This literacy program is designed primarily for preschoolers (ages 3 – 4) during the six month period before entering Junior Kindergarten. The program is particularly beneficial for children of immigrant families who have the challenges of English as a second language or for children from low or middle socio-economic environments. The Get Ready for School Program focuses on the development of early literacy skills (e.g. identification of sounds – phonemic awareness and building and enhancing vocabulary skills). The program also provides the opportunity for children to develop school readiness skills (e.g. taking turns, learning in a small group). Children participate in forty-four sessions; each session is two hours in length.
The program was created by Dr. Iuliana Baciu for her PhD thesis at Wilfrid Laurier University. It was piloted in a few community centres from 2004-2008. The children’s skills were tested before, during and after the program. Strategies have been put into place to track the children’s later success in school. Dr. Baciu’s research data has proven the effectiveness of this program with 3 ½ – 4 year old children.
At regular intervals throughout the program, opportunities are provided for parents to learn more about the program and how they can assist their children at home to reinforce the skills the children are learning. Regular newsletters are shared to keep parents informed. Learning tools are provided for the children to use at home to practice skills with their parents. [See the Resources for Parents web page.] A “take-home” package is provided for each child at the end of the program to help parents reinforce and practice the skills that have been learned in the program.
Strong Start® has formed a partnership with Dr. Baciu and four community centres in Waterloo Region (Popcorn House and Preston Heights Community Centre in Cambridge and Kingsdale Community Centre and Country Hills Community Centre in Kitchener). Together with these partners, Strong Start has developed an infrastructure in order to be able to replicate this program in other locations. Plans are currently underway to expand this program to eight sites in 2013 and additional sites in years ahead.
This program has the potential to be a powerful prevention tool in our community to ensure that more children are ready for the challenges of formal schooling and children of immigrants or low socio-economic families have a chance to start school at the same stage of reading readiness as the majority of their classmates.
Core funding for this program is provided through a generous multi-year grant by the Lyle S. Hallman Foundation with additional financial support from David and Eleanor Yach through the Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation and the Cloverleaf Foundation.
Organizations interested in implementing our programs, please contact us at info@strongstart.ca or 519-743-9578.
Opportunities are available for members of the community who might be interested in volunteering at any of the Get Ready for School sites. Our current volunteers find working with the children in this program to be highly rewarding. The learning growth that takes place for many of these children is exciting and rewarding for our volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering in the Get Ready for School program, please contact info@strongstart.ca or call 519-743-9578.
Download the Get Ready for School Flyer