The Hill Early Literacy Program (HELP) is an innovative program, designed to help three- and four-year old preschool children develop specific pre-reading skills that will increase their chances for becoming successful readers.

With funding provided by the Mebane Charitable Foundation, The Hill Center developed a research-based “best practices” early literacy curriculum that brings together critical pre-reading research and creates a model for the successful development of reading skills in young children. The HELP curriculum serves as both a prevention and an intervention model for children at risk for failure to develop critical literacy skills.

Research-based Early Literacy Program

The HELP curriculum is based on several decades of evidence-based research on how children learn to read and write. Studies reveal that early literacy experiences are highly correlated with school achievement and enhanced productivity in adult life. The development of early literacy skills is important for all children, but especially important for children who do not have the advantage of literacy-rich experiences.

Becoming a skilled reader develops over time and requires many opportunities for children to:

• Build spoken language by talking and listening.
  
• Recognize print in books.
  
• Manipulate the sounds of spoken language (called phonological awareness).
  
• Learn about the letters of the alphabet.
  
• Experience books through reading aloud and engage in conversations about the books.

With start-up in 2005, HELP was implemented in 10 childcare facilities in Davie County. The program provided an early literacy curriculum and materials for three- and four-year old children, professional development training for childcare providers, and a reference training video for each childcare center. Follow-up teacher support and observations by Hill Center staff supported effective implementation of the program.The HELP curriculum links what is known from research in early learning and literacy with classroom practices and creates an explicit model for improving children’s chances of academic success. Each of the daily, scripted lessons builds literacy skills in five skill areas that help children later become proficient readers and writers.

What Educators are Saying About HELP

“As I used the curriculum with the children, I noticed that it really does help the children learn the sounds of the letters, recognize the letters, and I noticed that their ability to rhyme has improved. Besides, they just love it! Now I am sold on the curriculum.”

Megan Grubb, More at Four Teacher
Kountry Kids Learning Center

“I am excited about what the Hill project does for the use of language in the classroom. The classrooms who are participating in the project now have a structured process to assist them in using language more appropriately and more often in the classroom… The HELP curriculum helps teachers who might not be comfortable in their skills to expand on children’s ideas or language…”

Paula Burton
Child Development Specialist
Davie County Partnership for Children