ith few exceptions, there is another important reason why reading to these children can make a tremendous difference in their lives. In her excellent book, “A Framework for Understanding Poverty,” Dr. Ruby Payne explains why children who come from low-income families are at a severe disadvantage when they enter our public schools. It has to do with language. Dr. Payne is the foremost U.S. expert on the mindsets of poverty, middle class, and wealth. She points out there are five registers in every language.

hese are: 1. Frozen: A language that is always the same. For example, the Lord’s Prayer, wedding vows, etc. 2. Formal: The standard sentence syntax and word choice of work and school. It has complete sentences and word choice. 3.Consultative: Formal register when used conversation. Discourse pattern not quite as direct as formal register. 4. Casual: Language between friends and is characterized by a 400-800 word vocabulary. The word choice is general and not specific. Conversation is dependent on non-verbal assists. The sentence syntax is often incomplete. 5. Intimate: Language between lovers or twins and usually takes place at a deeper level of communication.

ere is the reason language skills are so crucial to a child’s success in school and later in life. The children, who come from generational poverty -- more than two generations -- seldom, if ever, hear the formal register used in the home. When they enter school, it’s like another world and with a very limited vocabulary; they are already behind most of the other students. Words are vital because they are not only what we use as communication tools, but they are also what we use to think with.

A Great Reading Coordinator

Literacy & Family Coordinator, Katie Cox, serves as our Reading Coordinator and schedules volunteers to read to our Head Start children each week

ne of the most important people, as it relates to your bookcase project, will be your Reading Coordinator. This is the individual who, with the help of your central committee and others, secures volunteers willing to go to your Head Start Centers and read to the children. Obviously, this person must have some unique skills to be successful in handling this task. First, this person must have a passion for literacy and helping children. This person should be one who has lived in your community for a sufficient length of time to have a broad base of friends and contacts who can be enlisted to be readers.

hey should be task oriented, be a people person and have good organizational skills. One of the first jobs will be to create a database of willing readers, then working from a calendar have them scheduled to be at the centers at designated times. After your database is developed, the right person can handle this job very easily in just a few minutes each week. In our project, only four readers are needed each week.

ince beginning our project we have had two outstanding individuals who have functioned in this position and have done a marvelous job. However, almost by fate, we found a better solution. This is to have a member of the Head Start staff serve as your Reading Coordinator. This person already knows the system and can interact with teachers and staff members. To insure success, members of your committee should work with this person to secure readers, as their contacts in the community may be limited. This is not difficult as you will soon see.

Willing Readers Are Everywhere

ith the right publicity and a superb reading coordinator, you will find a cadre of willing readers in no time at all. One of the goals of this “Bookcase for Every Child” project is to involve people from all across the community who have never been involved in a literacy project before. The reason for placing a ‘flyer’ in each “Learning, Earning & Giving Back” book at your “Bookcase Literacy Banquet” is to give those in attendance an opportunity to indicate what aspect of your project they would like to be involved in.

e have between 50 and 75 individuals here in Conway who have read in the past and they are really a cross-section of the entire community. If there is a university, college, or other institution of higher education in your community, many students, coaches, athletes, and faculty will be more than willing to help. There is another group that has been a great asset to our project and these people should not be overlooked. They are members of the retired teachers association. Many are still in good health and they love to be active and making a contribution.

Forming a Successful Partnership

he good relationship we establish with the director and teachers at the Head Start Centers is crucial to our success. As you interact with these people you will find a wide range of attitudes, from those who are grateful and enthusiastic about our volunteers being there, to those who consider us to be an interruption of their work. To be sure, those in the latter group are few in number, but knowing how to deal with this situation can make the difference between success and failure. This is another reason having a member of the Head Start management team, as your Reading Coordinator, will be most helpful.

e must understand that we are their guests and must abide by their rules. The best days and times to read, the number of children in each session, the length of time, and what books to read should be discussed and agreed upon from the very beginning. They also require a TB Skin Test, which is for your own protection as well.

We have a great partnership with our helpful CAPCA (Head Start) staff, L-R are Carolyn Mallett, Phyliss Fry & Barbara McCollum