Literacy First

Since 1994, Literacy First tutoring program and the Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin have collaborated with high-poverty elementary schools in the Austin Independent School District to provide a research-based literacy intervention program to young students who are struggling in learning to read. Literacy First is a high quality, comprehensive, bilingual literacy-tutoring program that supports students, families, and the community. Each year, 75 percent of the children we tutor achieve or exceed grade level expectations in reading by the end of the year.

Full-time Literacy First members work one-to-one, daily, with kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd-grade children identified as needing additional support in reading. Literacy First has high expectations that Literacy First tutors will accelerate children's reading skills, and Literacy First provides our tutors with the knowledge and skills and support to meet this goal. Literacy First alumni report that serving in Literacy First was one of the best decisions they ever made because of the support and the quality of the service experience. They highlighted the following strengths of the Literacy First program: 1) Training and support to become an effective tutor; 2) Career and leadership development opportunities; 3. Opportunities to partner with community agencies for service projects and additional service experiences; 4) Opportunities to learn about the wider Austin community through service in the schools; 5) Opportunities to work with the parents and families of the children we tutor.

This program requires a strong work ethic, flexibility, and a commitment to learning how to teach early reading skills. No prior teaching experience is required, but prior experience working with children is preferred. The Literacy First literacy trainings and on-site supervision are designed to provide you with all the skills and resources necessary to be an effective tutor. The Literacy First coach/supervisor will be available to guide and support you.