FAQs
1. What is the difference between HESP's R2M and any other children’s reading program such as what is offered at my local library or other children’s program in the area?
Although HESP's R2M integrates movement, music, drama, art, circle time and book-reading activities that many other programs may offer, the R2M program:
a. Is run by University of Maryland clinical faculty who are certified speech-language pathologists (SLP) and, SLP graduate and undergraduate students in HESP. Other programs would have a difficult time providing this level of education and expertise for all of their staff.
c. Has a child-staff ratio of 1:1. Other programs would have a difficult time providing this level of support.
d. Provides speech and language/literacy measures that will give the caregiver an idea of where their reading and literacy skills are, in addition to their child’s communication skills.
e. Has in each of the 10 sessions a parent-child R2M interaction time, parent breakout time, and several theme-based R2M play stations that complement the aspects of each book of the week.
f. Offers with each enrolled, access to a password protected website that provides ongoing communication, tips to enhance communication growth in children and additional activities to extend each of the book of the week theme.
2. Can the parent-child pair come in on a "drop-in" basis or come to select sessions?
No. The R2M program is specially-designed as one program with each lesson adding on to the next for both the child and caregiver.
3. What if the parent and/or the child misses the lessons? Can the parent still attend?
Maybe. If a teen parent and/or the child cannot attend regularly to the classes with their child they will not be able to fully benefit from the program. The young child programming is an evidence-based curriculum that research has shown to increase language and emergent literacy skills. The parent training program will help to increase the effectiveness of their child's learning. Parent training sessions are cumulative and are designed for parents to attend the entire time as well as participate in the caregiver-child language-learning and pre-literacy stations. We understand that parents and children have unforeseen circumstances (e.g., Illness, appointments) that may require 1 or 2 sessions to be missed: This will not inhibit a parent and their child to participate in R2M. It may be determined on a case-by-case basis whether a parent may attend without their child. It would be mandatory for the parent to participate in the pre-post test measures and videotaping sessions.
4. Is this program for children with speech and language delays and/or other developmental disabilities?
Yes. The R2M program is a speech-language and pre-literacy enrichment program designed for all children as the books, materials, activities and training components work well for children who have varied learning styles and abilities.
5. What is the rationale for having R2M for young children?
There is an over-whelming body of research evidence that indicate that consistent, joint/interactive reading activities done with caregiver/children yield strong speech-language, reading and writing skills for ALL children.
6. Tell me more about how my child and I are a part of this research?
R2M is a pre-literacy research program. This is purely on a volunteer basis and parents will be informed of what is involved for the entire education and research program. If they agree, they will be asked to sign a consent form. If the teen parent is under the age of 18, they will need to get the consent of their parent and/or legal guardian adn fill out another form with their consent as well. After all consent is gathered, parents will be asked to fill out some questionnaires (e..g., child's communication skills, parent reading habits, their reading with their children and other information such as their demographics).
Although HESP's R2M integrates movement, music, drama, art, circle time and book-reading activities that many other programs may offer, the R2M program:
a. Is run by University of Maryland clinical faculty who are certified speech-language pathologists (SLP) and, SLP graduate and undergraduate students in HESP. Other programs would have a difficult time providing this level of education and expertise for all of their staff.
c. Has a child-staff ratio of 1:1. Other programs would have a difficult time providing this level of support.
d. Provides speech and language/literacy measures that will give the caregiver an idea of where their reading and literacy skills are, in addition to their child’s communication skills.
e. Has in each of the 10 sessions a parent-child R2M interaction time, parent breakout time, and several theme-based R2M play stations that complement the aspects of each book of the week.
f. Offers with each enrolled, access to a password protected website that provides ongoing communication, tips to enhance communication growth in children and additional activities to extend each of the book of the week theme.
2. Can the parent-child pair come in on a "drop-in" basis or come to select sessions?
No. The R2M program is specially-designed as one program with each lesson adding on to the next for both the child and caregiver.
3. What if the parent and/or the child misses the lessons? Can the parent still attend?
Maybe. If a teen parent and/or the child cannot attend regularly to the classes with their child they will not be able to fully benefit from the program. The young child programming is an evidence-based curriculum that research has shown to increase language and emergent literacy skills. The parent training program will help to increase the effectiveness of their child's learning. Parent training sessions are cumulative and are designed for parents to attend the entire time as well as participate in the caregiver-child language-learning and pre-literacy stations. We understand that parents and children have unforeseen circumstances (e.g., Illness, appointments) that may require 1 or 2 sessions to be missed: This will not inhibit a parent and their child to participate in R2M. It may be determined on a case-by-case basis whether a parent may attend without their child. It would be mandatory for the parent to participate in the pre-post test measures and videotaping sessions.
4. Is this program for children with speech and language delays and/or other developmental disabilities?
Yes. The R2M program is a speech-language and pre-literacy enrichment program designed for all children as the books, materials, activities and training components work well for children who have varied learning styles and abilities.
5. What is the rationale for having R2M for young children?
There is an over-whelming body of research evidence that indicate that consistent, joint/interactive reading activities done with caregiver/children yield strong speech-language, reading and writing skills for ALL children.
6. Tell me more about how my child and I are a part of this research?
R2M is a pre-literacy research program. This is purely on a volunteer basis and parents will be informed of what is involved for the entire education and research program. If they agree, they will be asked to sign a consent form. If the teen parent is under the age of 18, they will need to get the consent of their parent and/or legal guardian adn fill out another form with their consent as well. After all consent is gathered, parents will be asked to fill out some questionnaires (e..g., child's communication skills, parent reading habits, their reading with their children and other information such as their demographics).