From our friends at Reading Partners SC…
According to McKinsey & Company, the shutdown of schools last spring combined with uncertain learning environments could cost students anywhere from three to 14 months of learning. The Post & Courier reports that these losses have been greatest among those who were already behind, and elementary students have been impacted more than upper grade levels. This is especially concerning here in South Carolina where only 21% of students from communities that are historically under resourced read at grade level by fourth grade.
So how do we meet this challenge?
Supplementary tutoring is a powerful tool in combating this learning loss. One-on-one mentorships by trained individuals provides students with the individualized instruction they need to get to the next level.
The 74 reports: “J-PAL North America, a research center focused on reducing poverty, recently released a meta-analysis of close to 100 studies of tutoring in literacy and mathematics and found that tutoring programs consistently produced large improvements in learning outcomes for students — with effects that eclipse those of most other educational programs.”
These findings, combined with the issues that we are facing when it comes to learning loss, make a powerful case for the work of Reading Partners South Carolina, a nonprofit that provides one-on-one literacy mentorships to elementary students. They have been using this model for over 13 years in the Lowcountry, and in the 2018-2019 academic year, 91% of students matched with a Reading Partner met or exceeded their literacy goals.
Pre-pandemic, Reading Partners connected nearly 900 volunteer tutors with aspiring young readers across Charleston and Berkeley County schools, focusing on those schools with the highest need. To meet the challenge of the pandemic, they developed Reading Partners Connects, a virtual version of their evidence-based curriculum that has allowed them to continue serving students in a remote learning environment. This year, they aim to deliver at least 20 individualized tutoring to over 300 students. However, this cannot be done without your help.
Reading Partners depends on trained community volunteers to administer these sessions, and they are currently in need of over 150 tutors to meet the demands of this year.
Community volunteers are the backbone of Reading Partners’ success. Each volunteer is trained to deliver tutoring sessions using their evidence-based curriculum through participating in two virtual orientations before being paired with a student. For each session, they are provided with detailed lesson plans that instruct them regarding strategies, tactics and language to use with their students. Volunteers enjoy fulfilling relationships with K-5 students whose confidence and skills growth are evident with each completed lesson. While engaging students in a remote environment takes practice, Reading Partners continues to see impactful results from these literacy mentorships.
“We are about changing the trajectory of these children’s lives, and if we have to do that virtually, that is what we will do. Reading Partners has a highly successful model and we expect to see positive results,” says Community Engagement Director Christine Messick.
Reading Partner’s staff works with schools to identify students who would most benefit from the program and uses assessment to place them at their unique place in the curriculum. Students are based in schools or at their homes while tutors administer sessions from an alternative location. Volunteer tutors can complete sessions with Berkeley County students from home, and sessions with Charleston County students are held at 10 local churches – employing distancing, masks, and handwashing of course. Sessions last 45 minutes and use the newly launched Reading Partners Connects virtual platform.
Empowering a child to unlock their reading potential and achieve success in school and life is a deeply gratifying experience. Volunteers with Reading Partners report this is the single greatest benefit they receive for their service – and it only takes one hour a week.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer tutor, visit ReadingPartners.org/location/south-carolina or call (843) 860 3915 to learn more.
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