Twenty-five books a day: Literacy events in subsidized childcare

Abstract

The purpose of this case study was to investigate a segment of a data set collected as part of a larger ethnographic study exploring the early language and literacy practices of one unique preschool programme, selected for its unusually high outcomes for children in typically underserved populations. The original study explored administrators’ literacy leadership within the context of system-level funding and oversight inequities and inadequate local, state, and federal support. Analysis from the original study showed that their lofty commitment to a ‘twenty-five books a day’ mindset guided them in supporting teachers as they made books, stories, and language play a universal occurrence throughout the school day. This article, reporting on an extension of this original study, explores how school administrators operationalized this ‘twenty-five books a day’ mindset: prioritizing ample and consistent (1) access to high quality, diverse books, (2) both structured and impromptu, responsive literacy interactions, and (3) professional support for teachers.