Looking at Literacy

As a program that focuses on academic support and enrichment, Heart House has very meaningful opportunities to enhance the confidence, skills, and progress of so many children. One of the major challenges facing youth today is literacy. Reading and writing is essential to success in school and life. Did you know that as early as age 6, kids have already decided whether or not they like or want to read? Can you imagine the impact this can have on youth throughout the rest of their lives?

While illiteracy is an unseen problem, it profoundly impacts our society. U.S. Department of Education statistics reveal that 60% of prison inmates are illiterate, and 85% of all juvenile offenders have reading problems. Illiteracy leads to low self-esteem, unemployment, poverty, and crime. Literacy empowers people to better their lives and the lives of their families, and our communities.At Heart House, we recognize the significant value of kids developing positive relationships with reading and writing. That is why we strive to improve our children’s reading and writing skills each year through the materials and programs we offer.Specifically, programs like “Reading Buddies” which partner struggling readers with adult volunteers for fun literacy activities, have highly impacted our kids’ success in reading and writing. In fact, “Reading Buddies” is a program we have offered for the past 4 years, one that is incredibly popular among our kids. Everyone wants a Reading Buddy!

During the 2008-2009 school year, we are proud to say that 90% of Heart House children improved their reading level by at least one level or improved their TAKS reading scores. (Read about even more of our success at Heart House.)

We know that our afterschool program has the unique opportunity to motivate and encourage children to believe in themselves and their abilities. At Heart House, “disguised learning” happens all the time! (Those little moments when kids are having fun and smiling without even realizing that they are learning new skills.)Also, our site directors continue to pursue and nourish relationships with reading specialists in schools and the community to provide tools and strategies for our volunteers and staff that will truly encourage and enrich literacy at our centers—whether its phonics, fluency, or comprehension.

We are incredibly excited to start a new theme for the next two months focused on reading and writing. Our theme titled “Read, Write, Rock On!” will emphasize that reading and writing can be a truly positive and enjoyable experience in our daily lives. Kids will learn that reading and writing are essential tools for almost any hobby, skill, or career they wish to have! Current youth and adult literacy rates across the state and country are staggering. But as educators, volunteers, family and community members, we CAN make a difference by making reading and writing fun, relevant, and meaningful for everyone!

Facts about Illiteracy:

• In 1998, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tested children nationwide for reading skills.1 The results for reading tests for 4th graders revealed that 38% read below the most basic level, while only 7% could be considered above-average readers.
• In 1998 there were ten million children between seven and eleven years of age who performed below the most basic level of reading achievement.
• The average reader spent about 6 minutes per day reading connected text. Children with reading problems spent about one minute per day. The amount of time students spent on worksheets did not relate to gains in reading achievement. What appeared to be most relevant was time spent reading connected print.
• Children who struggle in vain with reading in the first grade soon decide that they neither like nor want to read.
• In 2000, fourth grade students who reported reading more pages daily in school and for homework had higher average scale scores than students who reported reading fewer pages daily.

How you can help>> Volunteer to be a Reading Buddy! For more information, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Shelly-Marie Rios, at (512) 929-8187 or volunteer@hearthouse.org.


Sources for Statistics:

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Educational Statistics. The Executive Summary of the 1998
National Assessment for Educational Progress Reading Report Card for the Nation, NCES 1999-50 (Washington, D.C.: March 1999).

Population Estimates Program, Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau Washington, D.C. 20233
Stahl, Steven A., Ann Duffy-Hester, et al. "Everything You Wanted to Know About Phonics (But Were Afraid to Ask.)" Reading Research Quarterly 33, no. 3 (July-September 1998):338-356.

National Research Council. Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children. Catherine Snow

Susan Burns, Peg Griffin, eds. (Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 1998).Education Statistics

Quarterly. Vol 3, Issue 2. “The Nation’s Report Card: Fourth Grade Reading 2000”