Service Learning: Preservice Teachers Create E-Books for Inner-City Young Children
Abstract: National data shows that low-income students attending economically disadvantaged inner-city schools tend to have the lowest reading levels. This paper describes how preservice teachers enrolled in a Children’s Literature in Spanish class in a teacher education program developed an electronic library for an inner-city pre-K program serving homeless children. The e-library, located at http://tinyurl.com/UHD2015ebooks, described in the paper will be an alternative resource for young children to practice reading in school and at home. Since in the first years of life, parents are the first influence in successful reading experiences, seeking parental support and assistance in children’s reading is part of the objective. This technology-based project was implemented as a service learning experience for preservice teachers. Project details, service learning objectives, and parental involvement plans will be described.