Literacy, Access, and Equity: LEARN Tutoring Project

A college student speaks with young people about the books they are reading.

Make a difference for children in Buffalo Public School classrooms! Participate in the LEARN Tutoring Project and work towards equity and access in literacy learning for elementary students from diverse backgrounds.

Project description

This project enables UB undergraduates to engage with local Buffalo Public School (BPS) students through a tutoring project that is designed to support literacy skill development of multilingual newcomer students in a BPS elementary school. Participants must enroll in LAI 410, which requires a practicum that takes place primarily in our partner schools. Students spend the first few weeks of the semester preparing to work with students and then begin one-on-one and small group intervention sessions under the guidance of the course instructor and BPS teachers. Experience in education is not required.

Grounded in principles of equity and access for all learners, this project hones in on literacy development and support for multilingual children from immigrant and refugee families here in Buffalo. Read more about the program.

Project outcome

Through the course, students will engage in weekly tutoring sessions at a partner school as well as keep logs and complete a culminating reflective project on the experience.

Project details

Timing, eligibility and other details
Length of commitment About a semester
Start time  Fall or Spring semester
In-person, remote, or hybrid?
In-person
Level of collaboration Large group collaboration (4+ students)
Benefits Work study
Who is eligible All undergraduate students

Core partners

Project mentor

Amanda Winkelsas

Clinical Assistant Professor; Assistant Dean for Outreach & Community Engagement

Learning and Instruction

505 Baldy Hall

Phone: (716) 645-1066

Email: awinkels@buffalo.edu

Start the project

  1. Email the project mentor using the contact information above to express your interest and get approval to work on the project. (Here are helpful tips on how to contact a project mentor.)
  2. After you receive approval from the mentor to start this project, click the button to start the digital badge. (Learn more about ELN's digital badge options.) 

Preparation activities

Once you begin the digital badge series, you will have access to all the necessary activities and instructions. Your mentor has indicated they would like you to also complete the specific preparation activities below. Please reference this when you get to Step 2 of the Preparation Phase. 

  • Participation in class meetings of LAI 410 (orientation to BPS, culturally and linguistically responsive teaching, literacy foundations)

Keywords

Outreach, Community Engagement, Learning and Instruction