The Mission
Reach Out and Read prepares America’s
youngest children to succeed in school by
partnering with doctors to prescribe books
and encourage families to read together.
Reach Out and Read
•Medical providers encourage parents to read aloud
and offer practical advice on how to do so
•At every health supervision visit, children aged 6
months to 6 years old receive a new,
developmentally appropriate book
•Waiting rooms provide a literacy rich environment
The ROR Impact Nationwide
• Reach Out and Read serves 35% of low
income infants, toddlers and preschoolers in
the US at over 4500 programs nationwide
• Low income children participating score
significantly higher on vocabulary tests and
show improved language development
• Increases family engagement towards reading
aloud
Summary of Research on ROR
• ROR significantly and positively influences the
literacy environment of children: Parents read
more to their children, parents and children
have more positive attitudes toward reading
aloud
• Children participating in ROR tend to have
increased language development in
comparison to non-participating children.
Why Early Literacy?
• 35% of US children entering kindergarten lack the
necessary language skills needed to learn to read
• Children who live in print-rich environments and who
are read to during the first years of life are much
more likely to learn to read on schedule
• Only 48% of parents in the US read to their children
daily
• Parents of children living in poverty lack the money,
background and access to quality books for their
children
Toledo Public Schools
• Grade/Percent Passing Reading
Proficiency
• 3rd Grade/65.6%
• 5th Grade/54.8%
• 8th Grade/47.5%
• 10th Grade/77.9%
(2009)
How Reading Aloud Helps Little Brains
Develop
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Fosters language development
Promotes reading skills
Prepares children for school success
Motivates children to love books
Promotes snuggling and other positive
interactions! (emotional benefits)
Early Literacy
“What children know about
reading and writing before
they actually learn to read and
write”.
Two 6-month olds, Two Families
Family #1
Literacy rich environment
• Baby/adult books,
magazines, computers,
newspapers
• Vocabulary rich
conversation, book sharing,
• Kindergarten: expanding
vocabulary, letter
recognition
• 4th grade – likely on target
Family #2
No books in the home
• Background TV on at all
times
• Parents don’t read for
pleasure
• Kindergarten: learning how
to deal w/books, behind on
language skills/vocabulary
• 4th grade – likely poor
readers.
SO…if every child is read to daily…
• More children will be ready for school …
• Fewer children will have difficulty in school
…More will have success in school.
• Fewer children will drop out of school.
• Fewer children will abuse drugs/alcohol.
• Fewer children will become teen parents.
• More children will move out of poverty.
The Foundation of Early Literacy
• Print Motivation -being interested in and enjoying
books
• Print Awareness – creating environments full of print
• Vocabulary – knowing the names of things
• Letter Knowledge – recognizing letters and sounds in
print and in verbal language
• Narrative Skills – being able to describe things and
events and tell stories.
• Phonological Awareness - Being able to hear and play
with smaller sounds in words.
Toledo Area Early Literacy
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Reach Out and Read, UT Dept. of Pediatrics
Toledo Lucas County Library
Read For Literacy – “Creating Young Readers”
WGTE Early Learning
Help Me Grow
United Way
Reach Out and Read of Northwest Ohio
The University of Toledo Department of Pediatrics
• 18 sites locally
• Hospital based clinics, health dept. clinics, private physician
offices
• 12,000 children annually
• 24,000 new books
• Hundreds of gently used books
• Coordinating community early literacy efforts at local programs
such as Help Me Grow, Polly Fox Academy, and Lucas County DD
• Provides early literacy training for Jobs and Family Services
home-based and center-based providers.
Lori LeGendre
Program Director
Reach Out and Read of Northwest Ohio
University of Toledo Department of Pediatrics
3120 Glendale, Mail Stop 1202
Toledo, Ohio 43614-5809
Phone: 419-383-4007 Fax: 419-383-6389
Email: Lori.LeGendre@utoledo.edu
How You Can Help
• Promote early literacy and “sharing books” among
family, friends and work contacts.
• Donate new or gently used books to local early
literacy programs.
• Conduct book drives at places of employment or
worship.
• Volunteer at local early literacy programs.
• Make a $$ donation to support the purchase of
books for young children.