Read Better Be Better is a Tier 4 evidence-based afterschool literacy program specifically designed to be highly effective. Twice a week, RBBB Program Coaches run programming at partner schools, helping students master reading comprehension in three ways: improving concentration, encouraging an active enjoyment of reading, and helping develop a deeper understanding of what is being read. We support basic classroom instruction with additional comprehension strategies to improve proficiency and positively impact future academic success.
Reading Comprehension Curriculum
RBBB uses trained middle school volunteer “Leaders” to implement a simple, but highly structured afterschool program for 3rd grade “Readers”. The older students work one-on-one with the younger students, modeling and fostering active engagement with a variety of texts. The program also includes constructive play activities specifically chosen for their ability to focus attention and improve concentration.
Participants receive 45 minutes of core reading comprehension programming per session. The curriculum is proprietary material, based on constructivism theory which states that all learning is a search for meaning.
Our lesson plans are simple and require no prior planning: a structured and predictable afterschool session happens at every Read Better Be Better program site—you can walk into any of our classrooms and know exactly what is going to happen next. In this way, we keep our students focused on their work while still keeping things fun.
Complementary Skills: Additional Program Components
Participants choose how to spend the remaining program time from a menu of options that include the following program components: Be A Better Reader or Be A Better Thinker.
These activities have been specifically researched for their ability to focus attention and improve concentration. These vital cognitive skills are directly linked to the improvement of reading proficiency.
Be A Better Reader Activities
Be A Better Reader comprises a selection of extended Reading Comprehension exercises.
Open-ended questions encourage the Reader to engage beyond the words on the page. For example, “If you were the author of this text, how would you change the ending of the story?”
Be A Better Thinker Activities
Be A Better Thinker comprises researched and proven activities to increase concentration and improve focus.
The activities are fun and engaging for the children, such as board games, yoga lessons, card games, mindfulness activities, and puzzles.
RBBB Curriculum Aligns with Arizona’s ELA Standards
Did you know? Read Better Be Better curriculum is in alignment with Arizona’s English Language Arts Standards for 3rd grade! Every detail of the RBBB curriculum is backed up by educational research, ensuring that the skills students build and strengthen during RBBB programming will be engrained in their everyday lives and continue to help them throughout the rest of their educational career. Those who implement this curriculum can be confident of the greater impact they are having on the student’s academic achievement.