INSPIRE LEARNING IN STUDENTS

Our dedicated volunteers are an integral part of Better Basics’ success. Whether it’s a weekly commitment to a tutoring session with a child or supporting one of our fundraising events, our volunteers work to unite us as a community.

Better Basics is in search of dedicated volunteer mentors and tutors for several programs, with a minimum commitment of 

1 hour per week depending on the program. 

With Better Basics, you will work closely with students to help them reach their full potential. Volunteers can expect a rewarding and memorable experience watching their mentees grow and improve over time.

This is a fantastic opportunity to build up your resume as a student, gain community service hours, as well as a fulfilling activity for individuals, couples or friends.

All supplies and training will be provided. No experience is required though we do ask each volunteer to be accountable to their position.

Join us and give back to your local community in your free time.

Support students on their learning journey and sign up to be a volunteer today.

• 16% of Alabamians are illiterate.
• 79% of low income children enter kindergarten not knowing all the letters of the alphabet
• Children not reading at grade level by the end of 3rd grade and living in poverty are 13 times less likely to graduate from high school
• 60% of low income families don't have a single book in their homes for children

Program Description: 

Academic Tutoring program delivers one-on-one tutoring, primarily in foundational reading concepts, to early-elementary students. Tutors collaborate with classroom teachers to target students’ greatest skill deficits. Focus areas include sound-and-symbol correlation, strategies for unknown words, fluency, and comprehension. Volunteers deliver individualized content to students using lesson plans developed by teachers certified in early childhood and elementary education. This year we are expanding AT through a version called Academic Tutoring for Tots to specifically target pre-kindergarten and kindergarten children. We will reach children by partnering with childcare facilities in low-income areas. Research shows that equipping children with pre-literacy skills significantly increases their reading growth once they enter first grade. Our goal with both versions of AT is to help students build literacy foundations that empower them to become competent readers.

Timeline and Numbers Served: 

We will serve about 96 students once a week for 20 weeks (10 each semester) for a total of 20 sessions.

Evaluation: 

We use the Slosson Oral Reading Test (SORT) to measure student growth. We expect to see students improve their reading fluency (identification of key sight-vocabulary words) by at least 15%. 

Program Description:

The Reading Mentors program compliments Reading Intervention. Elementary students whose skill level is too low to qualify for our Reading Intervention program are partnered with trained volunteers to develop foundational reading skills. Through one-on-one tutoring, our goal is for students to reach toward the 25th percentile in state testing and qualify for participation in Reading Intervention. Incremental gains in reading vocabulary and fluency help students reach reading targets over time. This goal may take more than a year to accomplish.

Timeline and Numbers Served: 

Mentors will meet with 70 students weekly for 20 weeks.

Evaluation: 

We expect students to improve their reading fluency (identification of key sight-vocabulary words) by at least 15% as measured by the Slosson Oral Reading Test.  

Program Description:

First-grade students grow their reading vocabularies of high-frequency words and increase their enjoyment of reading. Trained and supervised volunteers make reading fun as they meet weekly with classrooms of students. Reading materials repeat key vocabulary to reinforce vocabulary development. Under-served students lag thousands of words behind their more affluent peers in this regard.

Timeline and Numbers Served: 

We plan to reach 30 classrooms and 700 children. Volunteers will meet with classes once a week for 20 weeks for a total of 20 sessions. 

Evaluation: 

Impact on students’ reading engagement and reading vocabularies will be assessed through volunteer and classroom-teacher surveys. 

Please complete the form below if you are interested in becoming a volunteer and we will reach out to you shortly. 

Please note that all volunteers must be at least 18 years of age and complete a background check.

Better Basics works to eradicate illiteracy among children in Central Alabama. We deliver reading and math instruction and resources to empower the educationally vulnerable.

Better Basics, Inc. Copyright 2022

1231 Second Avenue South / Birmingham, AL / 35233

EIN: 63-1106040