Taking Literacy Skill Building to Scale in OST Programs: A Three-Tiered Approach from the Philadelphia Out-of-School Time Literacy and Quality Improvement Initiative
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| Title: | Taking Literacy Skill Building to Scale in OST Programs: A Three-Tiered Approach from the Philadelphia Out-of-School Time Literacy and Quality Improvement Initiative |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Patricia McGuinness-Carmichael, Karen B. O’Neill, Kathryn A. Wheeler |
| Source: | Afterschool Matters. 2026 (40):48-52. |
| Availability: | National Institute on Out-of-School Time. Wellesley Centers for Women, 106 Central Street, Wellesley, MA 02481. Tel: 781-283-2547; Fax: 781-283-3657; e-mail: niost@wellesley.edu; Web site: http://www.niost.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 5 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Descriptive |
| Education Level: | Elementary Education |
| Descriptors: | Literacy, Extracurricular Activities, Elementary School Teachers, Faculty Development, Communities of Practice, Program Descriptions, Skill Development, Educational Practices, Video Technology |
| Geographic Terms: | Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) |
| Abstract: | Research indicates that out-of-school time (OST) programs have the capacity to support literacy skill development and can provide a comfortable environment where youth can build excitement about literacy (Afterschool Alliance, 2015). Providing literacy-rich environments outside the school classroom where children can practice and enhance their literacy skills has been a priority for the City of Philadelphia and the William Penn Foundation. From 2019 through 2023, with generous funding from the William Penn Foundation, the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) implemented a model of training and support for OST professionals that focused on developing literacy-rich OST environments through training, coaching, and ongoing support in a community of practice (CoP). This article provides an overview of an effective intervention model using a combination of well-practiced professional development strategies that assisted staff to successfully incorporate light-touch literacy practices in their everyday OST program activities. |
| Abstractor: | ERIC |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1495919 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Research indicates that out-of-school time (OST) programs have the capacity to support literacy skill development and can provide a comfortable environment where youth can build excitement about literacy (Afterschool Alliance, 2015). Providing literacy-rich environments outside the school classroom where children can practice and enhance their literacy skills has been a priority for the City of Philadelphia and the William Penn Foundation. From 2019 through 2023, with generous funding from the William Penn Foundation, the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) implemented a model of training and support for OST professionals that focused on developing literacy-rich OST environments through training, coaching, and ongoing support in a community of practice (CoP). This article provides an overview of an effective intervention model using a combination of well-practiced professional development strategies that assisted staff to successfully incorporate light-touch literacy practices in their everyday OST program activities. |
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