Speaker: Betsy Diamant-Cohen, Librarian and Creator of “Mother Goose on the Loose” Literacy Program
Title: Purposeful Play for the Youngest Learners: Early Literacy from Birth to Age Five
Contact: Prof. Judith Saltman
ABSTRACT
Although library service to children was once mainly focused on books, today play is also a strong component. Children learn best through play. Library programs that incorporate purposeful play experiences can give children (and their parents) opportunities for practicing self-regulation, experiencing positive reinforcement, and developing pre-reading skills. Playful early literacy programs (such as Mother Goose on the Loose) in public libraries help children build school readiness skills; they also teach parents about easy activities to replicate at home that help with their child’s development. Hear about some fun activities with seriously helpful benefits that can be used with even the youngest library visitors!
BIO
Dr. Betsy Diamant-Cohen is the creator of the early literacy program Mother Goose on the Loose. She was named by Library Journal as a Mover and Shaker in 2004. In 2013, she received the Leadership and Professional Achievement Award from the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies, a division of the American Library Association. The ASCLA award recognized her as “a prolific author, inspiring mentor and presenter, knowledgeable consultant and teacher and creator and developer of the Mother Goose on the Loose program. This program has revolutionized the way story times are presented to young children at libraries across the country and has empowered librarians to work confidently with this young population of readers.” Dr. Diamant-Cohen has had years of experience working in libraries and children’s museums. She runs training workshops and presents courses through colleges and library associations.
The iSchool regularly invites guest speakers to participate in their Colloquia Series. These events are open to the public, and are of interest to faculty, current students, alumni and other professionals and researchers in the community. Please visit the Colloquia site for further event details.