Recruiting centers and family child care providers for a new program like LENA Grow can have its challenges.

Here are five steps detailing how to talk with teachers, family child care providers, and center directors about participating in LENA Grow.

1. Start with listening and acknowledging.

Teachers, family child care providers, and center directors are their own experts on their classrooms, children, and families. Start by asking what’s on their minds both right now and for the future of their program. Identify a common goal. Align LENA Grow’s benefits to this goal. This helps you understand how LENA Grow might fit into their larger efforts to serve children and families the best way they can. Acknowledge the challenges they face, even if you can’t help them solve every single one.  

2. Tell a real story. Use real examples.

When first talking about LENA Grow, tell a real story of how it has impacted teachers and children:

• • Invite a teacher to share their experience with LENA Grow. Ask them to describe a change they saw in specific children and in themselves.
  • Share a Celebration Report from another center or room.
  • Use videos showing the impact the program has had on teachers, center directors, and entire communities!

 

3. Back up that story with data.

Share proven LENA research on the links between early brain development, social-emotional development, and conversational turns. Between the Harvard Center on the Developing Child and LENA’s own deep dive into conversational turns, there’s a wealth of information at your fingertips.

 

4. Give an overview of how LENA Grow works. Address questions and concerns head on.

Describe the basics of LENA technology, the LENA Grow sequence, and any privacy concerns. Explain the coach’s role of supporting teachers in interpreting reports and using data to determine next steps. Focus on how the reports give teachers an objective look at individual children’s experiences.

One of the best resources to consult: Our web page laying out what a LENA Grow coaching sessions looks like in action.

5. Set an orientation date and communicate regularly.

Set a date for orientation to secure commitment. Note, however, that circumstances might change quickly. If you need to reschedule, pick a new date rather than deferring indefinitely.

If the program is currently closed to children, check out our post on resources to help support your family and community during COVID-19. Programs can send these resources to families to support early talk at home. Sharing these free resources with programs will keep them engaged and excited about LENA Grow while you wait for the center to reopen.