the knowledge and confidence they need to build early literacy skills every day.
Raising a Community of Readers
San Joaquin Reads is built around a research-based model co-developed on behalf of the American Library Association by Dr. Susan Neuman, an early literacy expert and alumna of Pacific's Benerd School of Education.Through interactive workshops led by trusted community organizations, parents and caregivers are learning how to make early literacy a part of their everyday routines.
It doesn't take extensive training or expensive equipment. Helping young children grow up to be strong readers starts simply: with talking, singing, reading, writing and playing. To date, Pacific has trained more than a dozen organizations on how to deliver early literacy workshops, with additional trainings planned for the future.
In the meantime, we are reinforcing the importance of talking, singing, reading, writing and playing through a public awareness campaign that will promote early literacy messages on billboards, bus shelters and social media platforms.
To learn more, contact Mike Klocke, Community Relations Director