RESEARCH SUPPORTS THE COMPONENTS OF R.E.A.L.
MENTORSHIP Research shows that academic mentoring partnerships positively impact children’s cognitive, social, emotional, and academic development (Rhodes, 2005). Well-trained mentors can also provide modeling of literacy practices or serve as tutors. The What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide identifies modeling as an effective strategy for teaching and reinforcing children’s foundational reading skills (Foorman et al., 2016). Study results show that literacy mentorship programs can have a particularly powerful impact on children's reading and language outcomes (Fives et al., 2013; Ritter et al., 2006; LaVenia & Burgoon, 2019). In one specific example, volunteers came to classrooms for an hour and read to students, and the children who were more engaged with the program reported higher reading enjoyment and greater fluency gains (Miller et al., 2011). High-quality mentoring programs have also been found to improve student engagement. In a randomized study, students who participated in a mentoring program had a 20 percent decrease in absences. The researchers believe this drop is due to the positive developmental impact building meaningful relationships and experiences with a non-familial adult can have on children, particularly those who otherwise would not receive similar guidance (Guryan et al., 2021).
6
SCHOLASTIC R.E.A.L. FOUNDATION PAPER
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs