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 SEELLS
Supporting and Ensuring Early Language and Literacy Success (SEELLS), an interdisciplinary, university-community partnership between Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Education, The Literacy Institute at VCU, and Richmond Public Schools (RPS), enhances the RPS Head Start program by creating centers of excellence that provide high quality preschool education focusing on early language and literacy development. Through instructional and assessment strategies, curricula, professional development based on scientifically-based reading research, a summer transition program, increased family involvement, and enhanced support for children with special needs and limited English proficiency, SEELLS promotes preschoolers’ successful transition to kindergarten with the early language and literacy skills necessary for reading success. SEELLS sites will serve as a permanent model of scientifically-based early language and literacy instruction and assessment in Richmond and statewide. The overarching goals of SEELLS include the following:
- Provide high-quality learning environments for all preschoolers to acquire critical early language and literacy skills needed for successful transition to kindergarten
- Provide ongoing professional development, classroom-based coaching, and formal educational opportunities to increase mastery of research-based theory and instruction
- Provide research-based materials and activities that support the development of preschool students’ cognitive and early language and literacy skills
- Enhance home literacy environments by engaging and educating parents and families and providing practical, home-based literacy resources and materials
- Use screening and monitoring assessments to identify and individualize instruction for children at risk for reading failure
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