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Georgia College & State University’s Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language & Literacy will be hosting volunteer reader training on Jan. 20.
Founded in 2017 by the Governor’s office and the state legislature, the Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy works to improve literacy skills and reading outcomes for children of Georgia. In celebration of Deal’s birthday, on Feb. 1 each year, the center promotes reading for the Sandra Deal Birthday Reading Celebration, which inspired the offering of this course.
“Each year, we try to get people to read to children in their communities in celebration of her birthday. By offering this course, we are hoping it will give more community members the skills and tools they need to engage in reading with children, not only for the celebration but throughout the year,” said Caroline Lacksen, early literacy professional development specialist. “Reading and literacy was something very important to Sandra Deal and our goal is to continue to make reading accessible and engaging to the children of Georgia.”
Volunteer readers are generally people within the community who volunteer to visit a school, read to students, and engage with them about their choice of literature.
“We try to connect with anyone who interacts with children from birth through age 8 to promote literacy and have children reading for success,” said Lacksen. “Volunteer readers are one outlet to reach this goal within the schools.”
The course will train individuals how to go into the classroom and engage students in a shared reading opportunity. They will learn how to connect with the schools, how to offer a high-quality reading experience to build students’ skills and interest in reading, and how to build confidence as guest readers.
Attendees will also complete all the requirements necessary to be able to have access and entry into the school, including background checks and more.
“Our overall goal is to give the confidence and the tools for those who want to help with literacy development and offer them the access and ability to help,” said Lakcsen. “By giving them this targeted training, they can maximize the short time they can visit the classroom.”
The benefit of a volunteer reader, according to Lacksen, is allowing someone new in the classroom to interact with students and strengthening the relationship between the school system and the community. New interactions help to build social and emotional skills and make connections that students may not get to experience otherwise.
“These interactions help to build a child’s brain and allow for engagement both inside and outside of the classroom,” said Lacksen. “What attendees of the course learn can be applied inside the classroom but also outside.
They can help to build reading engagement by connecting with the schools and also using those skills to connect with children in areas around the community too.”
Carrie Deal, the daughter of Sandra Dunagan Deal and former Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal will be the keynote speaker of the course and will discuss ways that attendees can use these skills beyond the classroom. Deal has been an advocate for literacy like her parents and is a member of the board at the Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy.
“She will be our champion speaker and will promote the importance of teaching reading and ensuring that children are engaged as they read,” said Lacksen. “She’s been a phenomenal person in the movement to improve literacy and teaching children how to read for success.”
The volunteer reader training will be conducted Jan. 20 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Georgia College & State University’s College of Education.
The course is $25 and will be taught in the Peabody Auditorium (211 N. Wilkinson St.).
“We are very grateful to be able to host the course in the College of Education and have the assistance of Continuing and Professional Education to host the event,” said Lacksen. “This is the inaugural class and we are hoping to continue to offer and improve it over the years.”
To register for the course visit https://cpe.gcsu.edu/gcsu/course/course.aspx?C=1275&pc= 8&mc=27&sc=0 or scan the QR code.