1. oral language development,
2. phonological awareness,
3. print awareness,
4. early writing, and
5. alphabet knowledge.
   

Expansion in 2008
Governor Tim Pawlenty signed an education bill in the summer of 2007 that included $1 million in funding for an early childhood literacy program such as Words Work!^TM. As a result of that funding, Words Work!^TM is expanding its partnerships with Head Start programs throughout Minnesota.

All total, Words Work!^TM will be active in 16 counties for the 2008-2009 school year, serving more than 2,700 children.

Preschool Powerhouses

1. Surround children with literacy - From storytelling on the playground to counting peas on the lunch plate to finding all the Bs on the word wall, children in Words Work!^TM learn all day long.

Helping Families Succeed Maria's Head Start classroom was one of the first to adopt the Words Work! approach in 1999. The program helps families build their home libraries by providing books in English and other languages. At home, Maria and Jesus now have armfuls of books. Their mom, also Maria, confirms that the program helped her kids and gave parents the tools they needed. "I learned from the program, too," she says.

2. Respect home language and culture - Parents are the first and lifelong teachers of their children. More than half of our students do not speak English at home. Respecting home language while helping children master English is key to ensuring they thrive in both languages.

3. Teach the teachers - We help teachers stay engaged, motivated and satisfied. Our teachers are involved in ongoing learning groups with mentors, peers and project staff.

4. Use assessment for continual improvement - Our assessment process draws on a variety of proven tools and new ones to empower teachers to understand, plan and implement strategies that meet student needs.