: Setting up thematic areas like a "grocery store" or "post office" where children can "write" lists or "read" menus in a functional context.

Research suggests that workshops alone may have mixed results; the most effective PD often includes:

PD programs should equip teachers with practical tools to implement daily:

The oral language and emergent literacy skills of preschoolers - PMC

: Moving beyond just reading a story to using "dialogic reading," where adults prompt children with specific "WH" (Who, What, Where) or recall questions to encourage active participation.

: Learning how to help children understand the function and characteristics of written language, such as recognizing letters and understanding that print carries meaning.

: Labeling classroom items, displaying alphabet walls, and providing accessible reading and writing centers to make literacy a natural part of the day.