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Welcome
 Sesame
Street Beginnings: Talk, Read, Write! provides you with fun ways
to support preschoolers' literacy development, as you involve parents
in the process.
This bilingual, multiple-media program was developed by Sesame Workshop
and funded by The Prudential Foundation to provide the tools you need
to help preschoolers along the exciting path from listening and speaking
-- to reading and writing! It includes activities, information and tips
for making language and literacy development a fun part of everyday life
for children. Sesame Street Beginnings: Talk, Read, Write! has
been reviewed and endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Partnering
with Parents
Regular communtication with parents is critical. Parents need to know
that they play an important role in their child's literacy development.
Here are some tips for talking with parents:
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Acknowledge parents as their child's first and most important teachers.
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Recognize the simple things they do every day to promote listening,
speaking, reading, and writing.
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Share ideas, observations and resources to help them understand and
be involved in their child's literacy development. Encourage them
to involve other family members too.
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Be aware of languages, other than English, spoken at home and what
language the parent is most comfortable using. Look for and offer
resources in this language.
Using
the Parent Pages
 These
pages can be printed out and sent home to parents or handed out in meetings.
Whether you're using the Parent Pages with groups or individual parents,
try the following to encourage questions, sharing and discussion.
Page One: Parents as First
Teachers
Page Two:Listening and Speaking
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Discuss the importance of having conversations with their child
and explain how listening and speaking are the foundations of reading
and writing.
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Share a few of chidren's favorite rhymes, songs, and stories.
Page Three: Reading Together
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Stress the importance of reading aloud.
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Talk about things children can read in everyday life, such as signs,
or food boxes or labels.
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Share information about places to find books in your community,
especially in the languages families speak at home. Encourage parents
to get a library card for their child.
Page Four: Writing Together
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Talk about how children need time to write their own way -- starting
with scribbling.
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Show examples of how adults can write down children's words for
them.
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Help parents make a simple book with their child.
Song Lyrics from the Videocassette
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Use the song lyrics as a way to point out key messages about listening
and speaking or making everyday a reading and writing day.
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Have fun singing the lyrics together and asking parents to identify
some of the activities they can do with their child.
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Using the
Videocassette
 Use
this lively video for adults at parent workshops. Encourage them to talk
together about key points, things they already do and new ideas. Look
for the tumbling letters on the screen during the "documentary"
portion of the video to use as points to stop and have a new discussion.
Also, talk about the song lyrics when reviewing the video. Lend it out
for families to watch at home together and suggest they sing the songs
and talk about what they saw.
Part One: Listening and Speaking
The Muppets of Sesame Street learn about listening and speaking from
the "King" by singing "Kids Gotta Listen and Kids Gotta
Speak." Teachers talk about the importance of listening to children.
(Ask: How can talking together help your child learn how to read?)
Key Points:
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Literacy starts with listening and speaking, which lead to reading
and writing.
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Taking time to talk with your children helps them learn new sounds
and words.
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Listening carefully to children motivates them to keep talking
and learning about language.
Part Two: Reading Together
Teachers and parents share different ways to read with children. (Ask:
What are some of your child's favorite things to read together?)
Key Points:
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Read to children every day and help them get to know all kinds
of books.
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Use rhymes, repetition and playing with the sounds of words as
you read.
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Read signs, labels and other kinds of environmental print together
Part Three: Writing Together
Live-action scenes show children scribbling, drawing and writing in
their own way. (Ask: What are some fun things you could write with your
child?)
Key Points:
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Scribbling is the first step in learning to write.
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Your child can practice writing as part of family and household
routines.
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Making homemade books is a great way to practice reading and
writing.
Part Four: Learning at the
Library
The Sesame Street Friends visit the library, learn from the librarian
and sing "Every Day's a Reading and Writing Day." (Ask: How
could you include reading and writing with your child in your daily
routines?)
Key Points:
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The library is an important place to learn about reading and
all kinds of books.
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Getting a library card for your child is simple and opens up
a world of reading together,
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Reading and writing can be part of everyday life.
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Remember to work with your child's teacher, listen, talk, read
and write with your child, and have fun!
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Using the
Developmental Poster
 This
poster includes information and tips about literacy development for children
3-4 and 4-5 years old.
- Use the poster as a guide for discussion in parent workshops; remind
parents that each child develops in her own way and at his own pace.
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