By Sydney Clevenger
Grade levels behind in reading, Freddy* wasn’t sure where he fit in at his Portland, Oregon, elementary school. It was particularly hard when the rest of the class was reading silently and all Freddy could do was sit and watch because his learning challenge made reading a struggle.
Then Freddy was referred to an adult reading mentor through The Shadow Project for individual reading coaching using audio-visual technology specially designed for students with disabilities. At first, the third grader was shy and unresponsive with his mentor, a pre-graduate student named Taylor, when the two met weekly in his special education classroom to discuss books and set reading goals.
Fast forward three months and Freddy can’t stop talking about books. “I can hardly get Freddy to stop reading, and go back to class!” says Taylor.
What made the difference?
“Freddy feels a sense of belonging in school now,” says
Taylor.
1. Feeling Included
Children with disabilities
face many barriers to participating in school, including social isolation and physical
exclusion, according to the National Mentoring Resource Center (NMRC). Young
people with disabilities are more likely to be ostracized by their peers, and
are three times more likely to experience social exclusion because of their
typically smaller social network, says the NMRC in an October 2018 article Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities.
In fact, children with learning disabilities are at high risk for life-long
physical health problems, and mental health issues such as depression, anxiety,
substance abuse, or suicide.
Mentors are one positive way to combat the social seclusion
kids with disabilities experience.
Having Taylor show him how to access and download the same
books his classmates were reading opened a new world for Freddy. With Taylor’s
encouragement, Freddy was motivated to set and work toward achievable reading
goals. He was able to read with his ears and
eyes on the assistive technology, and so could participate in classroom
conversations about books and do the classwork and homework assigned by the
teacher, while boosting his vocabulary and reading comprehension. Freddy was
able to read his downloaded books at home to hone his new literacy skills. And
knowing Taylor would be at school once a week to ask what he was reading and
offer help, pushed Freddy to try when the words got tough.
“Mentors give kids undivided attention,” said Taylor, “and it’s a really positive relationship because the kids feel special that you are here for them, which makes them feel more comfortable at school.”
2. Role Modeling
Mentoring also offers children with disabilities the chance
to share experiences with an adult to whom they look up to and want to emulate.
Most children look to their parents or caregivers as role models. However, given
that children
with learning challenges are twice as likely to be homeless or in the foster
care system as those without (National Center for Children with Learning
Disabilities) teachers and volunteer tutors are equally as important for
children with disabilities, particularly those in lower-income communities
whose parents may be absent and/or working.
Fourth-grader Juan,* who has a learning challenge, lives
with his dad and sister in the bedroom of a small house they borrow from a
friend. Juan’s dad works two jobs to support the family, and is not always home
to give Juan the extra support he needs to read and complete homework. Juan
struggles to read, and says it is extra hard to focus on a book in the small
room where he is constantly surrounded by others.
A caring adult mentor in Portland Timbers
Mascot Joey Webber, who had reading struggles when he was Juan’s age, was
especially empowering for Juan. Timber Joey not only set motivating literacy
goals for Juan on audio-visual technology and print books, but the two talked
about tools Juan can use to make it easier to read at home, and the kind of
environment where it’s easier to read, such as outdoors when the weather is
decent.
Having a trusted figure to listen, share his own reading
struggles, and genuinely care enough to offer constructive strategies made all
the difference in Juan. Juan was so
excited to have a consistent male presence in his life who showed up weekly to
talk to him about books, and encourage him to read, that he worked extra hard
to excel, and his reading jumped two grade levels.
“Having the opportunity to share the challenges of reading and help struggling kids realize their potential is a very special experience,” says Timber Joey.
3. Confidence
Children with learning
challenges are at risk for poor self-concept, according to the National Institutes
of Health. Mentors can address and support this social-emotional need by being
a stable and non-threatening presence in kids’ lives.
Fourth-grader Robert,* who
has dyslexia and read at a first grade level, kept his hood on during class to
try to make himself invisible, especially during reading. Robert had almost
given up.
A mentor helped Robert
believe in his own ability. As Robert built confidence in his literacy skills
and advanced his reading level, he felt empowered to make his own decisions
about what and when and how to read, and then he began advocating for himself.
The belief in one’s
capability, or self-efficacy, is considered another key piece to academic
achievement, motivation, and learning.
“I love seeing the progression from when they started through three
months of mentoring,” says Timber Joey. “I have students who are now taking off
hoods and opening up in public a little more. Mentoring has had a great impact
on my life, too.”
Freddy can’t stop giggling. “I’m reading Diary of a Minecraft Zombie,” Freddy tells Taylor, pulling off the headphones that help him concentrate on his audio-visual book. “The character was being bullied and his parents couldn’t help and then he grew really big to fight them off, and he escaped. And then he ate something funny!”
Taylor laughs, too. “That sounds like an awesome book you’ve
found. I can’t wait to hear where the story takes you next week.”
*Children’s names have been changed for privacy
Sydney is
communications and development manager for The Shadow Project. To become a
volunteer reading mentor, go to https://www.shadow-project.org/volunteer/. For information on how
to get the Reading Mentors program at your school, please call 971-373-3457.