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Literacy Program Best Practices

Rob Podlasek Training Manager, Minnesota Literacy Council VISTA 1987-1988. Literacy Program Best Practices. Agenda. Review six best practices for running a volunteer literacy program Explore tools, activities and strategies for implementing the best practices.

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Literacy Program Best Practices

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  1. Rob Podlasek Training Manager, Minnesota Literacy Council VISTA 1987-1988 Literacy Program Best Practices

  2. Agenda • Review six best practices for running a volunteer literacy program • Explore tools, activities and strategies for implementing the best practices

  3. Warm Up: The Story of My Name • Share your name • Share TWO interesting things about your name • Each person in group asks you an additional question about your name • Move to next person

  4. Literacy Best Practice #1 • Academic alignment between school and tutoring programs (and home) • The research shows that the most successful tutors are those who directly support the primary instruction the students receive from their teachers. • It is our job to help kids practice reading, not to teach them to read. • Instructive vs. Supportive

  5. Best Practice In Action • Have the mindset that your program exists to support what the kids are learning in school. • Choose materials/curricula that align with what happens during the school day. • https://thecenter.spps.org/uploads/gr_2_pg_2014-15.pdf • Look for ways to facilitate the connection between school and afterschool programming.

  6. Literacy Best Practice #2 • Students’ oral language background will impact their success at reading and writing

  7. Best Practice In Action • Create programming with an oral language component • Train volunteers to imbed oral language into their reading activities

  8. Cool Questions

  9. Cool Questions • Un-Cool Question: How tall are you? • Cool Question: If you could go anyplace in the world on vacation, where would it be? • Cool Question: What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

  10. Literacy Best Practice #3 • Reading is more than sounding out words

  11. Literacy Best Practice #3 • Reading is more than sounding out words • Phonemic Awareness • Alphabetics • Vocabulary • Fluency • Comprehension • Prior knowledge and experience

  12. Sage Kotsenburg Wins Slopestyle Gold at the Sochi 2014 Olympics “His line was not only technical but packed with moves that no one else was doing like a layback tail press backside 180 out and Cab Double Cork 1260 Holy Crail grab, basically a contorted japan and cross rocket mash up.”

  13. Sage Kotsenburg Wins Slopestyle Gold at the Sochi 2014 Olympics “His line was not only technical but packed with moves that no one else was doing like a layback tail press backside 180 out and Cab Double Cork 1260 Holy Crail grab, basically a contorted japan and cross rocket mash up.”

  14. Sage Kotsenburg Wins Slopestyle Gold at the Sochi 2014 Olympics “His line was not only technical but packed with moves that no one else was doing like a layback tail press backside 180 out and Cab Double Cork 1260 Holy Crail grab, basically a contorted japan and cross rocket mash up.”

  15. Best Practice In Action • Include instruction in all five areas in your programming • Alphabetics instruction should be considered supportive • Don’t neglect vocabulary and comprehension • Reading practice and comprehension checking make for great reading programming

  16. Literacy Best Practice #4 • Reading isn’t “fun” for everyone. • Reading isn’t “easy” for everyone. • Reading isn’t “relaxing” for everyone.

  17. Best Practice In Action • Let your volunteers experience some pain and humility.

  18. Activity: It’s Greek to Me

  19. Best Practice In Action • Let your volunteers experience some pain and humility. • Make Literacy-focused programs include physical activities and physical-focused programs involve literacy activities • Set up programming so that the kids aren’t defined simply by their reading difficulties

  20. Literacy Best Practice #5 • Having “well-trained” volunteers is a key component in the success of reading tutoring programs.

  21. Best Practice In Action • Create an argument about why volunteers need training • Create a tutor job description. What will they be DOING • Define what “well-trained” means in your program • The skills, knowledge and attitudes they will need to do their job well

  22. When Do They Need to Have The Attitudes, Knowledge and Skills? • Before they sign up to volunteer • Before their service • At the beginning of their service • During their service • At the end of their service

  23. How Can They Develop the Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes? • Pre-service training • In-service training • Web and print material • Volunteer information sessions • On-line training • Observations • On-the-job training • Student teaching • Newsletters • Email • Mentoring

  24. Literacy Best Practices #6 • What is YOUR Literacy Best Practice?

  25. Volunteer Training Support • Minnesota Literacy Council Trainings • Reading Nook Blog • Minnesota Literacy Council Web Site • Assistance Developing Your Own Trainings

  26. Contact Information • Rpodlasek@mnliteracy.org • 651-645-2277 x 206

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