As summer draws to a close and the new school year approaches, Lowcountry academic organizations are intensifying their efforts to prevent reading decline among elementary school students. Reading Partners, a nonprofit focused on literacy development, is helping bridge the summer reading gap in Charleston by offering one-on-one tutoring with community volunteers.
Summer Tutoring Efforts Across Charleston
Reading Partners has been providing tutoring sessions at three reading centers: Arthur W. Christopher Community Center, Goodwin Elementary, and St. Julian Divine Community Center. These centers have been serving first through fourth graders throughout the summer, with students meeting with their tutors twice a week.
In addition to tutoring, students in the program are given the opportunity to take home a new book each week from the nonprofit’s free library. This initiative has served just over 100 students over the summer, a decrease from the nearly 600 students served during the previous school year.
Personalized Learning Plans to Boost Confidence
Danielle Daniels, the community engagement director for Reading Partners, explains that the program emphasizes personalized lesson plans to address individual student challenges. “We prioritize mastery over completion, making sure that students identify their challenges and work through them with us,” Daniels says. “Sometimes, we have to repeat lessons, but we empower students to understand that we will get them where they need to be.”
This customized approach has proven to help students maintain their reading skills over the summer, keeping them engaged and confident in their abilities.
Expanding Reach with Virtual Tutoring
To close the literacy gap further, Reading Partners has expanded its offerings to include virtual tutoring, allowing volunteers from across the country to connect with students in Charleston. This has helped reach more children in need of literacy support, even if volunteers are not able to be physically present.
Building Confidence and Academic Success
The efforts put forth by Reading Partners have had a significant impact on students’ confidence and reading skills. Daniels notes that students involved in the program are better prepared when school resumes, saying, “They’re not sitting at home, not learning. They’re gaining confidence, and they go back to school ahead of the game because they kept reading through the summer.”
Volunteer Recruitment Challenges
Despite the success of the program, finding enough volunteers during the summer months has been challenging. Reading Partners currently has around 250 active volunteers in the Lowcountry, with more than 400 expected to return in the fall. However, Daniels stresses that there is still room for more volunteers to join the cause.
Looking Ahead: Fall and Beyond
Reading Partners’ summer programs will continue through the end of the month, and the organization is already preparing for the upcoming school year. This fall, the nonprofit will partner with six local schools to continue providing literacy support to students.
For those interested in volunteering or learning more about the program, Reading Partners encourages you to visit their website or contact the Charleston chapter for more details.
