Hopewell Valley Student Podcasting Network 

Show Name: Beyond a Bedtime Story 

Episode Title: Understanding is the First Step

Episode #1

You are listening to Beyond a Bedtime Story the podcast with your host Emily.

In this episode of Beyond a Bedtime Story the Podcast we discuss the impact that technology and Covid-19 had on children’s literacy abilities, current climate in the classroom, and how parents can best prepare their child.

Segment 1: The Trends of Years Past 

I will begin today’s episode by unpacking the trends of children’s literacy experiences over the past few years. It is truly essential to understand the factors impacting your child’s reading journey because they are vastly different than they were even 5 years ago. 

• Statistics 
• In late 2019 and early 2020 PEW research analyzed federal data by the National Assessment of Educational Progress that revealed, the amount of “American 9- and 13-year-olds who say they read for fun on an almost daily basis have dropped from nearly a decade ago and are at the lowest levels since at least the mid-1980s," 
• Amplify, a Brooklyn-based company that produces school curriculum for grades K-12, confirmed that the amount of kindergarteners deemed “on track for learning to read” was at 55 percent in 2019, before the pandemic, dropped to 37 percent in 2020 and rose only to 47 percent in 2021, not yet reaching pre-pandemic levels
• The necessity for updated, observational research because times have certainly changed

Segment 2: In the Classroom 

Moving on to what my research uncovered, I won’t bore you with the technicalities. Instead, I’ll share the most intriguing observations that I found while conducting my study of the interactive reading practices and student engagement with such practices in Kindergarten following a return to in-person instruction after the Covid- 19 Pandemic. These anecdotes will be especially helpful to an audience of parents who do not have the opportunity to step into the classroom and witness their children’s experiences. 

• Last year (Began Jan 2023) 2 Kindergarten classrooms, approximately 20 children each, suburban, well-funded school district
• 6 observation sessions, 1 total (30 minutes in each class), once per week over 6 week period
• Difficulty with new mediums (letter-boards)
• Disproportionate read-aloud success 
• Range of abilities, self-control

Segment 3: How Can You Help?

Learning should never be easy, so it’s important not to be discouraged when you face challenges. Understanding is essential to effectively support your child. By acknowledging the difficulties they face, you are taking a step in the right direction 

• Adopting an understanding mindset
• Later we’ll delve into specific techniques, first priority is to see your child
• Have an open discussion with your child
• Not simply how they feel about reading, but assess their comfort in the classroom
• Strengthening their social experiences will aid their ability to learn at their best ability in class

Music Credits:  

• Lawrence by TrackTribe
• Palace of Roses by Aakash Gandhi
• The Urban Groove by Hanu

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