Learning through Literacy
Our Literacy Programs
For over 30 years Read for Literacy has been providing a wide range of literacy services. We are able to provide reader friends to children and tutors to adults to increase their reading, writing, and conversation skills.
Claire’s Day
Claire’s Day is NW Ohio’s largest children’s book festival entering its 20th Anniversary Season! Claire Lynsey Rubini was an avid reader who died of a heart condition in 2000. She was ten years old. Her parents, Julie and Brad Rubini, started Claire’s Day in 2002 as a way to celebrate their daughter’s life and love of books.
A main highlight of Claire’s Day are the C.A.R.E. Award ceremonies (Claire’s Award for Reading Excellence), recognizing students, grades K-8, who are nominated by their teachers as the school year’s “most improved readers.” In addition, children’s book authors and illustrators visit classrooms to meet students and perform readings in the days leading up to the festival. Claire’s Day is held in two locations – Toledo and Maumee – in May.
Learn About Claire‘s DayC.A.R.E. Awards
Adult Basic Education
Since 1986, Read for Literacy volunteers assist students to increase their literacy skills through one on one and small group tutoring using trained volunteers. Help change an adult’s life with your help!
In Lucas County 40,000 adults read at the Below Basic level and are therefore functionally illiterate*
Another 100,000 adults in Lucas County are estimated to read at the Basic Level.*
Basic level indicates individuals have the skills necessary to perform simple and everyday literacy activities.** Examples of these activities include: answering simples questions about written text, can understand simple documents and can locate easy identifiable information to answer simple one step programs. (National Center for Education Statistics)
Adults who read at a Basic or Below Basic level are unable to read the newspaper, fill out a job application or help their children with homework.
Tutors are trained in different curriculums. No prior teaching experience is necessary. Just a desire to help others. Training generally takes one to two hours.
- Students benefit from individualized lessons catered to their individual goals and needs.
- Students work with their tutors on short term and long term goals.
- Participants engage in learning from reading books to learning life skills.
- ABE tutors receive training and constant support. Tutors and students are asked to make a commitment of at least six months.
*According to the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy survey </strong
**National Center for Education Statistics
English Language Learners
26,000 individuals speak another language at home besides English*
8,000 individuals do not speak English well or do not speak English at all*
Many of these individuals have great difficulty completing even the most routine tasks including shopping for food or making doctors’ appointments.
Read for Literacy provides one on one tutoring with a trained volunteer to improve the student’s English Language skills. Help change an adult’s life with your help!
Students benefit from individualized lessons catered to their individual goals and needs.
Tutors are trained. No prior teaching experience is necessary. Just a desire to help others. Training generally takes one to two hours.
The program assists speakers of other languages the opportunity to improve their English Language speaking, reading and writing skills.
ELL tutors receive training and support. Tutors and students are asked to make a commitment of at least six months.
*According to the 2010 US Census in Lucas County
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Creating Young Readers
Elementary School
Program provides children in grades K-2nd grade with volunteer “Reader Friends” who work with them one-to-one to increase early literacy skills necessary to experience success in the classroom. Additionally, this program includes book distribution, parent advocacy, and information to engage parents with their children in at home reading time.
Our resource carts located inside participating schools are curated with more than 50 book titles and supplemental supplies aimed at engaging and educating our youngest students.
Volunteers, known as Reader Friends, are required to be fingerprinted and trained before they are able to work with children.
A minimum of one hour a week for at least a six-month duration is required to become a Reader Friend volunteer. Reader Friends will work with preschoolers in a one-on-one setting which is paramount in achieving improved literacy skills. Sharing the joy of books with children who might not otherwise experience reading with a caring adult is an immeasurable gift.
Pre-school
Read for Literacy launched this program in 2006 and allows volunteers the opportunity to work with children ages 3, 4 and 5 who are at risk of falling behind in emergent literacy skills.
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Real Men READ-y
Real Men READ-y is a partnership with Read for Literacy, The Toledo Lucas County Public Library, United Way of Greater Toledo-African American Leadership Council and Toledo Public Schools. The program matches African American men with African American male students in kindergarten and first grade as MENtors.
Talk to someone about this programSupport this ProgramCreating Family Readers
The Creating Family Readers program combine our Adult Literacy program and Creating Young Readers program.
Reader Friends and tutors work with the family individually and as a unit to increase literacy knowledge.
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