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Addressing special needs of children in a multicultural community when implementing literacy tutoring
Children in a multicultural setting may have special needs that require approaches
that are different from other tutoring programs. This practice describes the
Miami Reads program and how it addresses tutoring children from poor and
limited-English speaking backgrounds by forming community collaborations,
improving communication with non-English speaking parents, and matching tutors
to students by common language. Excerpted from Northwest Regional Educational
Laboratory's So That Every Child Can Read publication.
Read more.
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Assessing the qualifications of prospective tutors
Qualification standards that guide the recruiting process will help target tutors
with the essential skills needed to help students learn, and to maintain the
integrity of programs. This effective practice outlines strategies for assessing
criteria of tutors. It was shared by Nicky Martin of LEARNS on ACList, the
AmeriCorps e-mail discussion list, in December 2004.
Read more.
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Choosing and using a literacy model
Chapter five, from Seniors for Schools Effective Practices Guidebook, seeks to help a literacy program select an effective tutoring approach. Questions in seven key program areas are provided. By considering these questions, tutoring programs will be better equipped to select a literacy model that will work for their resources and surroundings. The guidebook also provides a chart comparing various literacy models. Authored by the National Senior Service Corps and published by the Corporation for National and Community Service, 2000.
Read more.
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Connecting incarcerated parents and their children through inmates' recorded readings of books
In collaboration with local judicial and law-enforcement authorities and a nonprofit child-advocacy organization, RSVP of Allen County, Indiana supplies books and tape-recorders to inmates of a county correctional facility, who then create recordings of themselves reading that are distributed along with the books to their children. The program helps inmates who are parents maintain a meaningful presence in the lives of their children and can serve as an effective model and practical approach for national service programs seeking to promote youth-development and family literacy within a difficult-to-reach subset of families in disadvantaged circumstances. Erich Stiefvater of LEARNS, submitted this effective practice in April 2006. Read more.
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Developing a community adult literacy program
The Silver Valley Learning Center of North Idaho College provides the former mining town of Kellogg, Idaho with a place for displaced adults to complete their GED and obtain job skills. The center has helped a community where unemployment and high school dropout rates had been extremely high. This paper, by AmeriCorps member Bekka Ravue, won first place at the 1998 Northwest National Service Symposium, hosted by NWREL. Read more.
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Developing curricula and tutoring strategies to meet grant guidelines
The tutoring section of the 2003 AmeriCorps Grant Guidelines asks successful applicants to describe their tutoring curricula and tutoring strategies. These should be scientifically based and include the five components of reading instruction identified by the National Reading Panel. If the program is associated with a school receiving No Child Left Behind funding, applicants should demonstrate that their program activities are aligned with and provide instruction in the five components. This effective practice, excerpted from the LEARNS Tutoring Toolkit for AmeriCorps Program Applicants (2003), highlights how programs can begin to develop curricula and tutoring strategies within these guidelines. A link to the toolkit is provided. Read more.
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Finding free or inexpensive books
National service providers and other volunteer organizations that provide literacy training need ways to increase their book holdings because students of all ages need exposure to a wealth of literature. Research confirms the benefits of access to books, reading, and stories. This practice from LEARNS provides ideas about how to collect low cost or free books for your program. Read more.
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Helping children learn to read
These 13 effective strategies for teaching children to read were included in the
booklet, Tips for Parents About Reading (Davis 1997). The full text will give you
some ideas about what to expect at different ages and stages of reading development,
suggestions for what can be done at home to support reading skills, and a list of
favorite children's books available at most libraries. Read more.
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Implementing a statewide reading program for elementary students
The Washington Reading Corps was created in 1998 to provide intensive and immediate instruction to elementary students in schools with low reading assessment scores. The program is a unique service partnership between public, private, and community resources that unites teachers, school staff, AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps*VISTA members, and community volunteers in a coordinated, statewide effort. In 1999-2000, about 6,000 volunteer tutors provided services to 26,000 students in 210 schools. Read more.
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Implementing a team-tutoring program for literacy instruction
Low-performing readers can benefit from regular one-on-one instruction with a volunteer tutor. However, many programs face difficulties recruiting volunteers who are willing to commit to multiple sessions during the week. With funding from a grant from the Michael Eisner Foundation, the Frostig Center developed the Reading Partnership Program, which provides students with a team of volunteer tutors. The team-tutoring approach provides each student with an hour of one-on-one instruction four days a week. This effective practice shares the program's methods for recruiting tutors and implementing a team-tutoring system. Read more.
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Incorporating ten strategies to achieve a balanced approach to tutoring
The Tutoring Toolkit for AmeriCorps Program Applicants suggests that programs adopt an integrated and balanced approach to tutoring, including planning sessions that include a variety of strategies that support the five components of reading identified by the National Reading Panel. This effective practice is excerpted from the LEARNS toolkit and identifies ten strategies and the accompanying reading components. A link to the toolkit is provided. Read more.
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Increasing literacy by dramatizing books with elementary school children
In Gates County, North Carolina, high school and middle school Peers Empowering Peers (PEP) volunteers promote literacy by producing book dramatizations for and with students at local elementary schools, and through mentoring and tutoring activities. PEP is a youth leadership program based on community service and peer helping, serving under the auspices of the Learn and Serve Program. This effective practice describes the program, and was submitted by Reba Green-Holley with the North Carolina Extension Service, Gates County Center, in October 2002. Read more.
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Introducing nouns to students
Teaching grammar to children can be a time for tutors to get creative! This technique, "Around the World with Nouns," helps young students conceptualize what nouns are. LaTarsha Bernard, a second year AmeriCorps member with America Reads – Mississippi, shared this effective practice in November 2005 via the America Learns Network. Read more.
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Planning the tutoring session
Because reading feels like "second nature" to most tutors, they may be unaware of the learning mechanisms that build literacy, and need to be equipped with specific methods for teaching reading to their students. This effective practice clarifies the reading process by specifying four areas of activity to include in the tutoring session: rereading, word analysis, writing, and reading new text. Excerpted from Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory's So That Every Child Can Read publication. Read more.
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Providing ongoing tutor training and support
Ongoing tutor training and support is a standard expectation for volunteer tutor
programs in national and community service. This effective practice focuses on the
areas of planning, training content and training activities for tutor programs,
and is excerpted from the 2003 LEARNS Tutoring Toolkit for AmeriCorps Program
Applicants and the Summer/Fall 2001 issue of The Tutor. LEARNS is the
training and technical assistance provider for programs funded by the Corporation
for National and Community Service in the area of literacy. A link to the toolkit
is provided. Read more.
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Providing young people with authentic writing activities: ten tips
Encouraging authentic writing activities fosters students' creativity and can be a useful way of getting students excited about language and learning. Familiarity with writing cultivates students' confidence in their expression, and helps them in all scholastic areas. Jeannette Napadow of Oak School in Hinsdale, Illinois, submitted this effective practice in September 2004. Read more.
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Selecting appropriate books to read with children
Research has demonstrated the importance of learning with books that students can read accurately, fluently and with good comprehension. When selecting a book for reading, tutors need to consider language and picture support as well as the child's interest in the book topic and prior knowledge needed for understanding. This excerpt from the LEARNS Literacy Assessment Profile helps tutors select books that are appropriate when planning the tutoring session. Read more.
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Supporting young readers
Chapter three of On the Road to Reading provides effective one-on-one
tutoring strategies for helping a child become an engaged reader and writer.
Effective practices include focusing on and planning for each child, actively
involving the child in many kinds of learning, and providing encouragement and
support. Read more.
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Teaching students to recognize uppercase and lowercase letters
For some preschool and kindergarten students, it can be a challenge to learn to recognize the letters of the alphabet. This effective practice highlights a creative technique that engages students on many levels, making it easy and fun to remember letters. Sherry Martin, a second year AmeriCorps member with America Reads – Mississippi, shared this effective practice in September 2006 via the America Learns Network. Read more.
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Tutoring English language learners
In order to meet the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse learners,
tutors may need some extra support and training. This effective practice shares
strategies from the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory/ LEARNS that will
help when tutoring English language learners. Nicky Martin shared these tips on the
NSSCTalk e-mail discussion list in March 2004. Read more.
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Understanding how children learn to read
Excerpted from the booklet, Tips for Parents About Reading (Davis 1997), this
effective practice provides insight on teaching children how to read. Although
designed for parents, these tips can be applicable for reading tutors and other
educators. The full text will give you some ideas about what to expect at different
ages and stages of reading development, suggestions for what you can do at home,
and a list of favorite books available at most libraries. Read more.
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Using a character tree to keep track of a story
Reading the classic works of literature can be intimidating for anyone, especially middle and high school students. This effective practice highlights a strategy that helps readers keep track of who’s who in the narration. Elena Kamenetzky submitted this effective practice in August 2006, via the America Learns Network. Read more.
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