I WANT TO READ ALOUD

Reading Is Fundamental, D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything and Read), and Leveled Libraries are some of the historical reading initiatives that have been used for many years in the realm of education. The end goal of these programs was the more a student reads, the better their reading skills will become.

Although Verbal, Auditory, Kinesthetic, and Visual all describe the most common styles of learning
for most students, Reading Skill Development is NO different!! Readers use the same learning
styles to READ!!!

So why aren’t we being strategic in attacking reading literacy?

Reading skill levels are extremely low across the country -- primarily in our metropolitan areas. So,
what’s the solution or strategic plan? Start the Reading Skill Development immediately, because We
Can’t Afford to Wait!

Our power reading camp, “I WANT TO READ ALOUD”, is being offered during the 2023 Summer School programming. The reading skill camp will be:

Delivered by Reading/ELA Specialist with TPT Education Leaders.
throughout summer school.every week Offered as one of the summer school class offerings during the summer school day,
Have low student/teacher ratio: 15 students/per hour for a 6-hour academic day.
Provide (2) TPT Education Leaders Reading/ELA specialist in each class/per hour.
Track Reading CR (Comprehension Rate) and Reading WPM (Words Per Minute) (pre/post)

With the drastic academic effect that the Covid-19 pandemic has taken on education across the country, it is imperative for schools to be aggressive in academic instruction. This is crucial in order to continue an effective learning pace that is current, while making sure students are getting the instruction and skills they may have lost over the past 18 months.

The supplemental instruction from our specialized TPT Education Leaders also provides:

A deeper drill down on academic skills lost to virtual; and Kahn Academy/IXL/Word Gap- tools of resource.
Simultaneous reading strategies for tier I/II readers

In addition, our partnership with each school/district will render positive measurable gains in reading for each student. This component can be a foundation for continued intervention leading into the 2024-2025 academic SY.

The “I WANT TO READ ALOUD” Reading Skill Building Summer School Session will focus on skills needed for strategic reading skill development, purpose, comprehension and speed while working towards a strategy to give the student control over reading anxiety. The goal of the session is to READ with Confidence.

The key programming skills to be achieved are as follows:

Reading Comprehension
Eye Exercise
Chunking
Expanding Peripheral Vision
Punctuation to aid Comprehension
Reading for Retention
Paragraphing Technique
Vocabulary Drill
Listening Comprehension
Proactive Note-Making
Punctuation
Skimming
Scanning
Pacing
Passage Comprehension
Effective Reading Rate (ERR)
Words per Minute (WPM)
Comprehension Rate (CR)

Literacy skills are critical to creating great readers. Most children begin reading by sounding out words
and learning to recognize common vocabulary from books and classroom materials. Fluency in reading
is a result of site reading and more spelling practice. Reading speeds up and comprehension of
complex texts becomes possible as vocabulary knowledge grows exponentially.

“I WANT TO READ ALOUD” Reading Skill Building Summer School Session will employ tips for
developing Fluency in Reading by:

Having kids read the same text several times. When trying to improve fluency, it helps to see the same text multiple times. It also helps by developing comprehension skills as readers have more opportunities to notice contextual cues.
Site word drills. Some words are more common than others and students find it easier to read when they are familiar with the vocabulary in a text.
Making use of a variety of books and materials. Sometimes all it takes is getting readers excited about a topic to help them lose themselves in an activity, i.e. trying chapter books, comics, and poems.
Emphasizing the quality of the student’s reading, not the quantity of pages or speed at which they read.
Trying different font and text sizes. Reading larger text or text printed on color tinted paper can sometimes make things easier to read.
Creating a stress-free environment. When students are enjoying a book, anxiety and stress are reduced and fluency is enhanced.
Guiding students to help them establish a steady pace. One of the hallmarks of fluent reading is establishing a consistent rhythm and pace that guides students through a text.
Introducing a typing course as an extra-curricular program designed to enhance literacy skills.

Literacy Statistics help guide the focus of the “I WANT TO READ ALOUD” Reading Skill Building Summer School Session and provide direction for the program.

Literacy data that impacts the American Economy includes:

3 out of 4 people on welfare cannot read.
20% of Americans read below the level needed to earn a living wage.
Illiteracy costs American taxpayers an estimated $20 billion each year.

Literacy data that impacts American society includes:

85% of juvenile offenders have problems reading.
3 out of 5 people in American prisons can’t read.

To determine how many prison beds will be needed in future years, some states base part of their

projection on how well current elementary students are performing on reading tests.

Literacy data that impacts American classrooms includes:

Approximately 40% of students across the nation cannot read at a Basic level.
Almost 70% of low-income fourth grade students cannot read at a Basic level.
49% of 4th graders eligible for free and reduced-prices meals finished below “Basic” on the NAEP reading test.
Struggling readers suffer socially and emotionally.

Of note are Child Literacy rates by State:

Kansas is ranked 14th with 62% of students Not Reading proficiently.
Missouri is ranked 23rd with 65% of students Not Reading proficiently.

The goal of the “I WANT TO READ ALOUD” Reading Skill Building Summer School Session is to address these alarming statistics that effect the American Economy, Society, and Classrooms. These sessions will utilize strategies to improve reading levels of students who participate in the program. Those reading strategies will include:

Using Interesting stories – readers that have a logical, exciting story in it can stir up interest in the reading.
Setting them up for success – observe what words the child is capable of reading and choose reading material that is appropriate for the child’s reading level.
Scaffolding with shared reading – the student can read one page, then the teacher can read the next page and so on. This helps the child’s eyes rest in between pages while enjoying the story. It allows the child to build more vocabulary and makes the reading experience pleasurable which encourages more reading.
Using visual guides – point to the words as the student reads, progress to the student using their own finger to point to each word, and then eventually progress to using a ruler or index card placed under the lines while the student reads.
S upplementing with ear reading – benefit from audiobooks. This helps students connect with engaging stories and recognize words on the page as they read along.
Practicing sight words – Helps the student memorize sight words by practicing them regularly and practice seeing it printed in different ways. For example, it can be on an index card or on writing paper.
Trying word building activities – reading and writing are an apt pair. Some students can decode sounds better when they are able to manipulate the letters to form the words.

Please act swiftly on this “I WANT TO READ ALOUD” Reading Skill Building program. The
school/district offerings for this very beneficial Summer 2023 camp will be capped at a selected number
of schools to effectively and efficiently engage our Reading/ELA Specialist. Immediate correspondence
is highly recommended to reserve your school.

Because Results Matter! The Time is Now—Make A Difference!