Clinics that participate are Aberdeen Family Physicians, United Clinic in Aberdeen, Prairie Community Health in Isabel and Mobridge Medical

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Reach Out and Read builds upon the special relationship between pediatricians and parents of young children (ages six months to five years), to encourage parents to read aloud to their children daily.  Pediatricians convey to parents the importance of books and reading in their children’s lives.  Research shows that being read to early and often creates a strong foundation for later learning and ultimate success in school.  Being read to also promotes a love of books and reading in young children.  The ROR model facilitates this important developmental activity in several way .

The Reach Out and Read model includes three components:

• Pediatricians are trained in the theories of early literacy development and specific strategies to promote literacy in children.  During well-child visits they use this knowledge to give parents “anticipatory guidance” about the importance of reading aloud.  The single most important thing parents can do to increase a child’s success in learning to read is to read to that child.  Even parents who themselves cannot read can teach their child a love of books by linking the books to parental love and attention.  Parents are given concrete and age-appropriate advice about books and reading, and pediatricians suggest frequent reading at home.

• Pediatricians give children a new book to take home at every check up from six months to five years.  These books are carefully chosen based on developmental and cultural appropriateness.  Children participating in the ROR program will start school with a library of at least ten books in their homes. 

• Trained volunteers read stories to children while they wait for their appointments. These readers show parents by example that their children enjoy listening to books read aloud.

BACKGROUND

The mission of Reach Out and Read (ROR) is to make literacy promotion a standard part of pediatric primary care, so that children grow up with books and a love of reading.  Pediatricians and early childhood specialists founded ROR in 1989, at Boston City Hospital, now a part of Boston Medical Center.  In its fourteenth year, ROR has grown to serve more than 2 million children living in poverty in over 2,200 clinics in all 50 states.  Approximately 28,000 physicians and nurses nationwide have received training in emergent literacy and the ROR model. 

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