Lindsay Park Elementary School and Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy (CBAL) are collaborating to bring volunteers into classrooms to promote literacy and strengthen community connections. Each volunteer will be connected to one classroom, which they will visit once a week throughout the year. They’ll visit when students are practicing their reading independently, or with a buddy, and join in the classroom to share stories with any student who is interested. We are calling this program The Joy of Reading.
Oral language (speaking and listening) is the foundation of reading and writing. It is also one of the greatest predictors of a child’s success in school. Oral language is developed through conversations (with adults and peers), exposure to rich language, and practice in different contexts. Joy of Reading volunteers will read aloud, use interesting words, ask quality questions, and actively listen to students in the classroom. Primary students work hard every day with their teachers on learning to read. Joy of Reading is not a time for asking students to perform their newly developing skills. We know that stress can shut down the high-level thinking skills needed to explore the interesting ideas that students get from hearing stories that they can understand, but not yet read by themselves. So, volunteers simply share their love of reading to keep these reading experiences joyful.
If you have any questions or are interested in volunteering, please don’t hesitate to call me.
Kindly,
Sarah DeRuiter (she/her)
Learning Services Teacher
Lindsay Park Elementary School
(250) 427-2255 x4652
I am privileged to work, live and play on the unceded territory of the Ktunaxa Nation and the chosen home of the Métis.