Opening Doors to Early Literacy         

   Dr. James L. Thomas

                           earlyliteracyworkshops@live.com

Informational and training workshop

"Ready to Read"

Early literacy, what children need to know about reading and writing before they actually learn to read and write, is crucial to success.  Participants will learn about the six early reading skills, how they relate to brain development, and basic ways to integrate them into daily life.  Participants will be able to define the meaning of  “early literacy” ; list the six essential early literacy skills and describe ideas to incorporate them into daily routines; practice ways to read picture books that dramatically increase language development; understand and apply the dialogic reading method when sharing a picture book; and describe and demonstrate at least two language games to play with children that will enhance early literacy development. 

Dr. James L. Thomas most recently presented "Opening Doors to Early Literacy"  October 16-November 1, 2009 in Sydney, Adelaide, Canberra, Tasmania, and Melbourne,  Australia. He has 20 years of experience teaching and working to promote early literacy awareness with adults and their little ones. His programs were developed over the past 12 years while practicing in the Pacific Northwest where he was a children's librarian and program specialist for these age groups.  He recently has been invited to return to Australia for 10 weeks during the summer of 2010 to share his  workshops to those who missed them in 2009 and to provide demonstration story/circle times as “storyteller in residence” across the country.