Reaching Hispanic readers

NEA Today, Oct 2001 by Green, Michelle Y

The Young Readers Summer Program shows young Hispanic students that reading skills are valuable in any language.

Rosa Briceno was too busy to go to the beach this past summer, but she did transport dozens of Hispanic kids there without a bus or van. Her vehicle? A book.

Briceno, family program coordinator with Arlington County Public Schools in Virginia, took part in the Young

Readers Summer Program, a project of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) that encourages language-minority children to make reading a lifelong habit. The Arlington program-one of 20 sites nationally-was coordinated and run by the local LULAC Council, in partnership with the NEA and the

Arlington Education Association "If we can help establish con reading practices at an early age," says Briceno, "students will have more of a chance of succeeding." This foundation is critical as Hispanic students get older and have to manage content-rich subjects, she says. "Without it, the achievement gap widens, and many will start dropping out."

That's why five staffers and two very active moms spent five weeks of their summer immersing 90 students from pre-K to fifth grade in the joys of reading. They read beach-themed books, made sand art, shared salt water taffy, even witnessed the shark feeding at the aquarium in Washington, D.C.

"When you build on involved reading experiences, it means something to the students," says reading ESL teacher Kathryn Scruggs, president of the Arlington Education Association.

"And that's what makes for lasting achievement."

All activities took place at Barrett Elementary School, whose regular population is 70 percent Hispanic or Latino. LULAC, with help from NEA, also started a monthly reading program at the school for parents and students this September.

"Research tells us that it doesn't matter what language you read in," says Briceno. " If you're able to master reading in your own language, it's very easy to transfer to another."

She suggests ways that educators can help build positive reading experiences for Hispanic students:

Make sure school and classroom libraries are stocked with bilingual books.

Encourage students to take bilingual books home so parents can read with them.

Show that other languages have equal value by using and displaying vocabulary words and visuals throughout the classroom. That "background curriculum" is often neglected.

Consider family library interactive storytimes that engage parents and students. Share books that are bilingual or in Spanish. Encourage participation through call-and-response and make-and-take activities. Finish with a book check out.

"Respect literacy no matter how it comes--in less-than-- perfect English, or in Spanish," says Scruggs. "Literacy builds on talking and writing and reading in any language."

Michelle Y. Green

For More: Visit www.lulac.org

Need more info? Look on the Web

Visit NEA's Read Across America Web site at www.nea.org/readacross for help in planning your NEA Read Across America activities. This year, nearly all the contents of the Resource Kit will be available on the Web--certicates, book lists, events ideas and more, and you'll love our new look!

www.nea.org/readacress/pledge.html