Resources
“The importance of reading and books as a great equalizer among humankind.”
Marie Benedict, Author
Questions, answered
FAQ
Everything volunteers need to know before their first reading session.
How Do I Become A Volunteer?
Step One:
Fill in our Volunteer Form
Step Two:
Fill in paperwork to be approved to volunteer in the school you’ve chosen to volunteer.
Links to forms and information on the schools we serve can be found here.
NOTE: If you are not working directly with students you do not need to fill in the district forms (i.e. helping with NEWSLETTER or social media)
Do You Have Any Other Volunteer Positions Available?
YES! Your help would be greatly appreciated with inputting data, greeting new volunteers or compiling our newsletter. If you are interested, please contact us to find out more!
What Schools Do You Serve?
ROW is currently involved in four elementary schools for the school year of 2025-26.
You can read about the schools we currently volunteer with here.
How Much Time Will I Need To Commit To As A ROW Volunteer?
30 minutes a week.
We ask that volunteers commit to meeting with their student weekly for roughly 30 minutes throughout the entire school year.
Our goal is to create a relationship between the student and volunteer. We realize that time will be taken off for vacations and illnesses.
Can I Choose The Grade Level Of My ROW Reader?
You will be provided list of available students, their teacher’s name, grade level and available days and times of the week that student can be read with.
You then get to choose what works best with your schedule.
The day and time of the week that you choose, then becomes your scheduled weekly time to read with your student.
Can I Read With More Than One Student?
Absolutely! Many volunteers love the experience and they choose to read with two or more students. Each student is read with independently.
Do I Need To Bring Materials To Read With The Student?
The teacher will provide appropriate reading materials for the student. This may include a passage, word game, whiteboard, flashcards or a book.
How Do I Know Where To Go Once I Sign Up For A Student?
A representative of ROW will meet you at the school before your first ROW session to show you around the school and orient you to the program.
The library table
Resource Spotlights
Explore programs, tools and reading opportunities from ROW and our community partners.
Watch and practice
Video Resources
Six ROW training videos, presented in their original playlist order.
Featured video
ROW Training Kid Friendly Definitions
1 / 6For ROW volunteers
Volunteer Resources
Training documents, continuing education and a practical framework for language-rich reading sessions.
Required reading
Mandatory Volunteer Training
- Row Volunteer Handbook (PDF)
- Child Abuse Prevention & Reporting & Adult Sexual Misconduct (PDF) Unavailable
- ROW Values Statement (PDF)
- ROW Volunteer Coaching Card (PDF)
Keep learning
Continuing Volunteer Education
The 4:1 ratio
Help developing relationships, trust and pointing out the positives.
Parallel talk
Helping develop vocabulary and encouraging students to speak in complete sentences
Quick Tip | Paragraph Shrinking
Quick Tip Video | Building Automaticity
Quick Tip Video | Echo and Phrase Reading to Increase Time in Text
3Ts
OF LITERACY DEVELOPMENT
tune in • talk more • take turns
As a volunteer, your conversations with students are just as important as the books you read together. The 3Ts is a simple framework used in early literacy to help build strong language and communication skills - key ingredients in becoming a confident reader.
tune in
Pay attention to what the child is interested in.
Let their curiosity guide your conversation.
If they point to a picture or ask a question, follow their lead and respond with interest.
The goal is to show the child their thoughts and interests matter.
talk more
Use descriptive language, ask open-ended questions and expand on what the child says. The more words a child hears, the more their language and thinking skills grow.
The goals is to build vocabulary and understanding through rich conversation.
take turns
Think of conversation like a game of catch - talk, pause, let the child respond, then respond back. Give them time to share thoughts and ask questions.
The goal is to support back-and-forth interaction and active listening.
BY USING THE 3T’S, YOU HELP CREATE A LANGUAGE-RICH EXPERIENCE.
