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REL Northwest, operated by Education Northwest, conducted a special forum on the latest findings about early literacy by the National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education (NCRECE). The free event featured NCRECE researchers Dr. Bridget Hamre and Dr. Jennifer LoCasale-Crouch, whose work is funded by the Institute of Education Sciences. They are the authors of a number of peer-reviewed publications.

Their presentation focused on how to support language and literacy development in preschool classrooms through three broad categories of effective teacher-student interactions: emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support.

Research shows that too few children are exposed to these types of interactions in the early grades. Studies found that of 700 preschool classrooms observed across 11 states, fewer than 15 percent displayed moderately to highly effective teacher-student interactions across all three categories. Additionally, children from low-income families were less likely to experience effective teacher-student interactions compared to middle-income peers.

A panel of local leaders shared implications for promoting the types of interactions that optimize language and literacy development. Panelists were Kelly Rosenleaf, director of Missoula's Child Care Resources; Lynn Solomon, director of Healthy Montana Kids; and Montana State Senator Theresa K. Henry.

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Supporting Language and Literacy (flyer)