This website is designed to support the important work of Adolescent Literacy after-school programs that receive funding through the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD). These pages provide program managers and instructors, facilitators, and teaching artists with an overview of the great work underway in each program, resources to support instruction, and evidence-based literacy instruction. These suggestions and resources found on this website were selected for the unique context of after-school adolescent literacy programs located in New York City.
According to You for Youth, research indicates that after-school literacy activities benefit students most when staff:
Target Texts, Integrate Skills Create an engaging environment of texts—magazines, picture books, fiction, and non-fiction—that speaks to student interests and culture. A balance of listening, speaking, reading, and writing about rich and intriguing texts will provide students with opportunities to practice these specific skills.
Identify Standards, Assess Needs, Define Goals New York state has established standards for literacy instruction at various grade levels, targeting skills and content to improve academic outcomes. Observing student needs and consulting with school-day teachers helps programs understand state standards and identify appropriate learning goals for their student population. Find New York state's standards for English Language Arts here: http://www.nysed.gov/curriculum-instruction/english-language-arts-ela-literacy-standards. Explore the standards-aligned strategies and resources on this website under Adolescent Literacy Instruction.
Incorporate Real-World Activities Effective afterschool literacy programs can help literacy feel less like a requirement and more connected to ideas and experiences that are useful in real life. There are many ways to incorporate literacy instruction into real-world activities including: engaging reluctant readers with directions for cooking, carpentry, or games; talking and writing about their experiences after field trips or during science experiments; and interviewing community members about themes like work, family traditions, or history, and then creating books that tell their stories.
Consider Student Choice, Grade, Age and Skills Ask students about their favorite books and topics, and what interests them and why. Consult with classroom teachers and librarians to identify texts that correspond to grade, age, and skill levels appropriately. Use this research to plan fun and engaging activities that will reinforce school-day curriculum and goals.
Assess Student Progress Frequent informal assessment—when staff and students share feedback about progress—will lead to growth in literacy skills. Effective afterschool literacy programs establish learning goals that address student needs. They use journals, rubrics, displays, performances, and informal notes to frame positive discussions about how students use different learning strategies; how instructors can encourage positive risk-taking; what skills and strengths students are developing; and in which areas they can improve. Afterschool formal evaluation plans also identify outcomes for assessment, requiring periodic data collection and annual reports. These plans may specify academic growth, school attendance, student motivation, self-esteem, or behavior improvements.
Provide Ongoing Staff Training Afterschool staff bring a wide range of backgrounds, training, and experience. Initial and ongoing training will get program staff on the same page about student's literacy development.
The Literacy Assistance Center uses these recommendations to guide and frame our partnership with adolescent literacy afterschool programs and the content we share on this website.