Letters, Sounds and Words Program - Standard
This program is somewhat unique in that it is a reading skills program designed to be implemented by volunteers who do not need to have related experience. It is used in schools as another tool in the repertoire of strategies used by teachers to ensure that all children learn to read. Its implementation design has been applauded by teachers and volunteers who appreciate the ease and effectiveness with which it can be implemented.
The Letters, Sounds and Words program is a 10-week program for 5 - 7 year-old children. It uses short games/activities to provide repetition to help young children recognize letters, a sound each one represents, how to learn words by sight and how to learn a word by using the sounds of its letters. Volunteer Coaches work with one child at a time and follow prescribed activities using the materials provided. The program and the volunteer training sessions have been designed to allow volunteers to be very independent in running the program over the 10 weeks. Parents must give written permission for their child to be involved in the program. Each child must have a pre- and post- assessment to document growth in skills over the 10 weeks. Letters, Sounds and Words was designed to be useful in a variety of settings (schools, daycares, after-school programs, etc.). Due to overwhelming popularity of the program, however, Strong Start® has to date, only had time to respond to requests from schools. We look forward to a future opportunity to offer the program in other settings.
Learners served: So far Strong Start® has statistics to prove that the program works for
- children who just need additional practice at the first sign of their lagging behind their peers and teachers predict they will not likely need additional help beyond this 10 week boost.
- children for whom English as a second language is a factor in their learning.
- children who, in the professional judgment of the teacher, may need support through the school’s resources for a year or two but not likely throughout their elementary schooling.
The program was not designed for children whose learning difficulties require informed approaches from a professional educator long-term.
The assessment results confirm the opinion of volunteers, teachers and parents that the program is very effective in meeting its goals with these three groups of children. In addition there is great anecdotal evidence of other positive impacts for children and for the adults who work as Volunteer Coaches. Our success goes far beyond the statistics.
The support system that accompanies the program is a major factor in its success. The success of the program is due in large part to the manner in which the program is implemented. The infrastructure that supports this implementation is extensive and designed to:
- make it possible for volunteers, with four hours of training, to be independent in delivering the program successfully in a variety of settings.
- minimize the time and effort required of the staff of the organization using the program at their site.
The Strong Start® organization provides:
- the program
- all manuals needed
- all materials needed
- tools for easy administration of the program
- training for Site Co-ordinators
- training for all Volunteer Coaches
- ongoing consultative support throughout the 10-week session
- regional summaries of assessment results
- support for the site’s volunteer recruitment and management program
- assistance with and resources for volunteer and sponsor recognition
- co-ordination of fundraising efforts
Responsibility of the School
Each location using our program designates a Site Co-ordinator who is the main contact person for the Strong Start® management team. At some locations, the Site Co-ordinator is a staff member of the organization using the program (e.g. the school). At some locations, the Site Co-ordinator is a Volunteer Site Co-ordinator recruited by the staff at the site.
The Site Co-ordinator at each location is responsible for:
- recruitment, screening and supervision of volunteers
- selection of children who will participate in the program
- ensuring permission of parents of children in the program
- scheduling the Coaching Sessions over the 10 weeks
- arranging for the administration of pre and post-assessment of students in the program
- volunteer and sponsor recognition
- submission of final reports to the Strong Start® Co-ordinator
See
Role of Site Co-ordinator > Web
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Volunteer Coaches
Each organization using the program recruits volunteers who attend Strong Start® training sessions and use our detailed manuals to implement the program over 10 weeks.
Volunteers who have experience working as a Volunteer Coach with children in the Letters, Sounds and Words program can be recruited by the school to serve as the school’s Volunteer Site Co-ordinator to help with the responsibilities of the school as outlined above.
Volunteers who have worked as a Volunteer Coach with children in the Letters, Sounds and Words program are eligible to join our Train-the-Trainer program to become a Trainer for Strong Start® of other Volunteer Coaches. Once certified, Trainers are paid by Strong Start® to lead specific training sessions as needed.
See Volunteer Experience for more details.
Training
- The person who will organize and monitor the program at a particular location (i.e. the Site-Coordinator) receives 90 minutes training and a comprehensive administration manual.
- Volunteers who will work directly with the children, receive four hours of training and a comprehensive manual of instructions for each activity.
Materials
All the materials needed for the program are provided by Strong Start®.
All non-consumable materials remain the property of Strong Start® and must be returned to its office at the conclusion of the program.
Materials may not be used for any other purpose except the Strong Start® project.
Communication with Parents and other Professionals
The responsibility for communicating with others (e.g. parents) about the child’s behaviour and skill development in the program remains the responsibility of the appropriate staff members of the organization using the program. Volunteers are instructed on the importance of confidentiality and the need to pass on all information to only the designated staff person(s).
Organizations
interested in implementing our programs, please contact us at
or 519-743-9578
