Dialogic Reading

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Dialogic Reading
Coaching Project on the HCL Childrens Readmobile
Helping Every Child Become Ready to Read
Care-providers and Librarians as Partners

• Gretchen Wronka, Hennepin County Library
  Presented by Meg Canada

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Our Childrens Readmobile
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Our Customers

• Parents
• Family, Friend, and Neighbor Childcare Providers
  (Kinship Providers)
• Generally not licensed as child- care providers

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Our PilotOur Goal

• Mentoring caregivers to develop and nurture
  dialogic reading skills

• Encouragement and praise
• Simple questions
• Expand and repeat
• Open-ended questions

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Two librarians work in tandem
Format of Session

• Librarian/ Coach introduces skill.
• Librarian/ Story Reader models skill.
• Provider receives print overview, worksheet, and
  books with questions reflecting skill.

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What did caregivers enjoy about dialogic reading?
I got good responses from the questions
Knowing that being praised and encouraged is so
good for them makes it easy
The children like to guess What is coming next
Felt easy because Ive been doing this for a while
Easy to do because of the pre-written questions
The children feel like they are involved
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What was challenging for caregivers?

• Being patient and waiting for the answers
• Getting the childrens attention
• Asking questions when a baby is crying and
  fussing
• Having two children take turns
• Making sure to ask the right questions
• Using more Expand and Repeat technique
• Making it excitingjust reading the words loses
  their attention

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Overall comments from caregivers

• This got the kids more involved.
• I wish I knew about this with my older children.
• I like reading on the Readmobile. It shows the
  children that I can read to them anywhere.
• I liked the explanation of Encouragement. The
  notes in the book were very good.
• This made me aware of what to do.

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Our Findings
Expand and Repeat was the hardest concept for
many caregivers.
We need time to establish relationships with
caregivers.
Wed love to have more time with the caregivers.
Ideally, 10-12 weeks.
Some caregivers had tendency to ask too many
questions during story.
We expect dialogic reading training will become a
regular part of our services.
Caregivers need to be reminded of the importance
of following the childs lead.
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SUCCESS!