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Washington Evening Journal
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Library hosts literacy event
WILLIAMSBURG — While children enjoyed storytelling, hands-on activities and fun surprises with Molly Bishop and Navigation Play in the park, adults delved into literacy issues at Williamsburg Public Library.
The literacy conference at Williamsburg Public Library last week offered parents, caregivers, early educators, day care providers and aspiring teachers inspiration, tips and insight into early literacy.
Keynote speaker Shawn Datchuk, the Director of the Iowa Reading Research Center, kicked off the event with a talk about early literacy development at home and school.
Datchuk explained how to implement techniques to promote early literacy development.
Mindy VanZuiden discussed phonemic awareness, decoding and fluency, and Abby Maher, a speech and language therapist, discussed the critical role of language development in early literacy acquisition.
Kati Spore offered strategies for helping children learn and master alphabet letter sounds and understand the relationship between letters and their sounds, an essential for proficient reading and writing, she said.
Williamsburg Public Library Director Briana White offered strategies for reading aloud to children to promote early literacy and strengthen bonds between parents and children.
White offered a list of books and audiobooks for parents of young children.
In the city park on the Williamsburg square, children created artwork on the sidewalk with chalk, explored cardboard structures and showed a fascination with bubbles.
Burg Reads is Iowa's inaugural reading conference sponsored by Tutorburg, Navigation Play, The University of Iowa and the Williamsburg Public Library.
