Scribble Packs

Emergent Literacy

Introduction

Sample (Eng.)

Sample (Span.)

Living Room (Eng.)

Living Room (Span.)

Kitchen (Eng.)

Kitchen (Span.)

Bedroom (Eng.)

Bedroom (Span.)

Outside (Eng.)

Outside (Span.)

Main Page

Introduction

The Family Enrichment Program staff embraces the concept of emergent literacy. The current research on emergent literacy suggests that the development of literacy is a process that takes place within the child from the beginning of life and emphasizes the interrelatedness of language, including speaking, listening, reading, writing and viewing. The Family Enrichment Program Scribble Packs were designed to help parents create an environment, which encourage the natural learning ability of children to unfold.

Scribble Packs are shared with parents and children on home visits. The program belief that "a scribble a day brings a writer your way," is shared with parents. Parents are given a handout that provides seven different ideas for encouraging emergent literacy Each idea focuses on a concept which will help make print meaningful for children, with the goal being that the parent could introduce one idea a day each day of the week. For example, on Sunday the parent and child are given an activity involving following directions. On Monday, the parent and child are encouraged to write a letter. On Tuesday, the parent and child are given ideas for looking up something. On Wednesday, the parent and child are encouraged to draw a collaborative picture. On Thursday, the parent and child are given suggestions for leaving notes. On Friday the parent and child are given ideas for making signs or labels. On Saturday the parent and child are encouraged to make a list.

In addition to ideas to support emergent literacy, parents are provided with consumable developmentally appropriate writing implements and paper. Home visitors have an array of consumable materials from which to make a selection, which best matches the developmental level and interests of the parents and children. Consumable writing implements include jumbo crayons, regular crayons, markers, chalk, colored pencils, and watercolors. Specialty items focusing on novel colors, such as neon colors, or novel visual effects, such as glitter crayons are also included as fun options for scribbling activities. Paper items include die cut shapes, plain paper, lined paper, envelopes, and simple coloring book pictures. Stickers, scissors, and glue sticks are also included as options.

Four Scribble Packs are provided to parents throughout the school year. The scribble packs are coordinated with the Home Visit Kits. Both Home Visit Kits and the Scribble Packs are designed to be incorporated into everyday activities that take place throughout the house. Specifically, activities are designed to be carried out in the living room, kitchen, bedroom, and outside.

Drawing activities in the Scribble Packs, as well as the books in the Story Sack Library correlate with an animal theme. The selected animal themes include a dog, cat, teddy bear and bunny. Coloring pages, stickers, and die cuts related to the animal theme accompany each scribble pack and are intended to extend play.

Observations of children in the Family Enrichment Program through out the year reveal that the children are attracted to the many scribbling options available to them in the classroom and spend a great deal of time engaged in prewriting activities.