Title: Reading Levels

Day of the week/Time: Sunday 1-3, 2 times a year

Audience: Caregivers of children ages 5-8 who are learning how to read. Their children are welcome to attend.

Goals: Introduce caregivers to the different stages of learning to read and the books that are geared towards each stage. Provide caregivers with tips to help children with learning to read and how to select books.

Reasoning for Training: As children are starting to read on their own, they may need guidance in choosing appropriate books. There are a variety of ways that books are categorized by levels. Publishers, teachers, and libraries may all have their own way to categorize different levels of books. This makes for a confusing system for caregivers to navigate. This program  will help explain what to look for in a book as well as how to help children learn to read.

Curriculum: This program will have a section for adults as well as children. For adults a reading specialist and library staff will explain how children progress from learning to recognize letters to reading independently. They will show a variety of beginning readers and explain what elements to look for when choosing a book. Library staff will show how to find books suitable for early readers using the library catalog. The reading specialist will explain how to help children with reading. Children will attend a session that has crafts and games that is led by a volunteer. Snacks will be provided for children and adults. At the end of the session caregivers and their child will pick a book to take home.

Supplies: Flier with a description of reading levels and tips for helping children learn to read, brochures with book recommendations for each stage, supplies for children’s craft, books from the library collection to checkout, a beginning reader book for each child/caregiver to take home, snacks.

Staff: 1 youth librarian or library assistant, 1 volunteer. 1 reading specialist.

Community Partners: Reading specialist from local elementary school, Friends of the Library

Budget: $150 for snacks, craft supplies, and giveaway books. The $100 for the giveaway books is provided by a donation from the Friends of the Library.

Photo Credit: Boddy, I. Boy holding school book. [Photograph]. Retrieved from Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest.
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