Ready and Healthy for Kindergarten: A Collaborative Multilingual Family Involvement Program Created by Teachers,...

Area of Science:

• Family and Community Health
• Early Childhood Education
• Literacy Studies

Background:

• Preschool readiness requires integrated health and literacy development.
• Family involvement is crucial for early childhood success.
• Multilingual programs can bridge gaps in early childhood support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the "Ready and Healthy for Kindergarten" program's impact on preschooler readiness.
• To examine the effectiveness of a multilingual, collaborative family involvement approach.
• To assess the program's role in fostering health and literacy skills.

Main Methods:

• Development of an eight-session virtual program based on sociocultural and family literacy theories.
• Collaboration between teachers, pediatricians, families, and a parent advisory board.
• Integration of health themes with foundational literacy and social-emotional skill-building.

Main Results:

• The program successfully guided families in establishing routines promoting health and well-being.
• Participants gained foundational literacy and social-emotional skills.
• The collaborative model effectively aligned expertise to support child development needs.

Conclusions:

• The "Ready and Healthy for Kindergarten" program demonstrates a successful model for enhancing preschool readiness through family involvement.
• Multilingual, collaborative programs can significantly impact family knowledge and practices.
• Integrated health and literacy approaches are vital for preparing children for kindergarten.