Creating a Reading-Ready Environment with Child Development Workers of Hermosa, Bataan
In celebration of Child Development Workers Week, Adarna Group Foundation, Adarna House, and the Municipality of Hermosa, Bataan partnered to conduct the Eager Reader Learning Session (ERLS), a capacity-building initiative that strengthens the knowledge and skills of child development workers in fostering early literacy among young learners. With daycare centers poised to welcome children for the new school year, the session equipped participants with practical, developmentally appropriate strategies for creating literacy-rich environments where children can build strong foundations for reading.
The “What Does Reading Look Like for Daycare Children?” session focused on strengthening children's emergent reading skills and deepening participants' understanding of how young learners develop as readers. Teacher Yayi emphasized that reading begins long before a child can recognize letters or decode words, highlighting the importance of developmentally appropriate practices that nurture oral language, phonological awareness, print awareness, and emergent writing. The session also highlighted the importance of effective read-alouds, illustrating how intentional conversations, interactive storytelling, and meaningful engagement with books can foster children's comprehension, language development, and overall readiness for reading.
The learning session also brought together child development workers with diverse levels of experience. Some participants were newly appointed teachers preparing for their first year of teaching while others had dedicated more than three decades to serving young children and their communities. This mix of perspectives fostered meaningful exchanges, allowing participants to learn not only from the facilitator but also from one another's experiences, challenges, and best practices in early childhood education.
Mayor Anne Lorraine Adorable-Inton came to the workshop to express her appreciation for the dedication and invaluable contributions of Hermosa's child development workers in nurturing the municipality's youngest learners. She reaffirmed the local government's continued commitment to strengthening early childhood care and development by supporting programs that enhance the knowledge, skills, and resources of child development workers. Her message underscored the importance of investing in early learning, recognizing that empowered educators play a vital role in giving every child a strong foundation for lifelong learning and success.
Before the day concluded, the municipality of Hermosa, Bataan, officially turned over a set of big books to each child development center, reaffirming its commitment to promoting early literacy in the community. These age-appropriate reading materials will serve as valuable classroom resources, supporting child development workers in conducting interactive read-alouds and creating literacy-rich learning environments. The book turnover complemented the learning session by ensuring that participants not only gained practical knowledge and strategies but also received quality resources they can immediately use to nurture children's love for reading.
Through initiatives like the Eager Reader Learning Session, Adarna Group Foundation continues to recognize and strengthen the vital role of child development workers in shaping children's earliest learning experiences. As they begin a new school year, the child development workers of Hermosa are now better equipped to nurture reading readiness and inspire a love for reading.
Interested in bringing this to your community? Get in touch with AGFI now, and together, let us make every Filipino child a reader.