Words That Matter: How Conversation, Play, and Meaning Unlock Literacy

What if the secret to building strong readers isn’t found in a worksheet, but in a conversation about K-pop?

Literacy is more than decoding words on a page. It’s about meaning, connection, and the rich language children carry with them long before they ever open a book. Yet in many kindergarten classrooms today, one of the most powerful literacy tools we have—genuine conversation—has quietly disappeared.

In this warm, thought-provoking webinar, we sit down with Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, renowned developmental psychologist and leading voice in early language and learning, to explore what literacy really requires. Through real stories—a playground game called “Playground Nation,” two girls debating who gets to love K-pop—and what those moments reveal about how children think, talk, and grow, we trace the unexpected threads that connect conversation, language, and a lifelong relationship with literacy.

Whether you’re a classroom teacher, an administrator, or another early childhood professional, this session will challenge you to look at your practice with fresh eyes and ask, “Are we leaving space for the conversations that matter most?”

You’ll leave this session with

• a deeper understanding of why conversation is foundational to literacy — not supplemental to it;
• a fresh perspective on active, playful learning and what it looks like in real classrooms; and
• practical inspiration for creating the conditions where meaningful talk (and real literacy) can flourish.