New Quick Reads – Teaching Early Literacy to Teen Parents
Author: Clair Larkin, Library Services Specialist at the San Antonio (TX) Public Library
The United States has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the western industrialized world and studies show that children of teen parents are less prepared for school, perform less well, and have a higher dropout rate than other children.* As many librarians know, it is challenging enough to get teens into the library for teen-specific programming, add a baby to the mix and it becomes nearly impossible. So how do you reach this group with crucial early literacy information? Go where they are! In the latest entry in PLA’s Quick Reads series, author Clair Larkin, shows how just like all parents, teen parents want their children to succeed, and also how the library can support them in this mission by bringing early literacy programming into local schools. Using Every Child Ready to Read principles and programming tips from San Antonio Public Library’s “Little Read Wagon,” this guide will show you how to create a program that meets the needs of your community’s teen parents. Chapters include:
• The Five Practices of Every Child Ready to Read
• Public Library Services for Teens Parents: Outreach
• The Little Read Wagon’s Teen Parent Early Literacy Program Principles
* The Little Read Wagon’s Make and Take Activities
• How to Start an Early Literacy Teen Parent Program in Your Community
• Developing the Program Plan
• Discussion Prompts – Reading
• Discussion Prompts – Writing
• Discussion Prompts – Talking
• Discussion Prompts – Singing
• Discussion Prompts – Playing
• One Time Programs
* And more!
“Teaching Early Literacy to Teen Parents” contains practical, tried, and tested advice for any public library to get started or to improve teen parent programming. As with previous books in the series, this offering is free to PLA members (you can download your member copy by visiting the PLA Member Library. If you are not a PLA member, go here to purchase.
*National Conference of State Legislatures, “Teen Pregnancy Prevention,” March 12, 2018 https://www.ncsl.org/resderach/health/teen-pregnancy-prevention.aspx#1.
