Hugo Daily News- Spring 2005

Little Dixie launches Early Reading First Program

Teachers and parents in southeastern Oklahoma are getting new tools to help prepare pre-kindergarten children to read through an intensive literacy program provided by Little Dixie Community Action Agency.

“We are trying to prepare children for kindergarten with all pre-reading skills accomplished,” said Ruthie Tate, program director for the Early Reading First - Project ROAR (Rural Oklahoma Advocates Reading).

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the program is creating “centers of excellence” in 14 Head Start classrooms located in Antlers, Boswell, Hugo, Glover and Idabel. The three-year grant totals nearly $4 million.

“The program is creating a literacy environment and improving literacy instruction,” Tate said.

Five reading specialists are coaching classroom teachers on reading instruction techniques.

Family literacy advocates plan monthly meetings for parents in each community. Each parent attending a meeting receives a hardback book for their child.

“We’re trying to create a family library at home,” Tate explained.

In addition, each week children take home a bag containing four books for their parents to read to them. When they return the first four books, another bag of books goes home with the children.

Little Dixie’s Early Reading First Program grant is one of only two grants awarded in Oklahoma. The other grant went to the Center for Early Childhood Professional Development in the College of Continuing Education at the University of Oklahoma.

The grant application process is very rigorous. Only very good programs are considered for a grant.

“We had to prove in the grant application that we already had a good program,” Tate said.

The curriculum is research based. Pre-assessments were conducted and Little Dixie has contracted with the University of Memphis to track evaluations.

The grant has allowed Little Dixie to provide an abundance of resource materials. Over $150,000 was spent on computers and over $225,000 on curriculum materials and supplies. Each teacher could spend $2,000 on materials.

Although introduced only in January 2005, Tate is already getting positive feedback from parents.

“Parents tell me their children now talk to them about books,” Tate said. “Classrooms are getting needed resources. I know it’s going to be a great program.”

Ruthie Tate, program director for Early Reading First - Project ROAR, (left) meets with Pam Covington, planning director at Little Dixie Community Action Agency. Covington wrote the grant application.