Make TBO Your Home Page| Subscribe To The Paper| Advertise With Us| Contact Us| Login| Edit Profile| Register
Highlands Today
Email
Print
Libraries' New Literacy Stations Are Kids Play
Kathy Waters/Highlands Today
Marie Everett play on the computer Wednesday at the Sebring Public Library.
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: July 31, 2008
SEBRING - Isaac Everett will be starting prekindergarten next month, but the 4-year-old is already learning how to read at the Sebring Public Library.
The children's section of the Avon Park, Sebring and Lake Placid public libraries now feature an "Early Literacy Station" - computers with programs that can help children 2-8 years old learn or improve their skills in reading, vocabulary, math, science and pursue creative endeavors.
Isaac and his brother, Emmanuel, 6, and sister, Maria, 8, all busied themselves at their own computer Wednesday at the Sebring Public Library.
The children's mother, Nicole Everett, said "we don't have a computer at home so they beg to come here. The games are up to date; they have X-Box 360 here; there's always something different to do."
The Everett's home computer was damaged in a fire.
As the computer reads to Isaac, the words are highlighted. A click on a character makes them perform something relevant to the story.
According to the story, a hedgehog gets stuck in an umbrella. A click on the animal animates the scene with the umbrella opening and closing.
"He can click on any one of those words, if he wants to read along, and it will say the word to him, if he can't figure it out," Nicole said. "That's my 4-year-old figuring out how to read.
"They don't know that they are learning."
Many of the literacy station's programs are bilingual (English and Spanish).
Sebring Public Library children's librarian Michelle Skyers said not only has the animation been enhanced from the old systems in the libraries, programs have been added and the graphics on the new LCD screens are amazing.
After two weeks with the new computers, it's been great, Skyers said Wednesday. It's so interesting for the kids it's hard to pull them away from the work stations.
Some of the adventures in learning on the new workstations include:
• Learn to type with instruction provided by SpongeBob SquarePants.
• Travel back in time to eight different countries on an archeological mission.
• Visit Trudy the Alligator for some fun geography lessons.
• Check out the artist's studio and paint a masterpiece.
Marc Valero can be reached at 386-5826 or mvalero@highlandstoday.com
Email
Print
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertisement
TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online ©2009 Media General Communications Holdings, LLC. A Media General company. Member Agreement | Privacy Statement | Work With Us
