Introduction
This guide is intended for librarians, early childhood specialists, preschool teachers and childcare providers. It provides an introduction of Every Child Read to Read @ your library program along with research-based practices that can help young children develop skills they need before they learn to read. ECRR is a parent education initiative based on the assumption that libraries can be an integral part of the educational community. The program was designed to use tested, research-based materials to help families and caregivers make a difference in preparing their children for successful reading achievement. This guide will introduce the six skills introduced in ECRR 1st addition as well as the five practices that help teach these skills. It is not intended to be an exhaustive analysis of the program, but rather an introduction that provides resources for further evaluation. ECRR is important because it is based on the following principles
- Reading is an essential life skill
- Learning to read begins at birth
- Parents and caregivers are a child's first and best teachers.
- Lifelong learning is a primary role of the public library; public libraries need to support parents and caregivers as they develop early literacy skills in children from birth to age five.
- ECRR is a parent education initiative that provides skills and strategies parents and caregivers can use to help children get ready to read.