Texas Approves New Research-Based, Comprehensive Early Childhood Curriculum From Scholastic for Adoption

NEW YORK, Nov. 22, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The Texas State Board of Education unanimously approved Scholastic's Big Day® for PreK for the Proclamation 2011 PreKindergarten Adoption last Thursday, ensuring that a program grounded in the latest research on kindergarten readiness will now be available to hundreds of thousands of Texas' youngest citizens, including English Language Learners. Scholastic Education, a division of Scholastic, the global children's publishing, education and media company, developed Big Day for PreK with a team of experts led by renowned researcher and UC-Berkeley professor Dr. Anne Cunningham.  Big Day for PreK is a comprehensive early childhood curriculum that embraces children's natural curiosity – encouraging them to explore, play and learn about their world – and establishes a strong connection among school, home and the community.  The program was heavily influenced by the findings of "Developing Early Literacy," the 2009 report of the National Early Literacy Panel, of which Dr. Cunningham was a member.  

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Big Day for PreK is fully aligned to the Texas Prekindergarten Curriculum Guidelines, focusing on "Five Big Elements of Success" which research has shown help children succeed in Kindergarten and beyond:

1. A curriculum centered on daily "Big Experiences" that integrate academic, social-emotional, and physical development. Divided into eight engaging, child-friendly themes, the curriculum builds and expands over an 8-month period so children acquire a depth of knowledge within the school year.
2. Rich and varied opportunities for meaningful conversations that help children build oral language and vocabulary. The program contains resources to help teachers prompt conversation and children explore language and build vocabulary every day.
3. The best in children's literature and nonfiction text in a variety of genres and formats that ensure every child has access to quality reading material. Children participate in daily read-alouds, shared reading and independent reading and have unlimited access, in both school and home, to Bookflix® , Scholastic's unique eBooks.
4. Innovative technology for teachers that empowers them with state-of-the-art resources and assessment and planning tools.  In addition, a family portal invites families and caregivers into their children's Pre-K world, helping them stay up-to-date with what's happening in the classroom and reinforce lessons at home.
5. A comprehensive program with total equity in English and Spanish, making all program materials available in both languages and offering comprehensive support for bilingual and dual-language classrooms.

"Research shows that children learn best when they are in stimulating environments that build on their natural curiosity," said Big Day Senior Author, Dr. Cunningham. "Big Day for PreK encourages children to explore and learn about the world around them, and we use that as a platform to help them develop the skills, behaviors and attitudes they need to function productively and collaboratively in school and society."

Scholastic has enjoyed a rich history of partnering with Texas leaders in early childhood.  Since the State's first call for comprehensive Prekindergarten programs in 1996, Scholastic has participated in the state adoption process.  The Scholastic Early Childhood Workshop was adopted in 1996, and in 2003, the Scholastic Early Childhood Program was adopted and is now used in over 35% of the State's prekindergarten classrooms. Scholastic's early childhood programs have always reflected the best research and practices on how young children learn and grow, and Big Day for PreK continues that mission of helping every child succeed.

"Scholastic understands that children's experiences in their first years have a profound impact on the course of the rest of their lives educationally and socially," said Margery Mayer, President, Scholastic Education.  "That is why we have always focused on this critical area and why for 90 years we have sought to make sure that kids have early and frequent access to quality books and other educational materials.  We are thrilled that Texas has approved Big Day for PreK and asked us to partner with them once again to ensure that their children get the academic and social-emotional grounding they need for success in Kindergarten and beyond."

Grounded in integrated instruction that adapts to a child's needs, Big Day for PreK provides children with intentional and engaging learning opportunities to build the necessary foundations for all curricular areas.  Development of Big Day for PreK was informed by a team of expert researchers and practitioners that, in addition to Dr. Cunningham, included Dr. Nicole Andrews of the University of Houston, Dr. Julie Washington of Georgia State University, and Dr. Maria Elena Arguelles of Miami, FL.

For more information about Big Day for PreK, please visit www.scholastic.com/bigday.

For more information about Scholastic, visit our Media Room at http://mediaroom.scholastic.com.  

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Margery Mayer

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SOURCE Scholastic Corporation