Help Children Learn to Read!
Many children in the public schools of Delaware County need help to improve their reading skills. The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Delaware County invites people 55 and older to join the America Reads (AR) Program as mentor tutors. These volunteers work one-on-one with children in grades K-6 who have difficulty with letter recognition, reading, and completing academic work. Volunteers are sought especially to help at high-need schools in Delaware County. America Reads volunteers provide the opportunity for children to practice their reading skills, follow directions, improve their reading comprehension, and to become more selfconfident as learners. According to Janice Tehie, America Reads Program Coordinator and PA Certified Reading Specialist, “Volunteers receive the training they need to feel comfortable as they help children learn a valuable lifelong skill necessary for success in school and in the workplace.” Volunteers, reading specialists and teachers have noted that after participating in this program, children’s automatic word recognition skills, fluency, and comprehension improve. They also become better at following directions and finishing their work on time. A year-end survey last year showed that children overwhelmingly spent more time reading independently after participating in this program, and they were more interested in and enthusiastic about reading. New volunteers for the America Reads program will need to attend a one-day training session on Wednesday, September 17, from 10:00 – 2:00. For more information, please contact Program Coordinator Janice Tehie at 610-565-5563, extension 15, or e-mail her at [email protected]. Also check out the RSVP America Reads Facebook page at: https:// www.facebook.com/americareads.rsvp.media. ###
