An award-winning organization of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven, the Jewish Coalition for Literacy (JCL) pairs volunteer reading partners with children in local public elementary schools, one to one, for an hour each week, fostering literacy, conversation and oral language skills.

While reading partners work independently with their assigned students,the program strives to give ongoing support through their team leaders at each school and by scheduling additional programs.

Each school has scheduled round table discussion groups during January for their reading partners to speak about their student sessions and offer an opportunity for volunteers to learn from each other, hear ideas and gain perspectives from the school’s literacy specialist. Each volunteer has the opportunity to be heard and have support offered.

Small docent groups at the Yale Center for British Art have been arranged by Hyla Chasnoff for JCL reading partners at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 14, and Thursday, March 15, for about 60 minutes a session. This is a unique and interesting way of viewing art and having the opportunity to discuss it with well informed docents. Art can be used as a tool for increasing language development in students, one of the major goals identified at these schools. Not only will they learn how to engage students with art, if they choose, but they can also encourage them to use their observation skills while reading together with students. The goal is to slow the process of looking at a painting to receive as much out of it as possible. All New Haven third grade public school children are offered the opportunity to visit the museum, with their class, during the school year. Each group will have a maximum of 10 to 12 people.

RSVP to Hyla Chasnoff (hylachas@yahoo.com). Reservations will be on a first come basis.

Contact Brenda Brenner at (203) 387-2424 x308 or bbrenner@jewishnewhaven.org for further information to participate.

JCL, a proud recipient of a 2015 TAPS award from the New Haven Public Schools, is a project of the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven. JCL continues to be included on each partner school’s improvement plan.