Spotlight on ECLE

Some people walk through life as if they were walking through an art gallery—with all the pictures facing the wall. They are unaware of the beauties of language, or art, or human expression. And thus, to a large extent, they lose the meaning of life, of what it means to be human.

But this is one of the few handicapping conditions which is totally environmental. Which makes it one of the few human weaknesses which can be altered by changing the environment. And that's what ECLE is all about: changing a child's literacy environment, enriching it, enhancing it, animating it.

This is a program being disseminated throughout the nation by the National Diffusion Network, U.S. Department of Education. It is a program of classroom and home instruction for teaching parents, teachers, and other care providers to develop oral language, thinking abilities, and motor skills in young children.

This is accomplished as ECLE trainers instruct the parents or other care providers by first modeling with children each activity in the program and, then, through discussion and lectures. The parents or care providers replicate in the ECLE class with their own children what was demonstrated. They practice in class what they will continue to do at home or in their centers.

ECLE has proven successful with young children (ages 6 months to 3 years and older) from varying socioeconomic levels and from different cultural groups. The program has been successful when delivered by fathers, mothers, grandparents, or babysitters in the ECLE class and in their homes. It has also been found to be effective with children in preschools and kindergartens.

In the classroom setting, working collaboratively with ECLE professionals, parents (or other care providers) learn how to develop their children's oral language, thinking, and motor skills. Here, instructional techniques are modeled for parents who then practice with their children under the guidance of ECLE teachers. Once the skills are mastered, the activities increase in difficulty and sophistication.

Education providers who adopt ECLE are required to have their staff trained and to purchase implementation materials. Some equipment may need to be purchased or located, such as a balance beam, chinning bar, ramps, and common household items such as salt shakers, tongs, and cotton balls.

A two-day ECLE seminar covers the aspects of the program, materials to be used, observation of videotapes, evaluation, and ways to find parents and/or care providers for the classes. After the program implementation, follow-up visits by an experienced ECLE consultant provide opportunities for new teachers to observe demonstrations with parents and children in their classrooms.

Infants (ages 6 months to 3 years or older) will demonstrate significantly greater gains (p<.01) on the Mental Development (MDI) and Psychomotor Development (PDI) subscales of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development than expectancies derived from a group of comparison students and from national normative data.

ECLE is a program that will enhance the developmental cornerstones upon which traditional K-12 skills are built.


What People Are Saying About ECLE . . .

We could praise the effectiveness of this program ad infinitum and it would not be as convincing as kudos from those who have implemented and used ECLE. Read what several have to say:

Dear Dr. Reid,
   After completing the ECLE training this past summer, I was convinced that it would be an effective program to use in my Pre-K classroom instructional program.
   Because of the importance of parent involvement, Granville County Public Schools strongly supports programs that are parent-child oriented, and, as a teacher, I want to see my students make as many gains as possible. I am certain that the utilization of ECLE will help me produce the maximum gains from my students.
   Currently, I am incorporating ECLE in my instructional program on a daily basis. This has been funded through grant monies received by our county offices. Beginning in 1996, parents and high school students will be involved twice weekly in this process. This will provide each student with individualized instruction.
 

Yours truly,
Annabell W. Barker
West Oxford Elementary School Oxford,
North Carolina


Dear Dr. Reid,
   ECLE has proven its family-friendly approach in the delivery of literacy-based practices to families, oftentimes resulting in parents themselves making decisions concerning their own preparedness for future education/career options. ECLE's literacy component has undergone a stringent evaluation proving its worth as a strategy for early cognitive/developmental growth which sets the stage for school and life success.
   My own state-based project is delighted to be associated with ECLE, to boast two ECLE-trained educators and to continue to work with you, given adequate funding, to expand ECLE services and practices in West Virginia. My dream is to place an ECLE trained teacher in every elementary school in my state.
 

Very truly yours,
Cornelia Calvert
West Virginia State Facilitator


Dear Dr Reid:
   As you know, last July in Delaware approximately thirty early childhood teachers participated in training for your nationally validated program, "Enriching a Child's Literacy Environment." Three of those participants were so enthusiastic about implementing the program that in October they attended a Certified Training workshop in South Carolina.
   I am happy and enthusiastic about providing encouragement and support to these sites as they participate to become ECLE demonstration sites. As State Facilitator for the National Diffusion Network, I will be able to serve as liaison between the Reid Foundation, the preschool sites, and the State Department of Public Instruction.

Sincerely,
Linda Welsh
Delaware State Office of Education


Dear Dr. Reid:
   I recently had the opportunity to attend an "ECLE—Enriching a Child's Literacy Environment" training workshop. What a fantastic parental involvement program you have developed!
   Having been a teacher of middle school children for my entire career, I must admit I was skeptical when first reviewing the activities suggested for use with children six months to three years of age. What an eye-opening experience to see parents, along with their two-year-old children, accomplishing these activities! Let's just say my expectations were certainly raised to a much higher level! If every parent had the opportunity to enroll their child in this program, children truly would "arrive at school ready to learn."
   I am excited about the adoption possibilities within Kentucky. We have in place Even Start classrooms that are seeking activities to develop the psychomotor and cognitive skills ECLE develops. In addition, the push for parental involvement is in full swing. The ECLE program has arrived at the perfect time!

Janet Stevens
Kentucky State Facilitator