Over 60 Red Deer Public School students entering Grade 3 are boosting their literacy skills during the 8th annual Reading College at RDC this month.

By Sheldon Spackman

Inspiring To Read

Young readers receive literacy boost at Reading College

Jul 11, 2019 | 3:36 PM

Over 60 Red Deer Public School students entering Grade 3 this fall are getting a much-welcomed boost to their literacy skills this summer through the eighth annual Reading College.

An initiative of The Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools, Reading College takes place on the campus of RDC and immerses the young students in a literacy-rich environment where support is offered to strengthen their skills and give confidence and excitement to reading and writing.

Mentor teacher and program coordinator Elvy Goring says the students involved were selected by their Grade 2 teachers.

“They get 21 extra days in the summer to work on their literacy skills and we try to give them that added boost so they go into Grade 3 full of confidence and great reading and writing skills,” exclaims Goring. “We have three classrooms and the students rotate through them. We have a Dr. Seuss theme, we have radical readers, awesome authors and word wizards.”

Nicole Buchanan, board chair for Red Deer Public Schools says the Reading College program is important because the highest indication of high school completion is the grade level of what elementary students are at Grade 3.

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“So by helping them this summer in between Grade 2 and Grade 3, it helps them with one of our pillars,” she explains. ”It’s a great program and we’ve seen great success from it. We definitely appreciate all our partners and sponsors that help us.”

Rod Holt, interim dean, school of continuing education at RDC admits the Reading College is a proud tradition for them.

“One of the reasons is, we believe in lifelong learning and we believe learning can happen anytime, anywhere,” says Holt. “This program allows us to engage with learners at a very young age and for them to experience a college environment and have that impression and start to envision themselves as a lifelong learner. We can’t imagine a summer without Red Deer Public and Reading College on our campus.”

Holt points-out the program also provides a platform for their Bachelor of Education students to participate as instructors.

“While Red Deer Public has teachers and volunteers, we also have students who are in progress of completing their Bachelors of Education or who recently graduated who are working with Red Deer Public and with kids for their future as well as future educators,” adds Holt.

Reading College runs from July 3 – 31.