Building a New Generation of Readers

A statewide early literacy project designed by the State Library, Building a New Generation of Readers provides public and school librarians with the training and materials to teach parents and childcare providers strategies for preparing children to enter school ready to learn to read and be successful in school.

Trainings and resources for Building a New Generation of Readers projects are supported with funding granted by the Arizona State Library under the Library Services and Technology Act, which is administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

• Every Child Ready to Read® @ your library® - Every Child Ready to Read® @ your library® (ECRR) is a parent education initiative. It stresses early literacy begins with the primary adults in a child's life. The ECRR toolkit empowers public libraries to assume an essential role in supporting early literacy within a community. ECRR toolkits are provided to every library after attending ECRR training.
• Ring of Rhymes - The Early Literacy Ring Cards, lovingly referred to as Ring of Rhymes, began as a resource for families and caregivers to build pre-literacy skills with nursery rhymes. The cards provide parent tips and nursery rhymes in English and Spanish, to encourage increased conversation and to incorporate simple practices to help parents and other caregivers develop early literacy skills in children from birth to age five. Rhymes are a wonderful way for parents and caregivers to help babies build the skills to prepare to learn to read and succeed. The Ring of Rhymes cards with rhymes in English and Spanish also provide parents tips on simple ways to add early literacy activities to their everyday routine.

  The Ring of Rhymes have expanded to include tips to teach parents and other caregivers how to support the early literacy development of their children using technology/new media and to develop STEM skills based on Every Child Ready to Read® @ your library® (ECRR) initiative. Our most recent addition is focused on the math skills needed to be successful in school. All of our cards use simple activities that parents, and caregivers can easily incorporate into their daily activities to develop early literacy skills in children ages 0-5.

  The current set of Early Literacy Ring Cards includes:

  • Ring of Rhymes
  • Technology Time can be Together Time
  • Build Curiosity with STEM
  • School Readiness and
  • Math Moments - NEW!

  Libraries may request sets of Rings of Rhymes to provide to their library patrons from the Arizona State Library by contacting Donna Throckmorton.

• LSTA Competitive Grants - Funding is granted for libraries to take workshops out into their communities; to provide digital story times with iPads or other e-readers; to furnish early learning spaces; and other early literacy projects.