As part of my research, I have been developing the new generation of Story Champs academic language programs. I’m a bit biased, but they are awesome! While we wait for research to get published and to help work out the bugs, the new lessons are used locally as part of my community service. Through partnerships with USF’s Office of Community Engagement & Partnerships (OCEP) and local elementary schools and after school programs, numerous Federal Work Study students use the new Story Champs lessons to provide academic language interventions to elementary students. They are even delivering remote interventions while we all wait for COVID to pass. The USF students work as part of their college financial aid while the elementary students receive much needed interventions to enhance their listening and reading comprehension. I enjoy mentoring the USF students and helping them see how they can give back to their communities. They are such terrific role models. And I love working with the elementary schools and learning about their challenges, which helps me focus my research on things they feel are important.
Check out this video of the USF students talking about their experience!