Enhancing Literacy: A Phonics Approach to after-School Reading Buddies Programs for Elementary Students

We propose to compare research-focused curriculum emphasizing grapheme-to-phoneme correspondence and rime-unit pronunciation to balanced literacy curriculum within a reading-focused, mentorship-based, after-school program. We will examine effects on pronunciation, vocabulary, fluency, and executive function. Anticipated results will show increased performance in the research-focused curriculum.