Engage with families
Trusted messengers regularly engage with parents and caregivers as part of their everyday work and activities.
Who can be a trusted messenger?
Anyone can be a trusted messenger, from a home visitor or faith leader, to a fellow parent or a restaurant owner, as long as they:
Are trusted by families
Trusted messengers are community members that are trusted by the families they engage with or serve.
Share early learning messages
Trusted messengers share key early learning messages with the families they engage with. Oftentimes, trusted messengers integrate these messages into their everyday work.
Trusted Messengers in Action
Watch as Carmen, a parent and a trusted messenger in Detroit, MI, shows how anyone can be a trusted messenger! This video includes examples of key early learning messages and how trusted messengers can share them with families. Subtitles available in English and Spanish.
Key Messages
Trusted messengers share messages with families about the importance of early learning, and the power parents and caregivers have to build their baby’s brain. Below are some sample key messages that you and other trusted messengers can share!
Talk, read, and sing together from birth!
Talking, reading, and singing together from birth will help build a child’s young brain, preparing them for kindergarten and beyond.
Everyday moments can be turned into meaningful learning opportunities.
Everyday moments – like shopping time or diaper time – can be great opportunities for learning. Count each item as it goes in the shopping cart, name the colors on your child’s onesie during diaper time, and more!
Bilingualism is an asset!
Encourage families to talk, read, and sing in whatever language they are most comfortable with! Research shows that bilingual children have better working memory and executive function skills.
You're doing great!
Acknowledge what families are already doing to support their child’s early development. The role of the trusted messenger is not to dictate, but rather to support families with tips, tools, resources, and encouragement.
Early Educators and Providers
Child care providers of all types—home-based, public and private, family, friend and neighbor—have long been a trusted source of information for parents about child development. Below are resources created specifically for early educators and providers to help promote talking, reading, and singing.
Professional Development
STRIVE for 5! Early Childhood Educator Bootcamp
The STRIVE for 5! Early Childhood Educator Bootcamp is a hands-on, free program designed to give you instant tools and ideas to promote children’s early brain and language development and improve the quality of your early learning environment.
After completion of the STRIVE for 5! program, participants will receive 20 Child Development Associate (CDA) hours in CDA Subject Area 8: Understanding the Principles of Child Development and Learning, which can be applied to both the initial CDA credential or the renewal of the CDA credential.
Resources for Educators and Providers
- Talking is Teaching Community Provider Guide Download
- Family Engagement Event Training Video Series View
- Preschool Poster Download
- Talk, Read and Sing Together Every Day! Tips for Preschool Teachers & Providers Download
- Let’s Talk, Read and Sing about STEM! Tips for Preschool Teachers & Providers Download
- Fostering Healthy Social and Emotional Development in Young Children: Tips for Providers Download
- Meal Time is Talk Time Provider Tip Sheet Download
- Talking is Teaching Sticker Sheet Download
- Other Resources View
Members of the faith community have been key Talking is Teaching trusted messengers. Faith spaces are trusted community conduits, and by disseminating information through trusted messengers, you can help promote parent-child interaction and early learning. Below are resources created specifically for faith leaders and providers, to help promote talking, reading, and singing.
Incorporating Messaging into Church Events
Reverend Dr. Ray Owens of The Metropolitan Baptist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma talks about the importance of talking, reading, and singing with babies every day at the church’s baby dedication events.
We learned from focus groups with parents and caregivers that they trust the people they already know and who routinely provide them with advice. So it’s not surprising that parents overwhelmingly look to doctors and nurses for counsel on early brain development. Below are resources created specifically for healthcare providers, to help promote talking, reading, and singing.
Materials for Healthcare Providers
Prescription for Reading
The front of each page of our prescription pad allows healthcare providers to “prescribe” talking, reading, and singing. The back pages feature a variety of encouraging statements for parents and caregivers.
Evaluations
Evaluation of Interventions in Healthcare Settings
We have evaluated multiple Talking is Teaching interventions in the healthcare space, and have found that when pediatricians speak with families about the importance of talking, reading, and singing, it leaves a big impact! View all our evaluations here.
Resources for Healthcare Providers
- Talking Points for Health Care Staff Download
- Research and Talking Points for Pediatricians Download
- Hospital Poster Download
- Vaccine Activity Sheet Download
- Let’s Talk About Healthy Habits Content Bundle Download
- Let’s Talk About Caring for Ourselves Content Bundle Download
- Healthy Teeth Poster Download
- Why Poster Download
- Other Resources View
Libraries have a long-standing track record of encouraging meaningful interactions between parents and caregivers and their young children. Below are resources created specifically for librarians to help promote talking, reading, and singing.
Materials for Librarians
Talking is Teaching Tips for Librarians
This handout features messages librarians can share with families when they visit the library. Download and share with the librarians in your network!
Resources for Librarians
- Laundromat Outreach Guide for Librarians Download
- Talking is Teaching Bookmark Download
- Talk, Read and Sing Together Every Day! Tips for Preschool Teachers & Providers Download
- Let’s Talk, Read and Sing about STEM! Tips for Preschool Teachers & Providers Download
- Fostering Healthy Social and Emotional Development in Young Children: Tips for Providers Download
- Family Engagement Event Training Video Series View
- Let’s Talk About Books Content Bundle Download
- Why Poster Download
- Other Resources View
Training
Training Trusted Messengers
Are you interested in training your staff or partners to become trusted messengers and share early learning messages with families? Below are all the materials you need to create and customize your own Talking is Teaching trusted messenger training.
Materials for Hosting Trusted Messenger Trainings
We've created a variety of resources that you can use to host your own trusted messenger trainings, including a customizable PowerPoint deck, a Certificate of Completion, and more.
Learn More About Our Other Strategies
Places
Transforming everyday spaces into learning-rich environments.
Resources
Distributing literacy-rich resources to families.
Media
Creating a surround sound of early learning messages.
Additional Resources
From transforming a space with colorful and engaging posters, to developing a social media campaign, we have open-source, free resources for organizations, businesses, partners, and more to use.