EARLY LITERACY INTERVENTION VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK

EARLY LITERACY INTERVENTION VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK

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Early Literacy Intervention Volunteer Handbook

Organizational Overview Mission Words Alive is a non-profit reading advocacy organization whose mission is to open opportunities for life success by inspiring a commitment to reading. We accomplish this by creating and supporting: Targeted programs for underserved communities; Community learning forums; Community-wide reading projects; Model reading programs; and Networks for communicating about reading. Vision Our vision is to create a community where: The passion for and sharing of reading provides a common language for all people; Individuals are widely encouraged to cherish the intrinsic value of reading; The varying elements of the community—political, social and corporate—use literature as a springboard for communication amongst themselves and between each other; People look to reading as a key to success in the social, educational and personal and career growth arenas; and Existing vehicles of communication and interaction—media, internet, civic groups incorporate literature and its lessons as a matter of course. Our Guiding Values We believe reading experiences offer opportunities for self-analysis and a vehicle through which to learn about the world We are concerned about and committed to literacy; We want to help others overcome illiteracy; and We love to read and want to share our passion. Words Alive Programs Adolescent Book Group (ABG) Our ABG students have all experienced extraordinary circumstances, including pregnancy, homelessness, abuse and neglect and many live below the poverty line. Each month, the students at our partner sites are given a book to read and discuss during the monthly, 90-minute ABG session. Trained volunteers facilitate the sessions which are designed to engage the teens, build selfesteem, confidence and critical thinking skills, and help them relate to real-life situations through reading and discussion. Community Reading Initiative CRI encompasses all Words Alive programs and initiatives that reach out to the general community and encourage reading among all age groups and populations. Our Read to Me workshops educate parents and caregivers about the importance of reading to children from infancy onward and how to do so effectively. We also teach them how to use the Lending Library at their site. The Libraries Project collects new and gently used books and then builds customized Lending Libraries at our school partner sites and communitybased organizations serving at-risk and/or low-income populations countywide. Finally, Words Alive encourages book ownership by giving new and gently used books to our program participants. Early Literacy Intervention (ELI) Preschoolers in our ELI program come from economically disadvantaged families and read to less often at home than their economically advantaged peers. Trained volunteers help prepare them to meet California State kindergarten preparedness standards by conducting weekly half-hour read-aloud sessions at state-funded childcare centers. The sessions are designed to help participants develop a love of reading and books and the pre-literacy skills needed to become strong readers later. Words Alive Westreich Scholarship & Mentor Program The Words Alive Westreich Scholarship Program awards up to six scholarships a year to past ABG program participants to support them in their pursuit of higher education. Recipients are also matched with a trained mentor as part of the

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ELI Program Purpose and Objectives WHY READ ALOUD? Literacy is not innate; we must learn to read via repeated exposure to stories and written texts. Reading aloud is critical for early literacy, the process of helping children develop the cognitive, language and social-emotional skills needed to become an efficient reader. Reading aloud is also enormously rewarding for both readers and their listeners. Reading to children is especially meaningful because it inspires them to explore books on their own and to become readers themselves. Other important benefits reading aloud provides to children include: Activating the imagination, introducing children to “the magic of the mind.” Awakening children to new ideas and cultures, enabling them to develop a sense of curiosity and critical thinking skills, as well as self-identity and individual interests. Building a diverse vocabulary. Imparting conceptual knowledge (colors, shapes, sounds, letters, numbers). Giving children background knowledge and understanding about their world. Consistent read-aloud sessions helps children increase their attention spans and listening comprehension. As children listen, their abilities for self-expression improve. By learning new vocabulary, they can express their ideas and feelings. These communication skills are crucial to success later in life. Being read to inspires children to read on their own. The ability and desire to read can make an enormous difference in the quality of a person’s life.

WHY DOES LITERACY MATTER? Literacy is a fundamental skill needed for life success. We use the ability to read to advocate and provide for ourselves, and research has consistently highlighted the connection between low literacy development and a life of hardship. Here are a few statistics: 43% of people with the lowest literacy skills live below the poverty threshold. (National Institute for Literacy) 50% of adults in federal and state correctional institutions are illiterate and two thirds have not graduated high school. (Making Literacy Programs Work: A Practical Guide for Correctional Educators) One of the strongest indicators of a child’s future literacy capability is his mother’s level of literacy proficiency. Seventy percent of welfare mothers score within the lowest two reading proficiency levels. (The State of Literacy in America). A child from a low-income family has been read to an average of 25 hours before entering first grade, compared to her middle-income classmate who has been read to an average of at least 1000 hours. (MacQuillan, Jeff. The Literacy Crisis: False Claims, Real Solutions)

WHAT DOES ELI DO FOR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS? ELI and program volunteers expose economically disadvantaged children, who are read to less often at home than their economically advantaged peers, to the joy of reading. Exposure to books and read aloud sessions with volunteers also help children sharpen the early literacy skills needed to learn to read successfully. These skills are outlined by the State of California Department of Education and include: An positive attitude towards books Word Knowledge Concepts of print Phonological awareness Exposure to diverse literature Page 3 of 15


What are Preschool Children Like? A child entering the preschool years is growing and learning at a fast pace; he's excited and challenged by the new world he's discovering. Along with physical changes, toddler ways of thinking and interacting are also changing. The preschooler has a lot to say; he talks a great deal and curiosity leads him to ask many questions. During the fourth and fifth year, he becomes a more independent, more self-reliant, more socially adept child who is aware of himself as part of an expanding social circle of relatives, friends and peers at preschool. These abilities, however, are still in the process of developing, and the preschooler appears steadier than he really is. The milestones listed below are approximate times when certain abilities are observable. There is no fixed timetable for acquiring abilities or for confronting different challenges. There's a wide range of what's considered "normal." Every child grows and adjusts to the world at his or her own pace.

Cognitive Development—Making New Connections The thinking of children at this age is still tied to the concrete; they are not yet aware of concepts such as change over time and have little idea of the true meaning of killing or dying. At times they will confuse fact and fantasy. Milestones Between four and five years the child can: learn to sort objects by shape, color and size; similarities and differences count four objects draw a square and some capital letters draw a human figure with a head, body, arms, legs and perhaps five fingers know his age know simple opposites know about the seasons and related activities know at least four colors

Language and Communication—Language is Power Between four and five the child's ability and desire to communicate expand rapidly. He likes to experiment with new words and asks numerous questions. Milestones By four years the child can: use connected sentences tell experiences or simple events in sequence reproduce short verses, rhymes, songs from memory speak clearly argue with words use jokes and silly language use sentences of at least five words act out simple stories in conversation, can answer questions, give information, repeat, convey ideas ask why, when, how, where questions understand implications of key words such as because follow three unrelated commands understand comparatives such as pretty, prettier, and prettiest listen to long stories, but may misinterpret the facts understand sequencing of events Page 4 of 15


The Words Alive Way: Program Delivery The following process is the approved method of program delivery. Pre-Session Sign in as a school visitor Meet reading partner 5 – 15 minutes prior to start time Put on your Words Alive Volunteer name tag Familiarize yourself with the books you will be reading that day Review enrichment guide for your book (available on our website) before arriving to your site Session Walk into classroom, on time, together with reading partner Acknowledge the teacher and teaching aids to let them know you are there to read Each person introduces themselves and reminds kids that you are from Words Alive Review the book parts: Title, Author, Illustrator, Cover, Spine and Jacket (just once, not with each book) Read first book aloud to children in an energetic manner and enrich through activities provided by Words Alive or through your own methods that engage the students o Approximately 15 minutes The second reader then introduces their book parts, reads the book aloud and enriches the book. o Approximately 15 minutes Thank the students and teachers for letting you come into their classroom Enter into next classroom and repeat the process For those schools that drive to another site please be timely with driving to the classroom. Post-Session Return books and name tag to book bin Review next month’s book and decided who will read each title Complete the electronic evaluation sent to you by email Post-Program Year Fill out post-program evaluations Attend ELI wrap-up (late May/early June) and provide input to program committee

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Program Evaluation Following each ELI session, you will receive an email with a link to an on-line volunteer evaluation. The purpose of this evaluation is to capture feedback about your experience and how the session went. We also use these session evaluations to keep track of the time volunteers donate to the ELI program. Here is an example of what the survey will look like:

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Frequently Asked Questions How does the Words Alive ELI program differ from other read-aloud programs? Most reading programs begin at the kindergarten level. By focusing on Pre-K students and reinforcing pre-literacy skills, volunteers plant the joy of reading early and help facilitate children’s later adjustment to the kindergarten reading requirements. What should I wear to my site? Please wear comfortable, casual clothes and modest accessories. To minimize distractions, please do not bring any personal items with you into the classroom and turn off your cell phone (or leave it in your vehicle in a secure location during your scheduled reading time). If you read at a Head Start location: The Neighborhood House Association requires that volunteers wear closed toe shoes and no jeans. I can’t find the book I was supposed to read. What do I do? Each book bin has section in the back with several back up books. Immediately after the session inform your site chair about what book was missing. Why read from an assigned book? Volunteers read pre-assigned titles from a curriculum developed by Words Alive. The books are aligned to each teacher’s teaching plans, curriculum and San Diego Unified School District’s reading guidelines. Will there always be a teacher in the room? Yes! Since Words Alive volunteers are not school staff, a teacher should always be in the classroom during reading group. Volunteers are not allowed to be left alone with students. If you find your read aloud session unsupervised, report this to your site chair immediately after the session. What do I do if I see any form of abuse? Write down exactly what you saw, including where you were, when the incident occurred, and what adults were nearby. Please immediately provide this written account to the Words Alive ELI program manager. What is and is not acceptable to discuss? Our program participants and their teachers come from very diverse backgrounds, so please be careful when making comments regarding family structure, class, religion, race, etc. What should I do if my partner is late or does not show up? If you are running late, please give your partner a call to let them know. It is very important that ELI sessions start and end on time, therefore if your partner is running late, please start the session as usual. We suggest taking both books with you to the classroom – if your partner is just a few minutes late, they will likely have time to familiarize themselves with the second book while you begin the first. If your partner does not show up, please read both books to the class. What if I am unable to attend my scheduled reading session? Please remember that the children look forward to the days when volunteers come to read and can become disrupted by frequent changes in the volunteer rotation. However, we understand that emergencies do occur. If you are unable to read for any reason, please contact your team and site manager by email as soon as possible. Contact information for your team and site manager is included on the information sheet for your specific school site and on the last page of this handbook. However, if, for any reason, you are unable to get in contact with your site manager please call the Words Alive office – we’ll make sure you’re taken care of! Here’s that protocol one more time: 1. 2. 3.

Contact your team by email as soon as possible. Let them know what session date you need a substitute for. If you experience an emergency shortly before your session begins, please call the Words Alive office at (858) 274-9673. If you receive an email soliciting a substitute from a teammate, please respond promptly to let them know if you can or cannot read in their place, and CC the rest of the team so that everyone stays aware of substitute needs. Page 7 of 15


How to Be an Engaging Reader Our goal as volunteer readers for the Early Literacy Intervention program is to inspire a love of reading by making each read-aloud book experience a positive one. We accomplish this by making the stories come alive through our enthusiasm and by openly encouraging the children’s participation. Below are some guidelines for how to do this. Most importantly, when it comes to reading aloud to children - remember the rule of three: 1. Read Slowly 2. Read Clearly 3. Read with Expression HOW CAN I BE AN ENGAGING READER? When you read, you are a model for your listeners. They will feel your enthusiasm and joy for reading, and they will share it as you read. So, the most important guideline in reading aloud is to have fun and enjoy yourself! BEFORE YOU READ Performing warm-ups with children such as singing a song, playing Simon Says or Follow the Leader for five minutes can help focus program participants and rid them of excess energy before they sit down to listen. This can also be helpful midsession if the children need to refocus. Before you read, take several minutes to prepare your read-aloud selections in advance. Make a note of: Enrichment activity ideas available for each title on the Words Alive website Places where the children might participate Broad general themes that can be discussed before or after you read Difficult or new vocabulary words Information about the author and the illustrator so you can talk about their other books Many readers enjoy using props and costumes when they read. This is a way for you to creatively make the story come alive and to help your listeners become actively involved in the story. Please use the flannel board and puppets provided by Words Alive in the book bin or feel free to bring your own. Your willingness to take risks and express yourself will make it easier for your listeners to do the same. SITTING DOWN TO READ Have your listeners sit fairly close in a comfortable space, away from their desks. Sit in a place where all the children can hear you well and see the details in the pictures. Be sure you are comfortable and can move freely. Please introduce the individual parts and details of the book including the spine, cover, title, author, and illustrator. It is important to hold the book up as you read to the children so they can see the pictures and words. Please also mention and demonstrate the correct way to read a book if you were reading by yourself. This is helpful since when preschool children were asked to show how to read a book many of them held the book up because they modeled what the teacher and volunteers do when they are being read aloud to. Introduce the book you will read. You might try creating a “bridge” to the story by discussing words or ideas from the story.

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For example: This story takes place in China. Does anyone know where China is? This story is called “Grandfather’s Journey.” What is a journey? Have any of you ever been on a journey? What do you think the book will be about? Remember to limit the number of responses to your questions so you will have time to read! With younger or restless children, help them become “active listeners” by giving them something to listen for and do. For example: There will be five animals in this story, so raise a finger every time a new animal arrives. Listen and hold up your fingers for how many cookies the mouse ate. Every time we get to “No, no, spider, not me!” let’s all say it together. READING ALOUD At last, you’ve gotten everyone seated, introduced your book, and explored some of the ideas in the book. You are now ready to start reading aloud. Read clearly and with expression. Read slowly enough for children to picture your words in their imaginations. Maintain frequent eye contact with the children as you read to engage them and help them stay involved. The students will enjoy the language and experience of having a story read to them. If it is appropriate, stop a few times to discuss words or pictures, explain a reference, or to anticipate what will happen next. However, try not to break the flow of the story by playing “teacher.” Questions should come before or after you read the story. You can liven up your reading session as much or as little as you like by giving each character in your stories a different voice, making faces as you read, adding sound effects, or using hand puppets. Vary your tone and pace with the action of the story, for example, speed up and read louder when “the chase is on,” or slow down and drop your voice when you’re building suspense. AFTER READING ALOUD This is a good time to ask questions about the book. Broad-based, open-ended questions encourage a variety of responses and facilitate thinking on the highest levels. Try to give all the children a chance to respond but stay on track. Here are some kinds of questions you can ask: What part of the story did you like best? Why? Did this story end the way you expected it to? What in the story made you have those expectations? What would you have done if you were (story character)? Why do you think the book is called (book title)? Which characters in the book are you most like? Why? Think of a different ending to the story. How would the rest of the story have changed to fit the new ending? Where does the story take place? Tell about it.

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DO’S AND DON’TS OF READING ALOUD DO: HAVE FUN! Be very expressive when you read Take time to show the pictures. After reading each page, fan the book and scan the children’s view. See example at right. Vary the length and subject matter of your reading Encourage your listeners to participate Use the educational enrichment activity ideas provided for the book Bring in pictures and other props that relate to what you’re reading DON’T: Rush Read above your listeners’ emotional level Read in a monotone voice or keep your face in the book Allow a child to disrupt fellow students. If this happens, politely ask for quiet so everyone can hear and be sure the teacher is there to handle disciplinary problems Miss a day of reading without finding a substitute

VOLUNTEER SUPPORT FOR ENRICHMENT Words Alive keeps a copy of every title listed on the ELI reading list in the office. Please feel free to stop by anytime to preview a future book and/or speak with the ELI Program Manager about ways to enrich the story. You can also find a link to the ELI Enrichment Resource Guide on the Words Alive website! This guide contains common children’s songs, an explanation of the kinds of questions to ask, and specific ideas for every title included in the ELI curriculum. The Enrichment Resource Guide is located under the “Volunteer Forms and Resources” section of the “Volunteering” tab. The image to the left shows the website path to these resources. On this same page of the website you can access the ELI reading list, showing which books will be read on specific dates! Finally, you will receive a reminder email the Monday before your upcoming ELI session. This email will include links to the reading list and enrichment guide. Volunteers are highly encouraged to review the enrichment ideas for books before their session. ALSO, DON’T FORGET THAT MANY OF THE BOOKS on the READING LIST ARE AVIABALE AT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY! Page 10 of 15


Example Book Enrichment Guide

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Accessing the Words Alive YouTube Channel ELI readers can access videos of each book on the reading list read aloud, examples of songs and finger plays, and short tutorial videos of best practices on the Words Alive YouTube Channel!

Visit www.youtube.com and search “Words Alive SD”

channel!

Click on the icon for our channel!

Search the title of the book or song you want to watch in the “search channel” field, or simply click on the thumbnail of the video.

Click on “playlists” to see groups of videos such as books on the reading lists, song & finger plays, and best practices. Page 12 of 15


How to be an Engaging Reader: Enrichment Techniques for All Books EMERGENT LITERACY is the on-going process of building cognitive, language, and social emotional skills needed for efficient reading. We can support emergent literacy development in young children by reading aloud to them in engaging ways that encourage listeners to openly participate in the experience. For this purpose, below are general suggested techniques that can be used with any book we read aloud. Open Ended Questions Open Ended Questions prompt responders to give more than one/two word answers, stimulate critical thinking and lead to more meaningful learning. Open ended questions also have many “right” answers, allowing more children in a group setting to share different responses. Closed questions, such as “Is it okay to leave the play dough uncovered?” are comfortable, but do not necessarily challenge children to apply what they know to new situations. A more open ended way to rephrase this question would be to ask something like “What happened to the play dough when we left it out?” Examples of open ended questions include:  To put thoughts into words: Why do you think the little boy in the story was sad?  To observe: What did you notice? What is happening?  To make predictions: What do you think will happen next / when…?  To think about similarities & differences: How are these two blocks the same? What makes these go together?  To apply knowledge to solve a problem: What could we do to keep paint from dripping on the floor?  To stretch thinking: What would happen if there were no cars, trucks, buses, planes or boats? How would we get around?  To consider consequences: What would happen if you left your drawing outside and it rained?  To evaluate: What made you decide to pick this book to read?  To assess feelings: how would you feel if that happened to you? Examples of open ended questions that work for any book:  What did you think of that story?  What was your favorite part?  Who was your favorite character? Why?  Did the story end the way you thought it would? Print Referencing Print Referencing refers to focusing on the text itself, which helps kids understand that you are not inventing the story, but reading it as is represented across the pages. This stimulates early word recognition and helps kids understand that print forms are used in specific, organized ways. You can support print awareness by:  Pointing to the 1st word on a page and saying, “This is where I begin reading”  Pointing to each word in the title as you read it  Counting the number of words in the title  Drawing attention to prominent words on a page (such as larger or bolded words, or those written in cursive)  Asking kids if they recognize letters from their name in a word from the title Phonological Awareness Phonological Awareness refers to the ability to reflect on the sounds of spoken language independent of what the words mean. This is important for understanding how to spell and decode print later on. Rhyming (recognizing similar sounds in words) is an example of an important phonological skill. You can support phonological awareness by: Page 13 of 15


  

Singing songs or performing finger plays that related to topics or elements of the story. Asking kids to give a “thumbs up” when they hear words that rhyme. Asking what a word in the title might sound like if you replaced the first letter with a different letter.

Background Knowledge Background Knowledge refers to the knowledge about the world that we bring to the text we read. Background knowledge helps children place a book within its larger cultural context, better comprehend the story, form realistic expectations about its setting and characters, and infer logical courses of action. You can activate background knowledge before reading a book by:  Discussing the front cover image and asking what they think the title might be based on what they notice.  Reading the book’s title, then asking what they think the story might be about.  After establishing what the book is about, ask what they know about the topic. o Ex: If you were reading Bark, George!, (a story with a dog on the cover) you could ask “What are dogs like?” or “What do we know about dogs?” Comprehension Monitoring Comprehension Monitoring refers to the practice of making sure we understand what is happening in a story. Good readers monitor their own comprehension by asking themselves questions while reading. You can encourage comprehension among listeners by:  Modeling this self question strategy through think-alouds: For example, tapping your chin thoughtfully and asking yourself, “Where did her friends go?”  Ask questions that encourage kids to predict what might happen next.  Asking inferential questions about the story, highlighting gaps that lead to making inferences: o For example, if the story shows Bobby making a sand castle, and in the next image Bobby is upset that his castle has been flattened (presumably by a wave), ask, “Why is Bobby so upset?” Follow with “What knocked his castle over?” and when the correct response is given, “How did you know that?” This encourages listeners to reflect on their knowledge of the world and the information they need to fill in the gaps in the story. This technique also promotes conversing abilities!  Periodically summarizing story action by asking, “What has happened so far in the story?” or “What is happening now?” If kids’ responses are disconnected from the story, correct their understanding by saying “let’s look at the picture – see what’s happening?” Then describe.

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