OPERATION BOOKWORM
Classroom Volunteer Program
Recipient of the NJ Dept. of Education Best Practice Award 1998-99

What is OPERATION BOOKWORM?
OPERATION BOOKWORM is a successful volunteer program that brings parents, community members, and high school students into the elementary schools to provide K-2 students with extra reading experiences. It was developed in 1991 by two reading teachers, Ellen Gordon & Eileen Zweig. It is currently used in six South Brunswick, NJ elementary schools as a component of their early childhood reading program.

OPERATION BOOKWORM is innovative because it goes beyond the traditional approach of involving volunteers in the classroom. Now teachers have the advantage of working with skilled volunteers who can read individually with their students.

OPERATION BOOKWORM uses the following main principles of the Coalition of Essential Schools: students using their minds well, students-as-workers, and parents treated as essential collaborators.

Who can volunteer?
We have trained parents, grandparents, community members, senior citizens, high schoolers, and intermediate students to be part of this program.

What do the volunteers do?
Trained volunteers work one-to-one with selected kindergarten, first, and second grade students, helping them sort out the puzzle of reading. Together, they read and talk about books, do follow-up activities, make up and write stories, and play alphabet games.

Volunteers learn special reading techniques by attending two workshops. These techniques are based on proven early childhood reading strategies, as well as Reading Recovery methods. Workshops give volunteers the practice, strategies, and confidence needed to read with children. Volunteers also learn how to use the special OPERATION BOOKWORM book, selected books, and other materials that are part of the program.

What are the objectives of the program?
The objectives are:

• To improve the reading literacy (readiness, book knowledge, and comprehension skills) of kindergarten, first, and second grade students.
• To provide additional support to kindergarten, first, and second grade beginning readers.
• To involve parents and community members in the elementary schools.
• To promote lifelong learning by helping young children improve their reading skills and self-esteem.
• To provide role models for K-2 students.
• To foster greater respect and understanding of diversity within the community by involving students and volunteers from various socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds.

Which K-2 students are part of the program?
The program can include all beginning readers - the proficient reader, the reluctant reader, as well as the at-risk reader. The program's activities give all students the opportunity to practice the skills needed to become successful readers.

Which skills and activities are part of the program?
OPERATION BOOKWORM addresses the skills necessary to prepare a child to read and to become an independent reader. All of the activities are included in the book LET'S READ TOGETHER: A Parent's Guide To Beginning Reading. These include reading readiness (directionality, one-to-one correspondence, locating and recognizing letters and words in print, alphabet skills, and book knowledge) and reading and listening comprehension (story retelling, identifying parts of a story through different media, sequencing, and relating a story to personal enjoyment and experiences). You can adapt the OPERATION BOOKWORM program to meet the needs of your students.

Through OPERATION BOOKWORM the at-risk reader is able to focus on those skills needed to accelerate his reading ability. The reluctant/shy reader can build his confidence by reading in a one-to-one situation. The proficient reader has time to read extra books and do extension activities.

To learn more about setting up an OPERATION BOOKWORM classroom volunteer program, click here.

What parent volunteers are saying:
As an OPERATION BOOKWORM volunteer for the past four years, my involvement with the students and the school has been truly a reciprocal relationship. In school, I have worked together with primary students toward the common goal of improving students reading skills. At home, I have used the program's techniques and strategies to enhance my own children's learning.
OPERATION BOOKWORM effectively trains its community-based volunteers to engage the children in hands-on activities and skills, encouraging volunteers to be flexible and creative. The activities in this program help students make connections to life through literature. I believe that the volunteers feel a sense of partnership with the school, while gaining a greater understanding of the educational process.
Parent Volunteer

What teachers are saying:
I have had OPERATION BOOKWORM volunteers in my classroom for the past eight years. The program continues to expand my students' interest and enthusiasm for reading. My students eagerly await the arrival of our volunteers. They are excited to be read to and enjoy sharing their follow-up activities. I feel that the volunteers in my room are very knowledgeable and have learned many valuable techniques.
Lois Samelson, First Grade Teacher