Word Play Helps Children Enter School Ready to Read

Early Education Partners of Polk (EEPP) is proud to announce that the popular Word Play preschool learning program is now available at no cost to childcare providers and early childhood education students across the county. EEPP is a partnership of early childhood professionals facilitated by the United Way of Central Florida’s Success By 6. EEPP members offer professional development for childcare providers in Polk County. These educators know that a child’s language skills are linked with the ability to learn to read. When a preschooler’s language skills improve, research shows that reading scores also improve.

The vocabulary of low-income children lags behind that of their middle income peers. Eighty percent of low-income children fail language readiness assessments while 80% of middle income children pass. Word Play, a supplement to preschool curricula, was developed by Success By 6 Master Teachers at the United Way of Central Florida. Willy Word, a playful Teddy Bear mascot, helps children to learn and use fundamental vocabulary words while helping their teachers learn a system of modeling and encouraging the routine use of new vocabulary words in every day activities.

Polk County Schools edited, printed and bound 1,000 copies of Word Play. Central Florida Speech and Hearing language therapists provided the list of vocabulary words essential to kindergarten success. Central Florida Speech and Hearing, the Early Learning Coalition of Polk County, Polk County Schools PreK, Exceptional Student Education and Head Start, Polk State College, Success By 6 Master Teachers and the University of South Florida offer training to childcare providers and early childhood education students before giving them their own free copy of Word Play.

Early Education Partners of Polk help to eliminate the gap in school readiness between low and middle/high income children. World Play is a part of the United Way of Central Florida's community early literacy initiative: Let's Grow. Every Child. Every Chance. For more information on Let's Grow, please contact Penny Borgia at 863-648-1500 ext. 275.