Project WORLD

Children's knowledge of vocabulary is critical to understanding spoken and written language. Yet, many children enter preschool with limited knowledge of words and their meanings. Project WORLD (Words of Oral Reading and Language Development) addresses this issue by examining methods to accelerate the vocabulary development and background knowledge of a diverse group of preschool children identified as being at risk of language-related disabilities. Project WORLD, in collaboration with preschool teachers have designed a school and home intervention that uses story and informational books to build vocabulary and background knowledge.

Located at Texas A&M University and the University of Texas Pan American, Project WORLD is guided by a team of leading researchers, instructional experts, and administrative personnel that are experts in the field of reading.

Teaching language and literacy is a complicated task. Children need to acquire many important skills to prepare them to benefit from early schooling. Among these skills -- WORDS and talking about words -- are a child's most important introduction to the world of reading. This is how Project WORLD got its name: Words of Oral Reading and Language Development (WORLD). 

This curriculum is designed to respond to the need for high-quality language support in preschool; build upon theories and evidence-based practices for early language development, literacy and knowledge; incorporate home and school learning contexts; accelerate vocabulary growth through strategic selection of words; engage students in discussions about words and concepts; and broaden children's knowledge of the world through narrative and informational text.

"The children are more open to exploring new concepts when learning the words and forming relationships with new words. It has sparked their interest in books and sharing their new words with friends and parents."

Project WORLD is a federally-funded early language and literacy effort that focuses on developing and accelerating children's language through focused, shared reading activities. 

Page last updated: Wed, 07/23/2014 - 11:39