Afterschool Research: Literacy

Reading. Writing. Critical thinking.

Afterschool programs are supporting the development of students’ reading, writing and critical thinking skills.

Using students’ reading test scores as an indicator of U.S. students’ aptitude in literacy, more than 6 in 10 students at the elementary, middle and high school level are less than proficient in reading. What’s more, over the past 20 years, students’ average reading scores have changed very little. Afterschool programs are providing students with the additional supports they need to help make sure that they leave school with a strong foundation in literacy—building their reading, writing and critical thinking skills.  

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Taking a Year-Round Approach to Literacy (March 2016)

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with Dollar General Literacy Foundation, is proud to present this issue brief focusing on the year-round support needed to help students with their reading, writing and critical thinking skills. This issue brief will also delve into the variety of ways afterschool and summer learning programs are taking a year-round approach to literacy, helping students catch up and keep up.

Issue Briefs Literacy

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Building Literacy in Afterschool (March 2015)

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with Dollar General Literacy Foundation, is proud to present this issue brief examining the vital role afterschool programs play to build students' literacy skills. This issue brief will explore the additional support needed to help students with their reading, writing and critical thinking skills; delve into the variety of ways in which afterschool programs are successfully developing students' literacy skills; and provide examples of afterschool programs that are fostering students' love and appreciation of reading and writing.

Literacy

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Literacy in Afterschool: A Building Block for Learning and Development (2011)

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the last of four issue briefs in our fourth series examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This brief emphasizes the dramatic literacy gap between low- and high-income students, and explores how afterschool programs are uniquely positioned to fill those opportunity gaps and support the acquisition of reading and writing skills among underserved youth to help them develop a brighter future.

Academic Enrichment Literacy

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