Two professors from the University of South Florida (USF) College of Education, AnnMarie Gunn and Susan Bennett, have developed a national online resource to support children’s literacy and emotional skills. Their website, GrowThroughReading.com, is based on years of research and work with children in St. Petersburg, Florida. The site provides a curriculum for parents, caregivers, teachers, and childcare professionals. It combines social-emotional learning with literacy development.
The project started seven years ago as a partnership with the Police Athletic League (PAL) of St. Petersburg. It served youth from diverse backgrounds, many of whom qualified for free or reduced lunch. At the time, the after-school center had limited academic resources and few books. Gunn and Bennett wrote grants and redesigned the space. They created a reading area and added a selection of children’s books to support vocabulary and learning.
The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 disrupted education at the PAL center. When activities resumed, staff observed more behavioral challenges among young children. Gunn and Bennett developed an eight-week pilot program. USF preservice teachers worked in small groups with kindergarten to second-grade students. They used eight selected children’s books, each with lesson plans to promote discussion, emotional expression, and vocabulary…