Read for Success Support
Program Overview
Read for Success is an interactive read-aloud solution that uses high-quality, diverse, interdisciplinary books with evidence-based strategies and activities to engage children in the reading experience and encourage a passion for reading. The Read for Success program is anchored on two key elements, both supported with additional resources.
Classroom Read-Alouds
When conducted by an enthusiastic adult with intentional instructional strategies, read-alouds increase vocabulary, improve listening comprehension, build schema for stories, and develop a love of reading. Read for Success provides an age-appropriate book collection, read-aloud guidance and support for educators, and resources to engage children in the two-way exchange that is critical for successful read-alouds. RIF offers a diverse and interdisciplinary book collection to support the read-aloud component.
Books for Ownership to Support Independent Reading
According to the International Literacy Association, “Ninety-one percent of children ages 6–17 report that 'my favorite books are the ones that I have picked out myself.'” A critical element for developing habits of lifelong reading is choice. Read for Success provides books for students to choose to take home and own. Each student selects six books and receives a student journal and tote bag.
Read for Success combines facilitator-led read-alouds with opportunities for children to read on their own. The program helps program facilitators model proven reading strategies for their students through interdisciplinary themed book collections, provides guidance for facilitators to conduct read-alouds, and includes extension activities related to the books. It also supports independent reading through a book distribution element that enables students to choose six books to take home and own. Together, the read-alouds and take-home books inspire a passion for reading among participating students.
Program Implementation
This guide is provided to assist you in planning and implementing Reading Is Fundamental’s (RIF) Read for Success (RFS) program.
Keep in mind that the program is flexible, and RIF does not prescribe one way to implement the program. Rather, we suggest you integrate it into your reading program in a way that best supports your school or organization’s unique goals and needs.
Family Engagement
Make your students’ families aware they are participating in the Read for Success program and how they can encourage reading at home by sending home this customizable letter.
Classroom Read Aloud Collections and Curriculum Materials
The Read for Success book collection is carefully designed to balance the literacy needs of all students from pre-school through 3rd grade. In this collection, you will find interdisciplinary themes, a wide variety of multicultural selections, and a balance of fiction and nonfiction titles with exquisite illustrations and photos.
Professional Development
These self-paced video modules model research-based best practices to use during your classroom read alouds. Watch here or below.
Research
Read for Success is a supplemental reading program that was developed based on research made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education awarded to Reading Is Fundamental (RIF). The initial program was tested over two years among 33,000 students from 173 schools in 16 states and helped improve reading scores for more than half of the students in the study; students who performed below reading proficiency showed the greatest increase in test scores. Read for Success has been adapted from its initial design to offering more flexibility in its implementation.
If you have any questions or need support with your Read for Success program, please contact us at LiteracyNetwork@RIF.org.