Introducing Project ELLA: Enhancing Early Language and Literacy
Jennell Vick – jvick@chsc.org
Twitter: @DrJVick
Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center
6001 Euclid Avenue Suite 100
Cleveland, OH, 44103
United States
Popular version of 2aSC4 – From intention to understanding and back again: How a simple message of ‘Catch and Pass’ can build language in children
Presented at the 187th ASA Meeting
Read the abstract at https://eppro01.ativ.me/web/index.php?page=IntHtml&project=ASAFALL24&id=3763506
–The research described in this Acoustics Lay Language Paper may not have yet been peer reviewed–
Project ELLA (Early Language and Literacy for All) is an exciting new program designed to boost early language and literacy skills in young children. The program uses a simple yet powerful message, “Catch and Pass,” to teach parents, grandparents, daycare teachers and other caregivers the importance of having back-and-forth conversations with children from birth. These interactions help build and strengthen the brain’s language pathways, setting the foundation for lifelong learning.
Developed by the Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center, Project ELLA focuses on helping children in the greater Cleveland area, especially those in under-resourced communities. Community health workers visit neighborhoods to build trust with neighbors, raise awareness about the importance of responsive interactions for language development, and help empower families to put their children on-track for later literacy (See Video1). They also identify children who may need more help through speech and language screenings. For children identified as needing more help, Project ELLA offers free speech-language therapy and support for caregivers at Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center.
The success of the project is measured by tracking the number of children and families served, the progress of children in therapy, the knowledge and skills of caregivers and teachers, and the partnerships established in the community (See Fig. 1). Project ELLA is a groundbreaking model that has the potential to transform language and literacy development in Cleveland and beyond.
