Volunteer Training

Welcome Thanks for being here!  Sign-in Introductions  Name  How you learned about this program

Agenda The Importance of Reading Overview of the program Child Confidentiality Mandated Reporting Dialogic Reading and Standard Error Correction Orientation

Illiterate youth and adults account for: 75% of the unemployed. 85% of juveniles who appear in court. 60% of prison inmates. 40% of minority youth. 33% of mothers receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children. (Orton Dyslexia Society - cited in M. Adams, 1990) D. Howe 2005 Importance of Reading

“The psychological, social, and economic consequences of reading failure are legion. It is for this reason that the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development considers reading failure to reflect not only an educational problem, but a significant public health problem as well.” (R. Lyon, 1997) D. Howe 2005 Importance of Reading

Minnesota Reading Corps is: An AmeriCorps program. Designed to support schools ensure every child is a proficient reader by grade 3. Provides supplemental assistance to students age 3 to grade 3 who are at risk of or are experiencing reading difficulty.

Complete research-based literacy intervention tasks with students. Assess students to monitor progress. Coordinate community volunteers. Reading Corps Members

Continuum of Reading Services in a School Special Ed Instruction and Intervention Services Title 1 Instruction and Intervention Services Minnesota Reading Corps Member Intervention Services Minnesota Reading Corps Volunteer Intervention Services No special services needed! Kids on target! Continuum of Student Needs Which students will I serve?

Members monitor each student’s literacy skill progress using standardized assessments. Members share this information with Volunteer Coordinators to help choose students for tutoring. Measuring student progress

While working with children in a school setting it is important, to maintain professionalism in order to: Effectively support student learning. Provide a good role model for children. Ensure private student information is kept private. Ensure issues of concern are reported only to the designated personnel in the setting. Child Confidentiality

Ethical Considerations The most important aspect of ethical practice is maintaining confidentiality regarding the students and families. All school staff are required by law to keep student and family information confidential. Information regarding the student should only be shared with teachers and staff who work directly with the student and have a ‘need to know’.

Ethical Considerations Speak with parents in a professional manner. Do not mention the names of the children you work with to:  Other Adults  Other teachers (that are not the child’s teacher) Direct parent or community member questions to the teacher.  Especially questions regarding a child’s progress

Communicate your concern about a child to the Minnesota Reading Corps Volunteer Coordinator. You may be asked to complete a report that is submitted to the proper authorities. The act of filing a report and the report itself are considered confidential and private information. The Reading Corps Volunteer Coordinator will: communicate the concern to the child’s teacher or site supervisor. The teacher/site supervisor/administrator will decide how they would like you to proceed. Mandated Reporting

Reading Strategies Dialogic Reading Standard Error Correction

What is it? A way to read with children to develop their fluency skills. Children are active participants. Dialogic Reading

You read the book first and then the student reads the book to you. Engage in questions both times. PEER sequence is how you ask questions: P – prompt E – evaluate E – expand R - repeat Dialogic Reading

Prompts C – completion. R – recall. O – open ended questions. W – Wh questions: who, what, where, when, why. D – distancing: relating the story to the child’s life.

Prompts CROWD SequenceHow to do it? Completion: I do not like green eggs and _____ Ask the child to complete a word or phrase. Best used in books that rhyme. Recall: What happens when the wolf climbs onto the third pigs’ roof? Ask child details about what happens in the story. Ask child what happened to characters. Open-Ended: What’s happening? Ask the child to tell what’s happening? Wh- Prompt: What’s this called? Point to something in a picture and ask the child to name the object or action. Distancing: Have you ever made a cake? Ask questions that relate something in story to child’s life.

Let’s Practice! StepsHow to do it? Prompt: Do you think he will eat the green eggs and ham in the dark? Ask a question or invite the child to talk about something on the page. Name object or tell about story. Evaluate Think about what the child says. Is the answer correct? What can you add to it? Expand: Not in the dark!? Do you think he’ll ever eat green eggs and ham? Elaborate on the child’s answer. Ask another question. Repeat Ask the child to repeat the expanded or correct response.

Fluency is an aspect of reading which correlates strongly with our ability to comprehend what we read. Fluent readers: – read accurately, with expression, and at a smooth, steady pace. Becoming fluent takes practice! Why practice reading?

Use this method to correct pronunciation or guessing during a student’s reading. Occurs IMMEDIATELY following a student error. T: That word is _______. What word? Student repeats the word. T: “Yes. That word is _______.” Student goes back to the beginning of the sentence to begin again. Reading Corps members use Standard Error Correction during interventions so your student should be familiar with the process. Standard Error Correction

Positive Feedback and Motivation Praising a student that is practicing a skill is extremely important. 4 positive statements : 1 corrective statement ratio Praise is most powerful when specific to the task. Give nonverbal positive feedback such as smiling, nodding your head, thumbs up, high fives, etc. Brainstorm specific praise statements. Let the student choose which book to read. They’ll be much more excited about reading if they are allowed to choose. Children love to read the same book over and over again.

Motivation Dialogic reading is about the relationship between student, adult and book. Many students love the one-on-one time with volunteer tutors, and will greatly improve their fluency by receiving error correction. Invest fully in your time with the student to build a relationship – it will be the foundation for a love of reading.

Parking Signing-in Tutoring Materials Meeting Students Tutoring location in classroom Being prompt Site Specific information A Typical Volunteer Session

End of Session Praise, Praise, Praise Escort child back into class Collect and return tutoring materials Sign-out/Check-out First Session

Questions ?