User:Jacquelinedang/sandbox

Content
Is everything in the article relevant to the article topic?

- This article seems to be quite heavily worked on and researched. The table of contents itself is rather hefty, including sections on "History," "Modern literacy," "U.S. public library efforts to promote literacy," "Teaching literacy," and "Literacy by Continent." These headings are also divided to even more specific subtopics. The breadth of this article does not give way to irrelevance, however. I believe that the headings outlined in the table contents are related to the main topic.

Is there anything distracting?

- I find that the section titled, "U.S. public library efforts to promote literacy" is a bit distracting due to the subtopics listed under it. The formatting and names of these subtopics deviate from those included in the rest of the article, and very clearly stand out. Some examples include, "30 April: Dia! Diversity in Action," "READ/Orange County," and "BoulderReads!" I'm also not quite sure these, of all public library efforts, were chosen to be highlighted in this article.

Is any information out of date?

- The article seems to include information from a wide time period. Given that there is a whole section dedicated to the history of literacy, and modern literacy, respectively, I'd say that the information has a pretty comprehensive timeline. References to times as early as 8,000 BCE and as recent as 2018 can be found.

Is there anything missing that could be added?

- Though the article does cover a large range of dates in terms of references and general information, I believe that there are some major educational milestones relevant to literacy promotion and improvement that are not currently covered. For instance, "No Child Left Behind" was briefly mentioned in the article, but could definitely be elaborated upon. In addition, there is definitely room for more subtopics under certain headings. "Teaching literacy," for example, could be expanded to include teaching other demographics (e.g. vulnerable populations).

What else could be improved?

- I believe that this article could be improved by a thorough review of what has already been included, and subsequent edit of things that may not be as pertinent. As it stands, the article has relevant information, but it may not necessarily reflect the most pressing literacy issues in present times. The article might also benefit from an overall reorganization and editing of its material so that it is more concise and easier to digest. Some citations are also noted as missing.

Tone
Is the article neutral? Are there any claims that appear heavily biased toward a particular position?

- The article appears neutral, and there are no blatant claims that are biased toward a particular position.

Are there viewpoints that are overrepresented or underrepresented?

- The viewpoint that literacy is important and is a goal that should be achieved is represented by this article. The fact that literacy promotion efforts and literacy programs are highlighted in the article attest to this. Illiteracy is posited to be a bad thing, and something that populations should universally try to move away from. Given this, the contributing authors don't seem to put their own voices into the text.

Checking the Talk Page
What kinds of conversations, if any, are going on behind the scenes about how to represent this topic?

- In terms of representation, there is a comment that there is too much of a focus on the United States, and that the article is too "English-centric." There is also mention of the more technical parts of the article (e.g. phonics, syllables).

How is the article rated? Is it part of any WikiProjects?

- The article has been listed as a level-4 vital article in Language. It is within the scope of WikiProject Education and WikiProject Linguistics, and has been rated as a C-Class on the projects' quality scales. It has also been rated as Top- or High-importance on the projects' importance scales. Wiki Education Foundation supported this article as a course assignment.

How does the way Wikipedia discusses this topic differ from the way we've talked about it in class?

- Wikipedia discusses this topic in a much broader sense than we would talk about it in class. In GPP, education would be considered a key resource, a way to increase human capital, and so on. Wikipedia gives more of a holistic view that may cater to people who want to know more about the technicalities of learning how to read and write, or the history of literacy as opposed to the social impact of it.

Sector Article: Youth mentoring
Literacy - U.S. public library efforts to promote literacy

Plan: Add a BUILD section to the section that talks about other literacy promotion efforts. The section title specifies "U.S. public library," so I will most likely have to change it to be more general and encompassing of other literacy or reading programs. I will also look to add a more general introduction paragraph that gives a brief history or background information about the impetus behind literacy initiatives and perhaps the major funding that allows such programs to be run.

Change of Plan: Add to the Youth Mentoring page - talk about the one-to-one tutoring that BUILD does

Contributions:

Copied and pasted from current Wikipedia page - edits merged

Research on Mentoring Effects

Much research has been conducted on youth mentoring with the intent of determining whether or not there are positive benefits for youth and, if so, under what conditions the positive effects are most likely to occur. The evidence is somewhat mixed, however, and studies caution against overestimating the potential effects due to the small overall magnitude of association. (CITE EBY ET AL – DOES MENTORING MATTER) According to some studies, not all mentoring programs are found to have positive effects.[3][4] In some cases, youth involved in mentoring relationships of short duration or infrequent interactions with their mentors experienced no benefits or were harmed in the form of lower self-esteem. (CITE JEKIELEK) Even studies that demonstrated positive outcomes for youth suggested that benefits from mentoring do not always last for an extended period of time after the intervention has ended.[5][6]

Meta-Analysis

One method of determining how effective mentoring relationships have become is with the use of meta-analysis. Meta-analysis allows a researcher to synthesize several studies and has been said to provide an unbiased, objective, and quantifiable method to test for significant differences in the results found across studies.[7]Two studies utilizing this method are presented below.

In a meta-analysis of 55 studies on mentoring programs, the overall effectiveness of mentoring as well as the factors relating to variation in mentoring effects were studied.[7] In this study, articles found on popular databases as well as possible search engines (such as Yahoo, etc.) that were published between 1970 and 1998 were selected and evaluated. Findings from this meta-analysis indicated that there was an overall positive, though modest, effect from mentoring. The effect appeared to be especially beneficial for youth classified as “at risk” (see at-risk students) or “disadvantaged”. Within this context, such student populations included youth in foster care, academically underachieving youth, youth with incarcerated guardians, youth involved in the juvenile justice system, disabled youth, and youth with children. (CITE DUBOIS) Further findings indicated that effect size may be increased with the use of specific strategies and practices, such as providing continual support and structure to the mentor and relationship. It is important to note, however, that this study cannot imply causality and further research is recommended to explore this relationship.[7]

In another meta-analysis, 39 articles published between 1970 and 2005 were analyzed. Articles were required to measure a quantifiable effect on either delinquency, aggression, substance use, or academic achievement.[8] The overall effects were found to be positive with delinquency as well as with the other outcomes studied. Effects were stronger with the delinquent and aggressive outcomes, while still remaining moderate with the group measuring substance use and academic achievement. This suggests that mentoring programs are especially effective with delinquent behavior.[8]

Use of Best Practices

Research indicates that the use of specific best practices can be used to improve the mentoring experience.[9][10]

In the meta-analysis listed above, several best practices were found to increase effect sizes in mentoring programs:[7]

1.   Monitoring of program implementation

2.   Screening of prospective mentors

3.   Matching of mentors and youth on the basis of one or more relevant criteria

4.   Both pre-match and ongoing training

5.   Supervision for mentor

6.   Support group for mentors

7.   Structured activities for mentors and youth

8.   Parent support or involvement components

9.   Expectations for both frequency of contact and length of relationship

10. Mentor background in a helping role

In addition, there are several mentor websites that suggest the inclusion of similar best practices with the hopes of created greater outcomes for youth.

Research on Informal VS Formal Mentoring

In the research, there is a distinction between a naturally occurring adult-youth relationship (referred to as informal mentoring) and a structured adult-youth relationship where the mentor is assigned or matched (referred to as formal mentoring).[11] There is less research available for informal mentor relationships than there is for formal, but the research indicates that benefits exist for both the mentor and mentee.[11] Research is also available that suggests no effect or negative effects from mentoring, especially if the relationship with the adult fails.[11] Formal mentoring has been better studied in the research and, therefore, more findings are available on this topic. In a review of literature, it was suggested that an emphasis in quality of mentoring relationship and programming has been steadily increasing in the research and a shift in outcome measures is apparent, with most studies measuring general youth development as opposed to reductions in particular deviant behaviors.[11] In another review of literature, 10 studies were analyzed and found a moderate positive effect on mentee grades, reduction of substance use, reduction of some delinquent behaviors, but not with youth self-esteem.[11]

These studies suggest that, although research is conflicting, there is typically an overall positive effect as a result of a mentoring relationship. This positive effect is more likely with the use of established best practices and within the population of youth classified as delinquent or "at risk". Quantitative analysis shows that academic-based mentoring has stronger associations with outcomes than does general youth mentoring. (CITE EBY ET AL – DOES MENTORING MATTER) Most research agrees, however, that further research is necessary and that research with more rigorous methods would be beneficial to the field.

Mentoring Benefits[edit]

The mentoring program for youngsters was mentioned as having significant benefits such as lower dropout rates in high school and subsequently increased graduation rates, along with an increase of enrollment into and graduation from institutions of higher education. (CITE JEKIELEK – MENTORING: A PROMISING STRATEGY FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT) On a day to day basis, youth participating in mentoring relationships demonstrate better attendance, having fewer unexcused absences. (CITE JEKIELEK) Students adopt a more positive attitude towards formal classroom learning with more formidable relationships between students, teachers, and parents. Youngsters also acquire more self-confidence and better behavior at home and school.[12] In turn, this improves their motivation to learn in a given subject area. (CITE EFFECTIVE LITERACY INSTRUCTION FOR ADOLESCENTS – in beginning bibliography) At the same time, there is reduced risk of students making the first move towards alcohol and substance abuse.[13] For teachers, mentoring means enhanced skills in supervision and better patience, sense of fulfilment, and increased self-esteem.[14]

Approaches to mentoring[edit]

School-based[edit]

One prevalent method is referred to as the "School-Based" approach. Oftentimes, teachers refer students to participate in a mentoring relationship due to behavioral problems or difficulties with schoolwork. (CITE RANDOLPH – SCHOOL-BASED MENTORING PROGRAMS) The mentor meets with the youth in an academic setting and facilitates school work while acting as a supportive role-model. They may also play games, do crafts or partake in non-academic activities.[1] This approach is practiced by organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters which is located in eleven countries including Ireland, the United States, Israel, and Bulgaria. As of 2005, there was an estimated 870,000 adults mentoring youth in a school-based program throughout The United States alone.[1] An estimated 70% of all formal mentoring programs in the United States are categorized as school-based. (CITE RANDOLPH) Canada has developed an in-school program in which elderly Aboriginal mentors are paired with both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children to raise self-esteem, teach about native cultures, and provide support to youth in school.[15]

Statistics prove that school-based mentoring will increase academic student involvement. The school-based approach revealed improvement in the classroom and socially. Mentors are matched with a student and they work one on one with the student throughout the school year. Focusing on schoolwork, the student’s interest, and other activities. As a mentor the expectation is to be a positive role model that is supportive and encouraging. This relationship will help motivate the student to be successful in school, reducing school infractions and truancy.[16]

Community-based[edit]

"Community Based" is another approach to mentoring.[17] In this setting, a mentor meets youth in the community such as a church, community facility, or by taking the child to community events. Both approaches can be done in a one-on-one or group setting. Individual vs. community based mentoring may be culturally specific, such as in India where youth are less in need of individual attention and thrive in a group setting, according to The International Journal of Social Work.[17]

Community engagement statistics states that mentees after mentoring programs are 55% more likely to enroll in college, 78% more likely to volunteer regularly, 90% are interested in becoming a mentor, and 130% more likely to hold leadership positions. [18]

Individual[edit]

Individual mentoring, or a one on one setting is where there is one mentor who repeatedly meets with the same mentee for the duration of their program. These partnerships can be found in both community and school-based programs. One on one mentoring is seen in programs such as Big Brothers, Big Sisters in The United States, as well as Mentor Me India in India. This mentoring style is regarded as one of the most widespread social interventions in the U.S., with an estimated 3 million youth were in formal one on one mentoring relationships. (CITE RHODES + DUBOIS) The traditional model is structured so that mentors and youth are paired through a formal mechanism and pairings are free to spend time together in a range of different activities and settings as to help build their relationship with one another. (CITE DUBOIS- INTRODUCTION TO THE SPECIAL ISSUE)  Individual mentor relationships or mixed with some group meetings were found to be more effective than solely group mentoring, found in a study in The New Zealand Journal of Psychology.[19]

The most effective and successful mentoring relationships are defined by the development of trust between the mentor and the student. Studies examining such relationships show that trust is the most critical factor in determining whether the relationship will be perceived as satisfying by both parties. In order to build trust in a one-on-one setting, the approach of the mentor is key. Mentors who prioritize relationship or friendship building tend to be more effective than those who focus largely on goals and reforming their students. (CITE SIPE)

Effective mentors are likely to be characterized by having a consistent presence in their mentees’ lives, respect for their mentees’ viewpoints, greater attention for their mentees’ desires or goals, and accountability for maintaining good relations. (CITE SIPE)

Less effective mentors typically do not meet with their mentees regularly, attempt to reform or transform their mentees, and overemphasize behavioral or academic changes. (CITE SIPE)

Area Article: Literacy in the United States
Plan: I intend to add in a section to this article, which currently only gives an overview of literacy rates in the United States and includes data/summary of surveys that were distributed nationally to gauge adult literacy proficiency. My section will introduce the idea that areas of varying income have varying literacy rates, which suggest a correlation (e.g. areas populated by higher income individuals have better literacy rates than areas populated by lower income individuals).

Change of Plan: Move the current lead section into a section called, "Measuring literacy," and rename the existing section, "Defining and measuring literacy" section as "Defining literacy." I propose to craft a new lead section for this article. I would like to discuss the place of literacy in U.S. curriculum, with some mention of the history of literacy in this context. After moving portions of the lead section into a new section, I would also like to expand upon "Measuring literacy."

Contributions:

Add as Lead Section

The National Bureau of Economic Research published a data series overviewing the history of education in the United States leading up to the 20th and 21st centuries, stating that "formal education, especially basic literacy, is essential for a well-functioning democracy, and enhances citizenship and community." (CITE GOLDIN)

In the 19th century, literacy rates amongst the United States population were relatively high despite the decentralized educational system. (CITE GOLDIN)

Though there has been a notable increase in American citizens' educational attainment since then, studies have indicated declining reading performance starting in the 1970s. (CITE STEDMAN)

Though in the past, entities such as the U.S. Adult Education and Literacy System (AELS) and legislation such as the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 have highlighted the education as a topic of national importance (CITE STICHT), the push for high levels of mass literacy has been a recent development. Expectations concerning literacy have sharply increased over the past decades. (CITE RESNICK - THE NATURE OF LITERACY) Contemporary standards for adequate literacy have become more difficult to meet in comparison to historical criteria. Whereas such standards were only applied to the elite in the past, due to the proliferation of and increased accessibility to education in the form of public schools, the expectation of mass literacy has been applied to the entirety of the U.S. population.

Being literate has particular importance once an individual reaches adulthood, as the changing dynamics of the American job market demand greater skills and knowledge of entry-level workers. In the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy, young adults without postsecondary education experienced difficulties obtaining career positions. A multivariable analysis revealed that low and below basic literacy rates were characteristic of individuals lacking higher education. (CITE JIN - PREPARING YOUTH FOR THE FUTURE)

Thus, improving and sustaining mass literacy at earlier stages in education has also become a main focus of American leaders and policymakers. Dating back to when A Nation at Risk was published in 1983, there has been great interest in the performance of American students relative to that of youth populations across the globe. It has been observed that adolescents undergo a critical transition during their grade school years, which prepares them to learn and apply knowledge to their actions and behavior in the real world. (CITE STEELE - INTRODUCTION: WHY ADOLESCENT LITERACY MATTERS) Similarly to how the jobs market has become more demanding, the rigor of educational institutions has also increased to prepare students for the more complex tasks that will be expected of them moving forward. (CITE ALVERMANN - EFFECTIVE LITERACY INSTRUCTION) Addressing the issue of subpar reading performance and low literacy rates amongst the youth is particularly pertinent to achieving high levels of mass literacy because the issue of subpar academic performance is compounded. Essentially, students who struggle at an early age continue to struggle throughout their educational years because they do not have the same foundation of understanding and breadth of knowledge to build upon as their peers. This often translates below average poor literacy levels in later grades and even adulthood. (CITE NARROWING THE LITERACY GAP: WHAT WORKS IN HIGH-POVERTY SCHOOLS - in beginning bibliography)

Literacy levels at both adult and adolescent ages have been brought under greater scrutinization in the U.S., with numerous reports and studies being published year to year to monitor the nation's status. Initiatives to improve literacy rates have taken the form of government provisions and external funding, which have been driving forces behind national education reform from primary school levels to higher education. (CITE GOLDIN)

Add to "Measuring literacy"

Functional literacy can be broken down further as useful literacy, informational literacy, and pleasurable literacy. Useful literacy reflects the most common practice of using understanding of written text to navigate daily life, as in the aforementioned examples. Informational literacy can essentially be defined as text comprehension and the ability to connect the new information presented in the text to previous knowledge. Pleasurable literacy is simply the ability of an individual to read, understand, and engage with texts that he or she enjoys. (CITE RESNICK - LITERACY IN SCHOOL AND OUT)

In a more abstract sense, multiple literacies can be classified into school, community, and personal conceptions. These categories refer to an individual's ability to learn about academic subjects, understand social and cultural contexts, as well as learn about themselves from examination of their own backgrounds. (CITE GALLEGO - LITERACY IN SCHOOL AND OUT)

Sector: Youth Mentoring
(3 for Beginning Bibliography - 7-10 total)

Annotation = 1-2 line summary + 1 line key concept/argument/framework/approach/striking or useful fact + 3-4 lines explaining relevance to understanding of PE/Wiki article editing


 * 1) Handbook of Early Literacy Research, Volume 2 This source discusses emergent literacy of low-income children in the Head Start program, drawing relationships to child and family characteristics, program factors, and classroom quality. On page 350, the source provides an interesting flowchart modeling the multilevel factors predicting classroom quality and children's achievements/gains in the Head Start year. The source provides a brief history of the Head Start program and the methodology. It mentions that Head Start was not designed based on an extensive body of research, which can be said of BUILD as well. Thus, this source would be useful for writing my piece about BUILD because it would give me an example of a pre-established reading program that I could compare and contrast with. It would definitely widen my scope, and allow me to be able to write more comprehensively about what qualifies BUILD as a literacy program using Head Start as a kind of benchmark.
 * 2) Effective Literacy Instruction for Adolescents This article focuses on the importance of keeping adolescents' interests and needs in mind when designing literacy instruction at middle school and high school levels. It is catered towards a more general, lay audience, making it an easier read. This article is useful because it presents parameters with which to reevaluate my PE. It makes me consider which methods are most effective and enjoyable from the students' perspectives as opposed to the methods endorsed by instructors or that are "proven" to be the "best" by statistics. In addition, the article distinguishes literacy from reading, which is a distinction that I myself haven't thought much into yet. I will be sure to take this into consideration when writing a description of what BUILD is and what work it does as an organization.
 * 3) School's Out: Bridging Out-of-school Literacies with Classroom Practice This source refers specifically to after-school programs and outside activities through the lens of literacy improvement. Literacy-related activities that are highlighted include diaries, plays, and even graffiti. I find that this article is unique and may offer valuable insight to how non-mainstream activities can be employed to boost children's interest in [unconsciously] becoming more literate. According to this work, taking such activities out of the "school" or "homework" spheres encourages students to be much more receptive and willing to engage. This is particularly relevant to my PE because BUILD is in itself an after-school program that is entirely optional to students. The source presents different activities that have the potential to actually be implemented as a regular practice within not only BUILD, but other after school programs as well.

Area: Literacy in the United States
(3 for Beginning Bibliography - 7-10 total)


 * 1) Handbook of Early Literacy Research, Volume 1 This source covers early language and literacy skills in low-income African American and Hispanic children. This particular chapter focuses on describing skills and experiences of children in poverty during preschool years along with the transition to literacy. The 3 causal explanations of why poor children are at risk [of illiteracy, or below-average literacy] presented in this source are: biological/health mechanisms, the environments in which poor children live, and discrimination and poor fit for students created by schools or greater society. This source is relevant in the context of my PE because it provides information about the underlying factors that may lead certain students to be at a disadvantage from the start of their academic careers. It provides insight to how learning environment is very important in terms of affecting a child's ability to learn. In addition, this source also encompasses students from middle-class families. I find that this is relevant to my PE because I cannot assume that the students I work with are exclusively low-income.
 * 2) The Widening Income Achievement Gap This article discusses how the academic achievement gap between students from high-income and low-income families has changed in the past few decades. It explores the historical trends that have emerged in educational proficiency - standardized test scores, grades, high school completion rates, college enrollment, etc. This source is useful because it is very clear in presenting its findings. The 3 main findings that it covers are: the significant growth of the gap, how income gaps in other measures of educational success have grown, and how the achievement gap is already large when students first begin school. I find that the graphs and trend analysis provided in this paper will be useful in laying down the foundation for my own writing because it provides extensive background about how and why the educational gap has come into existence in U.S. school systems. In addition, it provides information about students from the other end of the spectrum - high-income.
 * 3) Narrowing the Literacy Gap: What Works in High-Poverty Schools This source provides information about why education matters in the context of a student's life, and how the achievement gap in school can set back a child for years to come (perhaps even into adulthood). It situates reading as a skill amongst many others, and explains why it is integral to the development of an individual into a high-functioning person who contributes meaningfully to society. It explains that language learning is a part of not only being able to read and write text, but is a part of learning about social and ideological spheres that ultimately define an individual's own relationships and experiences in reality. The source goes on to talk about potential ways to alleviate the literacy gap, which is clearly relevant in relation to my PE, as it is BUILD's goal to do just that. In addition, it will help me answer the "who cares" of my Wikipedia contribution. I would like to demonstrate that illiteracy and literacy can both lead to snowball effects in terms of difficulty and/or success in later academic pursuits. I would like my article to resonate with those who read it, and in order for my writing to do that, I must be able to convey the significance of my topic - literacy - in the context of real-life.

Sector: Youth Mentoring

 * 1) Public Service Center: BUILD Overview of what BUILD is and does.
 * 2) City of Berkeley: Project BUILD Overview of what BUILD is and does.

Archived:

 * Tried to read, but only abstract was available. Discusses the role "expectation" has in the outcome or performance of low-income grade school students.


 * Caregiver-Child Interactions and Early Literacy Development of Preschool Children From Low-Income Environments


 * The role of home literacy environment in the development of language ability in preschool children from low-income families
 * Does Literacy Mediate the Relationship between Education and Health Outcomes? A Study of a Low-Income Population with Diabetes
 * Promoting Language and Literacy in Young Dual Language Learners: Research, Practice, and Policy
 * Literacy in Early Childhood and Primary Education

Sector: Youth Mentoring
In a general sense, literacy programs aim to improve phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, writing, and fluency. Phonics (link to Wikipedia page) is linked to phonemic awareness (link to Wikipedia page), and the two collective refer to the ability to recognize and understand different sound and spelling patterns, and correspond them to words in spoken, read, and written language. Phonics specifically is the method for teaching reading and writing of the English language (direct quote). Literacy programs catered towards beginning language learners tend to focus more on phonics, since participants are at a stage at which their phonemic awareness is not very developed. Such awareness and ability to piece together new words is the precursor to becoming versed in a language. Vocabulary (link to Wikipedia page) is defined as a set of familiar words within a person's language. Literacy programs can help participants expand their vocabulary by exposure to more literary works, and in turn, enabling them to learn different words and their respective meanings. Comprehension (link to Wikipedia page) is defined as the ability to process text, understand its meaning, and integrate with prior knowledge. Though an individual may be able to recognize and read certain words in their vocabulary, he or she may not be able to understand the word in context. Reading comprehension refers to understanding on a larger scale, such as being able to understand a sentence, identify the main points of a paragraph, or discern the moral of a story. By reading with someone who has better phonemic awareness, vocabulary, and comprehension skills, participants in a literacy program can improve their personal reading comprehension by asking clarification questions when the do not understand certain portions of text. Writing (link to Wikipedia page) is the communication of language in a visual format using the alphabet rearranged into words, sentences, and paragraphs. Besides the aforementioned element of vocabulary, various aspects such as semantics and grammar are also necessary to write properly. Writing skills are also emphasized in many programs because literacy by definition is the partnered ability to understand and produce text in a respective language. Lastly, fluency (link to Wikipedia page) is a measurement of an individual's language ability, specifically referring to how quickly, smoothly, and coherently a person can read, write, or speak. Through increased practice reading, writing, and speaking a given language within literacy programs, individuals can refine their language ability to improve fluency.

Literacy programs are catered towards a variety of age groups, ranging from pre-K, to grade school, to high school, and even higher education and adults. They are often school initiated or sponsored by the city through public libraries or learning centers.

(Unsure of how to integrate this sub-section about BUILD)

BUILD is a Bay-Area based literacy program that primarily serves students within Berkeley and Oakland school districts. Participating schools include Cragmont Elementary, John Muir Elementary, Berkeley Maynard Academy, and more. The program runs during the school year and throughout the summer, serving (include number of students + mentors). BUILD operates as a non-profit organization (double check) that pairs volunteer or work-study student mentors from Berkeley with 3 student "scholars" (unsure about "scholars") from an assigned school. Mentors meet with their designated students weekly on a one-on-one basis for 30-minute sessions. During these sessions, mentors can work on varying skills with their scholars, from reading leveled books, to practicing sight vocabulary or learning to write new words.

(^ BUILD description needs refining - evaluate for an encyclopedic tone)

Area: Literacy in the United States
(Big picture goal for this section: Literacy in Education - needs refining; Importance of Literacy as a subsection?; Literacy in the US Curriculum - with some mention of the history of literacy in this context)

A student's economic and social backgrounds may be indicators of literacy levels or may provide explanations for his or her respective level.

(Need to find statistics about literacy rates, below standard reading levels)

Students of lower socio-economic status are at greater risk of illiteracy, or substandard literacy in comparison to students from [middle class and] upper class backgrounds. The Handbook of Early Literacy Research presents three underlying causes that may explain this, including biological/health mechanisms, living environments, and discrimination and poor fit created by schools or greater society. (Should I expand more upon this here - it's someone else's theory?)

Literacy is particularly relevant because it is necessary across almost all school subjects. In order to read and understand textbooks, PowerPoint slides presented in lecture, or be able to complete written practice problems, an individual must be literate. Not being able to read and write up to standard could severely hinder a student's ability to succeed in educational environments overall.

As such, evaluating trends in standardized test scores, grades, high school completion rates, and college enrollment provide insight to the educational proficiency of students of differing demographics. (Socio-economic background, age, gender, race, etc.) Evaluating such trends according to socio-economic categorization shine light on the Achievement gap in the United States (link to Wikipedia page).

Within the context of the achievement gap, which is more general, there also exists a literacy gap (should provide a source that qualifies this term). (May also want to put statistics here?) (I want to say something about the fact that establishing literacy - or perhaps the failure to do so - sets the stage for the rest of a student's academics as they progress through higher education, and can even have bearing on his or her career as an adult. Literacy is the foundation upon technical skill development, communication, and more advanced knowledge is built upon. It is integral to the development of an individual into a high-functioning person who is able to contribute to society. )

Notes About BUILD
BUILD is a Bay Area-based reading program that primarily serves students in South and West Berkeley as well as Oakland school districts.

BUILD operates both during the academic school year and during the summer.

There are about 560 Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade students in select schools who participate in BUILD Summer Reading.

BUILD program locations:

Berkeley School Sites

- Berkeley Arts Magnet

- Elementary

- Emerson Elementary

- Jefferson Elementary

- John Muir Elementary

- Malcolm X Elementary School

- Oxford Elementary

- Rosa Parks

- Sylvia Mendez (formerly LeConte) Elementary

- Thousand Oaks

- Washington Elementary

Oakland Sites

- Berkeley Maynard Academy

- Kinship Youth Program

- Lafayette Elementary

- Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School

- Sankofa Elementary

- Think College Now & International Community School

Berkeley Community Sites

- Bahia School Age Program

- Berkeley Youth Alternatives

- James Kenney Recreation Center

Mentors are typically Berkeley students who volunteer, are given unit credits, or are paid through work study. The general time commitment is 4-6 hours per week for at least a semester.

ADD PARTNERS HERE

City of Berkeley webpage's brief description of BUILD

BUILD's official Berkeley website