Literacy

Education is one of the most direct and viable pathways out of poverty; yet many of the 2.6 million poor children in rural America lack the literacy skills they need to be successful. Save the Children’s literacy program provides children in kindergarten through eighth grade with the opportunity to increase their reading achievement by supplying the tools they need to develop reading skills and the guidance and support they need to grow as readers. The hallmark of our literacy initiative is the Literacy Block, which consists of an hour of activities that support increased reading achievement including guided independent reading practice, fluency-building support and listening to books read aloud. 

To provide additional reading support, staff members work with select groups of struggling readers during the school day to provide tutorials in phonics, sight word growth, comprehension and vocabulary enhancement.  Emergent reader activities are also available for children in kindergarten and first grade.

During the 2009-2010 school year, Save the Children will reach children in nearly 150 schools in 12 states.