Volunteer reading pal Mary Ellen Large reads the book “Mixed up Chameleon” to her preschool class at Sea Side School in St. Augustine.
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla., August 13, 2015- 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.
Volunteer Reading Pals are matched up with local preschool centers where they read once a week to children.
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 Wednesday, August 26, 2015 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the St. Augustine Record Building located 1 News Place, St. Augustine, FL 32086.
“It makes my day when I walk into the classroom and the children cheer ‘It’s the book lady,’” volunteer Reading Pal, Ellen Prest said.
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 [email protected] or Cheryl Freeman at [email protected].
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Sponsorship by the Early Learning Coalition of North Florida and the state of Florida, Division of Early Learning.
