Rose Simmons

LMSW – Director of Programs

616.452.3226 Ext. 3037


rsimmons@umchousegr.org

Literacy:

Literacy Competency For Life Program

Literacy is the key to opportunity, more today than ever. Our Literacy Program strives to integrate opportunities to build literacy skills across all areas of our programming.

Child care teachers intentionally build developmentally appropriate literacy activities into every child’s day to assure that they will develop the early literacy skills they will need to be successful in school and in life.

Our Youth programs reinforce literacy activities from school and provide opportunities for enrichment activities, such as book clubs, games and journaling. We also provide tutoring for kids who need more individual attention. We work with parents and families to help them, not only find the resources they need to improve their literacy skills, but help them help their children develop their skills.

In our Senior Center, we work with seniors who have either never had the opportunity to learn to read or have low literacy skills, to reach their reading goals including being able to read their prescription bottles or read to their grandchildren.

By embedding literacy into all of our programming we empower our children, families and seniors to build the skills they will need to be successful at home, work or play.

 
This program is funded, in part, through the Keller Foundation!



www.kellerfoundation.org

Take a look at some recent outcomes regarding our Literacy Competency for Life program!

110 children had access to literacy enriched and developmentally appropriate child development programming.

According to a Literacy Accomplishment Checklist (standardized screening tool), 100% of the children attending the UMCH Child Development Center for 9 months or longer met or exceeded age-appropriate literacy and language skills.

On average, the children improved their scores 40% from mid-year to the end of the year.

In fall of 2010, we had over 24 preschoolers graduate from UMCH’s program and enter school developmentally on track and ready for Kindergarten!

United Methodist Community House teachers increased their knowledge of emergent literacy concepts and integrated those concepts into daily classroom curriculum.