Karen Brown LaPetite Academy
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla., August 25, 2016- The Early Learning Coalition of North Florida (ELC) and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) are seeking new volunteer reading pals to continue growth for their Reading Pals program.
ELC volunteer Reading Pals are matched up with local preschool centers and the RSVP program places readers in Head Start and VPK classrooms where they read once a week to children. Recently the Head Start program added six (6) new classrooms where volunteers are urgently needed.
Reading Pals volunteers will learn the following skills: how to choose age-appropriate books; child development, including the attention span of preschoolers; presenting books to preschoolers and promoting early literacy through phonetically reading.
Training for the Reading Pals program will be held on Thursday, September 8, 2016 from 10:00-12:00 a.m. at the St. Augustine Record Building located 1 News Place, St. Augustine, FL 32086.
“It is so exciting, when you see the children learn, that letters make words and words turn into stories. I love to make books fun. If you can make children laugh, you can get them interested in learning. Pull out a puppet, wear a silly nose, speak in different voices, you have nothing to lose, (but your dignity), so have a good time READING,” said volunteer Reading Pal Karen Brown.
Studies show that the best opportunity to influence our children’s lifetime learning is before kindergarten when their most rapid period of brain growth occurs. Instilling an early love for reading is crucial to children’s future success in school.
To register or for more information about this training, contact Joan Whitson, Early Literacy Coordinator at 904-342- 2267 or email jwhitson@elcnorthflorida.org or Cheryl Freeman, Director RSVP of St. Johns County at Cheryl.Freeman@stjohns.k12.fl.us
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