School Administrator's Clip File • July 22, 2020
Form partnerships to promote student literacy
Promoting literacy is one of the most important things you can do to help students achieve in every content area. Literacy partners can provide funding, volunteer tutors and resources for literacy programs and events. Consider asking the following agencies for help:
- A local college or university
- Boys and Girls Clubs
- Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts
- Corporate sponsors
- Junior League
- Reading is Fundamental
- YMCA
- Your local library
Issue a reading challenge to students
Want to encourage students to read more nonfiction? Consider issuing a challenge. One school challenged their 650 students to read 1,500 biographies between September and February. Through an arrangement with the local public library, the school library stocked up on biographies. To do this at your school, issue students a challenge. Then:
- Decide how students will share what they read. Younger students might read a sentence or two they have written on a card. Older students could create video presentations about their books.
- Involve parents. Encourage parents of young children to read biographies to them. Parents of older kids can discuss the books with them.
- Celebrate success. At the end of the challenge, highlight students’ accomplishments on your social media platforms. Host a virtual award ceremony for students and their families.
Did you know?
The Haskins Global Literacy Hub has launched a new Resource Library for parents and educators. It is a compilation of links to free, high-quality content that promotes literacy for children and teens with different levels of reading proficiency. Check it out at niswc.com/SACF_library.