Take Five for Literacy

purpose

Coming to school being ready to read can be one of the greatest predictors of school success for a kindergarten student. Unfortunately, many factors challenge family’s abilities to access early literacy materials like books, writing tools, and early learning toys. Children enter kindergarten not recognizing letters or knowing what sounds they make, not being able to rhyme, not knowing how to hold a crayon. When asked by community volunteers what they could do to help five-year-olds, one teacher responded, “If they could just come in knowing how to hold a pencil, it would make all the difference.”

Take Five is an early childhood literacy project designed to support preschoolers coming to school ready to learn. On Kindergarten Registration Day, LightShare volunteers travel to schools within the communities we are serving and distribute Take Five literacy kits. The kits were designed by LightShare staff and volunteers and include writing tools, books, a journal, a dry erase board, a folder with letters/shapes/colors/numbers, and a parent primer focusing on 5-minute activities that develop reading skills. LightShare also screens each child who receives a kit to determine their level of reading readiness so school staff will have additional information for planning and preparation. This screening information is also used to determine how reading readiness can impact children’s success in their first year of school