Literacy Now, a local non-profit organization launches the Literacy Lab program to address staffing shortages in the organization’s expanding Reading Intervention program. Literacy Lab is a new initiative designed for individuals who have a passion for working with children (Kindergarten–2nd grade) and education but may not have formal teaching training or a degree in early childhood education or related fields. Upon successfully completing the Literacy Lab program, participants will be offered a part-time position with Literacy Now as a Reading Interventionist for the Reading Intervention program.
Participants in Literacy Lab will be trained on small group instruction, parent engagement, how to work with struggling readers in a school environment, and other essential teaching skills. This program aims to create highly trained, relationship and mission-driven educators that provide quality lessons in an age-appropriate, culturally sensitive manner. The Literacy Lab will run from January 30, 2023, through April 27, 2023, with the option to work during summer school programming through July 12, 2023. Individuals are required to have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university to apply.
“We are excited to launch our Literacy Lab initiative and begin to expand our outstanding and dedicated staff,” said Jacque Daughtry, CEO at Literary Now. “Literacy Lab will be an essential tool as we continue to grow Literacy Now’s reach to more students across Houston through our Reading Intervention program. We encourage anyone interested in applying to Literacy Lab to join us at one of our information sessions.”
As the heart and soul of Literacy Now, the Reading Intervention program targets students in kindergarten through 2nd grade who are struggling to read. The program provides 25-weeks of individualized, small-group (4:1 ratio) instruction to help struggling readers become proficient readers by the end of 3rd grade. The program provides hands-on instruction that meet the students’ individual learning needs through mastery of foundational reading skills and relationship building. Literacy Now is the ONLY non-profit organization that provides this type of critical reading intervention programing within Houston and Aldine ISDs.
Literacy Now has been on the frontline of transforming the lives of underserved and at-risk children and their families for 16 years. Currently, Literacy Now is reaching less than 23% of Houston ISD and Aldine ISD students who need the programming they provide. Due to the overwhelming community needs, Literacy Now is in the midst of a five-year strategic plan to expand its reach significantly to serve more children and families with a focus on their Reading Intervention program. In fact, the organization is serving 134% more students than it did just two years ago. By the 2024–2025 school year, Literacy Now is projected to be in 30 Houston ISD and Aldine ISD elementary schools, providing critical reading invention to more than 2,200 K–2nd grade students.
For Literacy Now Reading Interventionist videos and Literacy Lab logo, see here. To sign up for a Literacy Lab Information Session, visit https://bit.ly/3BQdRBM. For questions, please email operations@literacynowhouston.org.