LEAP was awarded a $10,000 federal grant to develop a mobile app called "Beginning With Babble" that aims to close the word gap in low-resource communities by reminding caregivers to interact with children through developmentally appropriate activities. The app will use situation-based prompts and track children's interests and parent engagement. LEAP's Executive Director expressed excitement that the app could help thousands of families build pre-literacy skills by increasing parent-child communication. The grant will help LEAP strengthen its impact on low-resource communities through improving how caregivers interact with children.
LEAP was awarded a $10,000 federal grant to develop a mobile app called "Beginning With Babble" that aims to close the word gap in low-resource communities by reminding caregivers to interact with children through developmentally appropriate activities. The app will use situation-based prompts and track children's interests and parent engagement. LEAP's Executive Director expressed excitement that the app could help thousands of families build pre-literacy skills by increasing parent-child communication. The grant will help LEAP strengthen its impact on low-resource communities through improving how caregivers interact with children.
LEAP was awarded a $10,000 federal grant to develop a mobile app called "Beginning With Babble" that aims to close the word gap in low-resource communities by reminding caregivers to interact with children through developmentally appropriate activities. The app will use situation-based prompts and track children's interests and parent engagement. LEAP's Executive Director expressed excitement that the app could help thousands of families build pre-literacy skills by increasing parent-child communication. The grant will help LEAP strengthen its impact on low-resource communities through improving how caregivers interact with children.
LEAP Awarded Federal Grant to Bridge Word Gap in Low-Resource Communities
CHICAGO, IL, MARCH 11, 2016 The Human Resource and Services Administration (HRSA) has announced that LEAP (Language Empowers All People) is a recipient of a grant dedicated to bridging the word gap. According to HRSAs website, a panel of advisors reviewed over 75 proposals from early childhood development and technology experts across academia and private industry. HRSA awarded the $10,000 prize as part of Phase 1 of its Bridging the Word Gap Challenge. LEAP received the grant one of only ten awarded nationwide based on HRSAs evaluation of LEAPs Beginning With Babble mobile app concept. The goal of the app is to increase and improve parent-child communication by reminding caregivers to interact with their child through a variety of developmentally appropriate stimuli. The app uses prompts that are situationally based and scaffolded by prior success, childrens interests, and parent engagement. LEAP Executive Director and Co-Founder Dr. Catherine Gottfred, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, expressed the organizations enthusiasm and excitement for the announcement. LEAP is so excited to have been chosen by the HSRA to have our program designed into an app that can help thousands of moms, dads, and caregivers close the word gap. This award provides exciting new opportunities for LEAP to strengthen its impact on low-resource communities, specifically how caregivers interact and communicate with their children. It has been LEAPs mission for nearly 30 years to close the language gap in America, Dr. Gottfred said. Knowing that children from low-print, low-verbal households start preschool having heard 30 million fewer words means that they have little chance to be readers by 3rd or 4th grade. LEAPs app has the potential to make each caregiver more aware of how and how often to communicate with their child in order to build pre-literacy skills. About LEAP Based in Chicago and founded in 1986, LEAP (Language Empowers All People) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to research-based language and literacy development. LEAPs programs are centered on the principles of language wellness, language infusion, and respect for all social dialects. LEAP believes if you can speak, write, and communicate effectively, you command the most important tools to achieve your life goals. Media Contact: Ernest Sanders Director, Client Relations and Development Phone: (312) 578-1255 Cell: (773) 853-6489 ernest@leapempowers.org ### 180 North Wabash Avenue | Suite #604 | Chicago, IL 60601 | phone: 312-578-1255 | fax: 312-578-1280 | www.LEAPempowers.org