A Free Workshop

Adult Literacy: A Focus On Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Skills and Behavior
With Children’s Picture Books By Leo Lionni

Tom Sticht
International Consultant in Adult Education

[Leonard (Leo) Lionni, artist, graphic designer, writer, illustrator and
sculptor: born Amsterdam 5 May 1910-died Radda, Italy 11 October 1999.]

In this one day workshop, we will examine the works of Leo Lionni, one of
the most distinguished authors and illustrators of children’s picture books
of the 20th century. This year of 2009 marks the 10th anniversary of his
death in 1999, and the next year of 2010 marks the 100th anniversary of his
birth; two reasons to celebrate his life.


Lionni’s  books are designed to entertain and develop cognitive
(language/literacy) and non-cognitive (values/behavioral) skills. In the
workshop attention will be given to both cognitive and non-cognitive
aspects of adults’ and children’s development. Non-cognitive skills are
generally not emphasized in adult literacy programs, but are widely desired
by schools, colleges, the military, and employers and are largely
responsible for the large returns to investment in early childhood
education (see below). The workshop is for educators of both adults in
language and literacy development programs and children, especially those
in early childhood education.


Part 1 of the workshop deals with cognitive aspects of development and
includes a discussion of and evidence for five major aspects of the
development of cognition, language, and literacy:  Parent’s education and
children’s literacy; Oracy to literacy transfer; Correlation of listening
skill and literacy; A Developmental Model of Literacy; and The
“Architecture” of Cognition.


Books to be examined by Lionni that emphasize cognitive, language, and
literacy skills development with a focus on the academic side of life
include: Inch by Inch (measurement), Frederick (poetry), The Alphabet Tree
(reading letters and words), Mouse Days (names of months and four seasons),
Mr. McMouse (pitfalls of standardized tests).


Part 2 of the workshop focuses on non-cognitive skills. The importance of
such skills for lifespan development has been identified by James Heckman,
Nobel prize winner in economics, and advisor to President Obama for
education. On June 2005, in an interview at the Minneapolis branch of the
Federal Reserve Bank, Heckman was asked about making the case for early
childhood education (ECE) as an economic development strategy. In his
reply, he downplayed the effects of ECE on cognitive skills, and instead
stated,  " Enriched early intervention programs targeted to disadvantaged
children have had their biggest effect on non-cognitive skills: motivation,
self-control and time preference. 
these things are malleable until quite
late stages—into the 20s, according to research by neuroscientists. This
means that in principle we can modify these behaviors. Non-cognitive skills
are powerfully predictive of a number of socioeconomic measures (crime,
teenage pregnancy, education and the like).”


The major non-cognitive skills and behaviors focused on in the workshop and
the picture books that illustrate them include:


Focus on interpersonal relations: Little Blue and Little Yellow (tolerance),
Swimmy (teamwork, cooperation), Tico and the Golden Wings (sharing), The
Biggest House in the World (moderation), Nicolas, Where Have You Been
(stereotyping others),


Focus on understanding self and others: The Greentail Mouse
(self-acceptance), Fish is Fish (knowing yourself),  A Flea Story (there is
no place like home), , Cornelius (inspiring others),), Six Crows (bridging
differences), Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse (thinking of others)


Focus on connections to life: Tillie and the Wall (exploring your world),
Let’s Make Rabbits  (turning imagination into reality).


Of course, all the preceding books also illustrate the development of
cognitive, language, and literacy skills, too. Numerous illustrations from
Lionni's books will be presented. References to resources for lessons in
adult literacy, family literacy, and early childhood education will be
provided.


The workshop will normally run from 9am to 3pm with 10 minute breaks in the
morning and afternoon and a half hour for lunch from 12-12:30pm. As usual,
I charge no fee for the workshop but sponsors need to pay my travel
expenses.


For information on scheduling a workshop, contact Tom Sticht via email:
tsticht at aznet.net