Shelter Read Alouds

The main goals of the Shelter Read Aloud program are:

  • To expose children to books and encourage them to spend more time reading.
  • To provide children with free books to keep.
  • To increase language input during critical stages of literacy development
  • To encourage parents and children to value independent home reading.

    • How read-alouds are structured

    Volunteers work together to come up with a theme for their read-aloud. Books are then chosen that relate to the theme for the evening. Some examples of themes include pigs, hats, outer space, snow or camping out. Volunteers also plan the theme around a certain book or author they love, such as Dr. Seuss or Curious George.

    After about half an hour of reading, the kids do an activity (craft or game) that relates to the theme of the books read. For example, if the group read books about fish, kids might design and color their own fish to take home. If they read The Gingerbread Man, they might then decorate gingerbread cookies together.

    Results of the read-aloud program

    The Reading Connection is giving a boost to kids who are often behind in school. When one child heard he was going to receive 3 new books each week, he exclaimed, “Hallelujah!” The kids love TRC’s visits, and the attendance remains steady throughout the year.

    We have heard anecdotes that children’s reading has improved as a result of the weekly volunteer visits. We have seen the mad dash for books from the giveaway bins after the read-alouds. We know we are making a difference when we feel the joy of reading coming from the kids.

    The heart of The Reading Connection (TRC) is our weekly shelter Read-Aloud program. Children and volunteers read old favorites, try out new stories, and talk about what they've read together. At the end of each Read-Aloud, kids choose new books to keep so they can start building personal libraries and see themselves as readers and achievers.

    TRC ensures that children have access to books by maintaining Reading Corners in each shelter. When a child enters a shelter, s/he receives a welcome bag from The Reading Connection. Bags are filled with new books, crayons, markers, pencils, notebooks, journals and craft items to help make reading fun.

    TRC also focuses on family literacy. Parenting workshops use modeling techniques to show moms and dads how to make reading come alive at home. The workshops also review children's literature and help parents select the best books for their children.

    The Book Club makes sure that children have access to books once they leave the shelter. Once every month families choose books, which they receive in the mail along with reading activities to talk about and do.