Literacy Resources & Intervention

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Danielle Gruden - Elementary Intervention Specialist

I have a deep passion for teaching children how to read!

I earned my Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from UWF in 2008 and my Master's degree in Reading Education from UWF in 2020. I currently hold certifications Elementary K-5, Reading K-12, and ESOL Endorsement. I have experience teaching 1st and 3rd Grade Gen. Ed., 4th Grade Reading, as well as Reading Intervention K-5.

I was born and raised in southeast Michigan, and in 2004 my husband, David, and I moved to Florida to attend the University of West Florida to become FL Educators. Together, we have two children (Gwen & Ben), and two Bengal kitties (Suki & Mochi). When I am not teaching reading intervention or coaching & supporting classroom teachers, I enjoy reading fantasy fiction (I am a huge Harry Potter fan *Hufflepuff*), playing board games, and traveling with my little family.

What can families do to support their child's literacy development?

One of the biggest things that parents can do to positively impact their child's reading development is to read with your child daily. Research shows that children whose parents read with them for a minimum of 15 minutes increase their oral vocabulary and build much needed back ground knowledge. Obtaining a family library card is an easy way to access free books. Please click here to access the Santa Rosa County Library.

Daily discussions also build your child's oral language vocabulary, which is an important precursor to learning to read. Building a child's vocabulary and background knowledge of a variety of topics will positively impact their early literacy skills. If you're interested in nurturing early oral language development at home, click here for an informational article from Reading Rockets.

Additional Resources for Families

Tips for helping your child at home.

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