Read Right Americorps

Read Right is a literacy class for high school students who are reading below grade level. The program utilizes a combination of reading out loud and independently, listening to books on tape, participating in group critical thinking exercises, and a variety of tailored writing exercises once a week. Read Right has a 100% success rate. Students improve their reading by as many as seven grade levels, often in the space of one semester. Students continue in the program until they are reading at ninth-grade level, at which point they return to a regular Language Arts class and often go on to take honors and AP classes. Read Right is designed to give students the opportunity to constantly experience success, and when they are ready to graduate the program they are asked to reflect on their experience and to listen to a "before and after" tape of their reading, so they can fully understand their degree of improvement.

Americorps members work with four students at a time, so each student receives a great deal of personal attention from their literacy coach. Members receive extensive training from the reading teacher in charge of the classroom and take on high levels of responsibility for students' progress and the running of the program. Time is also devoted to preparation and special projects, such as organizing peer tutoring or providing free books.

Currently recruiting for 2011-2012 Academic School Year.