Since 1997, Children's Literacy Initiative (CLI) and Wachovia, formerly First Union, have teamed together to improve opportunities for children in low-income neighborhoods to become ready to read and to foster a love of reading.

Meeting the needs of communities is one of Wachovia's core values, and this has been translated into programs, contributions, and volunteer efforts where Wachovia believes it can have the greatest impact: early childhood literacy.

Developing strong reading skills in the early grades is key to success in school. With the help of Wachovia Regional Foundation grants totaling $1.6 million dollars, CLI has been able to provide hundreds of pre-K, kindergarten and 1st grade teachers with the training, materials, and books to help them deliver more effective reading instruction.

The formerly named First Union was the recipient of the 2000 President's Service Award for its hallmark education program, Reading First. The President's Service Award is the nation's highest honor given for volunteer community service directed at solving the country's critical social problems. The Reading First program addresses one of society's most serious unmet needs -- developing literacy and critical thinking skills among children.

Wachovia asked CLI to help design and implement the Reading First program. Reading First is rooted in the research-based CLI model that shows that a combination of high-quality books, interactive read-aloud sessions, parent education and teacher training will lead to significant gains in student achievement. With Children's Literacy Initiative's input, a book list, read-aloud tips, and hand-outs to help teachers help parents promote literacy at home were developed. The program calls for Wachovia employees to read aloud once a week for 30 weeks to four- five- and six-year-old children and then donate the book to build the classroom library.

Wachovia employees who volunteer for Reading First receive paid time-off to read. They sign a partnership agreement with a specific classroom and receive a kit with the books and training materials. More than 1,000 Reading First partnerships have been established to date. That's 30,000 read-aloud sessions and 30,000 donated books!

We are particularly proud of our association with Wachovia because they have made every effort to provide quality programs that will make a significant difference. We have had the opportunity to comment and consult on many areas of the Reading First program, and Wachovia has supported our work with financial assistance and helped us grow and connect with other corporations and foundations. We appreciate the management expertise they share with us through one of their excellent Senior Vice-Presidents joining our board of directors.

To learn more about being a volunteer reader and helping children develop a love of reading, here are a few resources:

Help America Read, A Handbook for Volunteers, by Gay Su Pinnell and Irene C. Fountas, Heinemann, 1997. ISBN 0-435-07250-1

The Volunteer Tutor's Toolbox, edited by Beth Ann Herrmann, International Reading Association, 1994. ISBN 0-87207-394-7

Chapter 3: How to Help Your Child with Reading, How to Help Your Child with Homework, by Marguerite C. Radencich, Ph.D. and Jeanne Shay Schumm, Ph.D., Free Spirit Publishing, Inc., 1988. ISBN 0-915793-12-1

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Preparation is key to a good read aloud. The reader should study the book ahead of time and think about different voices and gestures that might dramatize the story.

Read the book given to you by Wachovia to yourself before reading it to the class. Also try reading it aloud as practice.   Have the children predict what they think the book is about by reading the title and looking at the cover of the artwork. Identify the author and illustrator.   Use expression with your voice. Change voices for different characters.   Assemble props - such as puppets, hats, cooking utensils or whatever the story suggests - to use while reading.   As you read, stop at appropriate places and ask open-ended and interactive questions for which there is no "correct" answer. For example: "What do you think will happen next?" "IF you were the character in the story, what would you do?"   Be sure to hold the book so all children can see the illustrations. For younger children, point to objects in the pictures.   Follow along with your finger for stories that contain many words and sentences. You are building what teachers call "Concepts About Print" by pointing out where you are beginning and ending, as well as identifying words, sentences and punctuation.   Always read above the child's immediate level to stretch his/her imagination and comprehension, and develop vocabulary. The average five-year-old should use 8,000 words and understand 13,000 words.   After completing the book, discuss the story and ask what the children think might happen in a sequel? Which characters are most like them? What situations have they faced that are similar?   Aim for 30 minutes per session. If the book is over sooner - read it again! Kids love repetition. back to top