University at Buffalo Grad Students Help Kids Improve Literacy Skills Over the Summer

If library schools aren’t doing this now, it’s time to start. Education students studying to become literacy specialists at the University at Buffalo’s Center for Literacy and Reading Instruction in New York have spent four weeks this summer tutoring 180 elementary students in reading and writing through a partnership with two school districts. As reported by Buffalo’s National Public Radio station, WBFO, 36 UB graduate students worked with middle graders to boost their reading and writing skills, help struggling readers, and improve reading comprehension.

Credit WBFO News photos by Eileen Buckley

UB’s Center for Literacy and Reading Instruction (CLaRI) is a non-profit center that has served hundreds of children and families in Western New York for 50 years. There is no charge for the reading program. While the children benefit from the reading and writing instruction, this program also provides the grad students with intensive hands-on teaching time before they head off to the classroom for their practicum.

Do these kinds of programs exist for library school students focusing on early literacy and children’s services? If so, SLJTeen would love to hear about them. If not, what are you waiting for?

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