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RATIONALE
Two factors must be considered when planning additional instruction for young children: 1) Young children learn best through highly consistent routines and procedures; and 2) the attention span of young children tends to decrease significantly throughout the day. Adding additional days to the school calendar can be effective for young children, provided those additional days follow the same developmentally appropriate approach used during the regular year. Adding additional hours to the school day can also be beneficial as long as those additional hours are structured to account for children’s decreased attention span late in the day.
CONCRETE STRATEGIES
CONCRETE STRATEGIES
DISTRICT-LEVEL
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Quality Matters Most
Increase quality instructional time by adding summer or additional school days that provide enrichment opportunities for young children. Avoid skills-based instruction, which actually inhibits young children’s long-term learning.
CAMPUS-LEVEL
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Summer Resources
Provide additional learning resources to students and families over the summer. For example, consider developing a tech/device check out system so that students can access supplementary academic tools.
2. Adult-Child Interactions
Leverage tutors and teaching aides to increase the frequency of positive adult-child interaction. Ask tutors to focus on engaging children in conversation, exploration, and active play to get the greatest benefit of having additional adults in the classroom and throughout the school.
TEACHER-LEVEL
RECOMMENDATION
1. Learning at Home
Provide families with simple strategies to support learning at home. Engaging children in conversation while doing everyday tasks, reading books together, playing games, and even watching TV together and talking about it are examples of how families can support learning at home.
RESOURCES
RESOURCES
Read the Hechinger Report's article, Masks, virtual instruction and COVID-19 challenges made it hard for kids to learn reading: Here’s how one Texas district helps students
Read the Learning Policy Institute's online guide and fact sheet on Expanded Learning Time: How States and Districts Can Use Federal Recovery Funds Strategically
Review the 74 Million's analysis: Pittman & Darling-Hammond: Surveys Find Parents Want Bold Changes in Schools — With More Learning Inside and Outside the Classroom
Literacy First is an evidence-based program that provides intensive early literacy support for K-2 students. Notably, they are the only fully bilingual early learning high-dosage program in the community tutoring space in Texas. Tutoring, instructional resources, and assessments are all available in English and Spanish.
This upcoming school year, Literacy First, is exploring consulting with districts to set them up for success in implementing a similar intervention model to support students with learning recovery from COVID-19 and beyond. During school year 2021-22, they could provide consultation to districts on what a quality PK-2 tutoring program looks like and what it takes to use the time and effort of paraprofessionals and volunteers to drive growth and serve students effectively. Program staff can also provide consultation around effective early literacy data systems with a unique emphasis on assessing young students’ development of automaticity with early literacy skills. To learn more email support.literacyfirst@austin.utexas.edu.
Read the 74 Million’s article on additional summer instruction time: Cleveland’s Kinder, Gentler Summer School: District Mixes Pure Academics With Enrichment Activities to Entice Kids Back to Class after COVID Struggles
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