The ReadingPals volunteer handbook provides guidance for volunteers working with preschool students to develop literacy skills, with details on the program locations, volunteer scheduling options and procedures, curriculum, use of the myON digital reading platform, volunteer guidelines, developmental milestones, communication techniques, and behavior management strategies. Volunteers commit one hour per week over the school year to work one-on-one or in small groups with students in VPK classrooms across Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties to build pre-literacy skills through shared reading activities.

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ReadingPals Volunteer Handbook

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Contents
Table of Contents
H E A R T O F F L O R I D A U N I T E D W A Y
Reading Pals Program Information
Overview 2
ReadingPals Sites 3
Volunteer Process & Position Description 4
Curriculum 5
On Site Procedure 7
Accessing myON 8
Volunteer Guidelines 16
Strategies for Working with Students
4– Year-Old Milestones 17
Communication Techniques 18
Behavioral Management 19
Closure & Saying Goodbye 21
English Language Learners 22
Appendix
Contact Information 23
Tablet Troubleshooting 24
School Calendar 25

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The program will take place in VPK (Voluntary Pre-
Kindergarten) classrooms in Orange, Seminole and
Osceola County.
Supported state-wide by Carol and Barney Barnett
of Publix Supermarkets and The Children’s
Movement of Florida.
200 volunteers commit one hour a week over
the course of the school year to work one-on-
one with their pal.
Reading time is individualized and done in ratios
of no greater than 1:1.
Each child participating in the ReadingPals initiative
receives books throughout the school year to help
build their home library.
READINGPALS
ReadingPals, a program to address Heart of Florida United Way’s (HFUW) commitment to ensure all third graders
are reading at grade level, connects passionate, committed volunteers with preschoolers who need a little extra
help developing vital pre-literacy skills, which are the building blocks of third grade reading proficiency.

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Private Day Nurseries
Winter Park Day Nursery 741 S. Pennsylvania Ave
Winter Park, FL 32789
Orlando Day Nursery 626 Lake Dot Circle
Orlando, FL 32801
Azalea Park 940 S Semoran Blvd
Orlando, FL 32807
Happyland 1295 N Semoran Blvd
Orlando, FL 32807
Orange County Public Schools
Washington Shores 2500 Bruton Blvd
Orlando, FL 32805
Shingle Creek 5620 Harcort Ave
Orlando, FL 32839
Winegard 7055 Winegard Rd
Orlando, FL 32809
Three Points 4001 South Goldenrod Road
Orlando, FL 32822
Osceola County Public Schools
Central Avenue
500 W Columbia Ave
Kissimmee, FL 34741
The identified VPK (voluntary pre-kindergarten) programs were chosen due to the opportunity to build on
HFUW’s work as well as other current education programming present in the school and organizations.
READINGPALS LOCATIONS

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Day 1 (e.g. Monday) Day 2 (e.g. Wednesday)
Option #1
 1 full hour session per week
 Tutoring 2 students for a half
hour each
Option #2
 2 half hour session per week
 Tutoring 1 student for a half
hour
Volunteer Schedule Structure
Volunteers have the option to select 2 different types of schedule based on their availability
VOLUNTEER PROCESS & DESCRIPTION

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The ReadingPals curriculum uses 12 lesson plans developed for use with the myON digital reader adopted from the
School District of Hillsborough County, alternating with 13 additional hard-copy books.
CURRICULUM
Week
#
BookDate
1 At the Beach
2 Where the Wild Things Are
3 Bug Race
4 The Very Hungry Caterpillar
5 Caleb’s Race
6 Chicka Chickca Boom Boom
7 Camping Trip
8 Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus
9 Nap Time for Kitty
10 Bear Snores On
11 Story Time for Lamb
12 Click, Clack ,Moo: Cows That Type
13 I See Summer
14 Count the Monkeys
15 The Babysitter
16 Bubblegum, Bubblegum
17 Bess and Tess
18 A Sock is a Pocket for your Toes
19 The Missing Tooth
20 What do you do with a Tail Like this?
21 Max Goes to School
22 What about Moose?
23 This Is Anna
24 1,2,3 Peas
25 Free Read!
MyON provides anytime, anywhere access to a
library of more than 8,000 enhanced digital
books with narration, multimedia supports, real-
time reporting and assessments and embedded
close reading tools.
The MyON curriculum has 12 lesson plans that
identify the books that will be used for specific
skills. Each lesson focuses and corresponding
activity cards are designed to teach the initial
phonological unit of any word, having a positive
effect on their literacy skills.
The MyON curriculum will alternate every other week with
selected hard-copy books. These books will further
enhance the interaction between volunteer and student,
teach print awareness and cultivate students’ love of
reading.

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The following stories will be alternated with the myON digital curriculum.
CURRICULUM
This story of only
338 words focuses
on a young boy
named Max who,
after dressing in his
wolf costume,
wreaks such havoc
through his household that he is sent to bed
without his supper.
This story features
a caterpillar who eats its way
through a wide variety of
foodstuffs before pupating and
emerging as a butterfly.
The 26 lower-case letters climb
up a coconut tree in alphabetical
order, until the tree bends so
much, causing all 26 letters to
fall out of the tree.
A bus driver with a pet
pigeon has to leave so he
asks the reader to not allow
the pigeon to drive the bus.
One by one, a whole host of different animals and
birds find their way out of the cold and into Bear's
cave to warm up.
The story of Farmer Brown's cows,
who find an old typewriter in the
barn and proceed to write letters
to Farmer Brown, listing various
demands.
Kids will giggle as they count all
the animals that have frightened
the monkeys off the pages.
After a variety of animals get stuck one by
one in bubble gum melting in the road,
they must survive encounters with a big
blue truck and a burly black bear.
Follows four families through a
busy day exploring the surprising
ins and outs of the world's pockets.
Animals can do amazing things
with their ears, eyes, mouths,
noses, feet, and tails. Some of the
skills are highlighted in this
interactive guessing book.
It takes a team to build a tree house—but
what if that team includes one very bossy
moose?
Join in counting from
one to one hundred!

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1. Sign in the front desk. Please be sure to bring your ID.
2. Go to designated reading area to retrieve ReadingPals bin and select lesson plan.
Use this page to take notes on the procedures for the school you will be volunteering in.
ON-SITE PROCEDURE
3. Sign in to Tablet 6. Log volunteer hours
7. Login to MyON (Instructions begin page 8)
8. Retrieve student to begin your ReadingPals Session.
At my school….
5. Tap on browser
Swipe left
In the event of absences...
Volunteer Absences: If you are unable to make it to your site, please notify Jaquala Montalvo
(ReadingPals coordinator) 24 hours prior to assigned time.
Student Absences:

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Logging-In
ACCESSING MYON
1. Tap on Login on the browser’s
myON tab
2. Sign in with assigned student
login .
a. School Name: Reading Pals
Program
b. Username: first initial + last
name
c. Password: books
1
2 a.
b.
c.
You will help your student(s) complete an interest
inventory for their 1st time logging on myON
3. Select English as your language.
4. Work with you student to tap
on faces to gauge interest on
listed categories. You may need
to explain each category to your
Pal.
neutraldislike a lot like a lot
4
3

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Navigating the Home Screen
ACCESSING MYON
6. Tap on Projects to access books.

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Opening the Lesson
ACCESSING MYON
8. Tap on icon of book to
open.
7. Select lesson for the day based
on the curriculum calendar.

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Starting the Story
ACCESSING MYON
9. Tap on
10. Swipe or click on arrow
to flip through pages
Swipe right= turn page to
the right
Swipe left= turn page to the
left

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Reading the Story
ACCESSING MYON
Return to the main menu
Mute/ Unmute
Turn on/off word highlighting
Turn on/off sentence highlighting
On
Off
Double tap to zoom in

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Completing the Lesson
ACCESSING MYON
11. Swipe the end tab and
tap on it to finish the book
SLIDE THEN TAP
12. Book review will be
prompted after book is
completed. Explain to your
student what the stars mean
and help them choose how
many stars to tap based on
how much they liked the book.
13. Book Quiz will be
prompted after book review.
Read the questions out loud
to your student and mark
their answer, showing them
which one they selected.

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Closing myON
ACCESSING MYON
13. Please tap on to log off before turning tablet off.
Last Book Opened: Volunteers/ students can tap on last book opened to continue reading where they left off.
This will be useful on the second session on the week.
Current Lexile: Used to match student’s reading ability to text difficulty. The difficulty of text is calculated by
sentence length and word frequency.
Users are returned to home screen after book quiz is
completed.

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If you have trouble accessing books on myON through the browser, please try the myON application.
ACCESSING MYON APPLICATION
2. Tap on
3. Select your student
4. Enter student username
( first initial + last name)
5. Select book according to your
lesson plan of the week
1. Tap on myON app

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VOLUNTEER GUIDELINES
These volunteer guidelines are from Orange County, Osceola County, Seminole County Public Schools, Orlando Day and Winter Day Park Nursery .
✓ VOLUNTEERS MUST MAINTAIN STRICT CONFIDENTIALITY concerning information they see and hear
concerning students and staff, including students’ grades, records, and abilities.
✓ If required by site, please always wear the school’s designated identification badge.
✓ Volunteer must always have ID on site.
✓ Volunteers must log in their volunteer hours.
✓ Volunteers DO NOT discipline students. Please report discipline problems to the teacher.
✓ Volunteers may not give any medication to students.
✓ Volunteers do not evaluate student progress.
✓ Volunteers should contact ONLY school staff members with any concerns regarding students.
✓ Volunteers should set a good example for students by their manner, appearance, and behavior, and
should be well-groomed and appropriately dressed.
✓ Comparing and criticizing teachers and students is not acceptable volunteer behavior.
✓ Volunteers may not hold informal parent/teacher conferences or leisure conversations with staff
members or other volunteers during volunteer time.
✓ Volunteers may not conduct personal business at school
✓ Volunteers should never touch students in any way that is aggressive, disciplinary or sexual in nature.
✓ Volunteers should not give student gifts and/or food unless provided by United Way.

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4-YEAR-OLD READING READINESS MILESTONES
Remember that children don’t develop and learn at the same pace and in the same way. Your student may be more
advanced or need more help than others in her age group. However, below are some milestones you may or may not
notice with your student.
Motor Skills
 Shows emerging right- or left- handedness– uses the same hand more often for drawing,
writing and eating.
 Shows increasing hand and finger control – controls a crayon better.
 Draws some recognizable shapes – draws a circle or straight lines, or can copy a square.
 Can copy or write letters in her name, some from memory.
Language Skills
 Recognizes a few familiar words in print.
 Recognizes words that rhyme.
 Recognizes her name in print.
 Can point to and name several letters.
 Begins learning letter sounds – starts to learn the difference between a letter name and its
sound.
 Claps syllables in words – claps once for each syllable.
 Can retell a simple story plot or sequence – tells what came first, next, etc. for a familiar
story.

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Express empathy
Convey that you understand how
the students feels. When reading
volunteers show they understand
how their student feels and re-
spects and values those feelings,
relationships are strengthened.
Make sure the student understands what is said.
Adjust your vocabulary to the student’s level. Be as clear, specific
and avoid long complicated comments. Ask the student to repeat
what he or she thinks was said to ensure effective communication.
Try again if there is a misunderstanding.
Listen attentively and show interest in
ideas, opinions and feelings.
Maintain eye contact with your student.
Looking away signals disinterest.
Body language is important; posture, facial
expressions, and eye movements. Keep
negative emotions in check.
Respond to the student’s non-
verbal cues; if students look away,
they may be sending a message.
Determine when the student is
ready to listen; this is the ultimate
goal.
Don’t be afraid of silence.
Silence can give the student time to
gather thoughts and reflect on what
has been said.
Sometimes a student may say shocking
things.
See the world through the student’s eyes by
asking yourself questions like, “What if I had
been brought up in that situation?” or,
“What if my home life had been like his or
hers?” Reflecting on these questions may
help you understand why a student may say
things that may seem shocking or extreme.
Respond neutrally without
approving or disapproving.
“That’s one way of looking at
it. What might be another?”
or “What might your parents
(teacher, friend) think about
that?” Ask leading questions
such as, “What might happen
if you did that?”
Use “I” messages.
Using “I” messages to communicate how you
feel rather than “you” messages that are blam-
ing or accusatory.
For example, “I feel disappointed when you are
absent from school on the days we are to meet
together. I feel like the time and effort I make
to come isn’t valued. I want you to enjoy
meeting with me the way I enjoy meeting with
you.”
Beware of roadblocks to communication.
If the reading volunteer realizes that the flow of conversation
has ceased, recognize the mistake, apologize, and try to open
the lines of communication again.
For example, “I’m sorry. I guess I’ve been lecturing you. If I
start doing that again, will you let me know?”
Effective reading volunteers are always good communicators. Positive patterns of communication are essential for
fostering a good relationship with the student. The following are suggestions for good communication skills:
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Credit: Read2Succeed

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BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT
Reading with children can be a fun and rewarding experience. Like any activity, reading with skill and ease will come
with practice. These tips are suggestions that may help make the experience enjoyable for the child and you. Your
priority is to keep them interested and motivated to read, so be prepared to respond and adjust to the level of
interest among the children.
Acknowledge each child by name
 “Good morning Ashley how are you?” You may want to spend a few minutes talking to the children about
their week.
Helping Students with Distraction
 Young children sometimes get so absorbed in the story, they stand and move to you. Gently ask them to sit
back down.
 Asking “What do you think will happen next?” is a good way to get back to reading the story if the discussion
strays off for too long.
Consider using “safe” language
 “It is my job to keep you safe. It’s your job to help me. We keep ourselves, our feelings, and our things safe.”
 If a child is tipping the chair, remind the child to “Please keep yourself safe. The chair needs to stay on the
floor.”
Call attention to how you are following the rules.
 When you are listening, let the children know. “See, I am listening to Josef. That’s our rule. We listen to each
other.” By offering a continual model, you are showing the child what the rule looks like in action.
If you feel like the student’s behavior is out of your control, give the student a choice.
 “You have a choice. You may stay with the ReadingPals and follow our rules or you may go back to your class.
What would you like to choose?”
 If behavior does not improve, you may want to say “Your behavior shows me that you chose to leave the
group. I will see you next week.”
 Let the teacher know that the child is returning to the class activities.
 Remember, if a child leaves the group for the day, he/she is welcomed back to the next session without men-
tion of the previous incident. Never threaten a child with expulsion from ReadingPals: Children are always giv-
en a chance to try again next time!
Credit: Read2Succeed

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Praising children publicly can
inspire other students to follow
the example.
BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT
Praise the child for the process they used.
“You figured it out. Good job.”
rather than praising how quickly
or easily they accomplished a
task.
Whether simply reading with children or playing some of the games described in the activity guides, it is important
to offer praise and some visible reward for a job well done. Frequent, honest praise will help students feel good
about themselves and encourage them to try hard again next time. Below are a few tips for praising young readers:
Make your praise specific and honest.
“Great job in rhyming that
word, Tommy!”
Help students embrace their effort and to learn from mistakes
If a child mispronounces a
word, and then tries hard to
pronounce it correctly later
on, praise the effort.
Phrases to praise children for a job well done
Praise children for a job well done
each day.
Avoid taking away praise with a
negative comment. Research shows
that we tend to hear the negative
and forget the positive
Great job!
I’m proud of you!
Thank you for listening!
What great listeners!
Credit: Read2Succeed

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CLOSURE & SAYING GOODBYE
Closure can be difficult for both reading volunteer and student. The student should be told at the beginning that the
match is for a pre-arranged number of weeks or months. Here are some suggestions for finding closure with this age
group:
Use a calendar
✓ Allow your student to keep a record of your visits and to track how many visits you have left.
At the end of a meeting
✓ Give some positive feedback about the day or week.
✓ Let your student know you will return.
Don’t leave without communicating
✓ At-risk students don’t need to feel abandoned or rejected. They will understand schedule chang-
es, moving and other complications than an unexplained disappearance. Remind the student a week
or two before you leave as to the parting time.
✓ Discuss any holidays or business trips which will conflict with your scheduled visits.
Don’t make empty promises or guarantees
✓ Situations and schedules change. You or your student may not be able to follow-through on a
commitment, leaving one or both with hurt feelings.
Saying goodbye at the end of the semester
✓ Discuss date of the last meeting is planned in advance.
✓ Revisit the student’s achievements and the good times you shared together.
✓ Leave on a positive note and with words of encouragement.
Credit: Read2Succeed

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WHAT TO EXPECT DURING THE FIRST 3
MONTHS:
 Children may be “selectively mute”
 It may seem like they don’t understand but they are taking
in information.
 Children won’t talk until they have a comfortable
vocabulary.
VOCABULARY
 The key is introducing vocabulary first so children have a
background for under-standing, feel more successful and
have a better sense of what is expected.
READING TIPS
 Set a slow pace and give children time to respond– tap your
foot 10 times.
 Use lots of hand motions and your body.
 Make real world connections.
 Model think-alouds. For example: verbalize a confusing point
or show how you use a strategy to comprehend something.
"This sounds very confusing to me. I better read this
sentence again."
 Repeat new words three times.
FORMING RELATIONSHIPS
 In many cultures, children do not look adults in the eye out
of respect.
 Show an interest in their culture: have the child teach you
how to say hello in their language and learn to say things to
them in their language.
 Be patient and give them time. They are being inundated
with new information and it is very overwhelming for them.
.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
Be sure to use facial expressions and
gestures e.g. point to your head for
thinking, point to your eyes for noticing.
I’m noticing
I’m wondering
This parts reminds
me of
This is confusing
because
I like this part because
I think the character
is feeling
____because .
I think ______
will happen
next because.
In most cases, ReadingPals students will be native English speakers. In the event that you are matched with an
English Language Learner (ELL), below are some tips for working on developing early English literacy skills with that
student.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
I am thinking

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Heart of Florida United Way
ReadingPals Program Coordinator Jaquala Montalvo (407) 429-2149 Jaquala.Montalvo@hfuw.org
Manager of Education Programs &
Initiatives
Amanda Casburn (407) 440-6858 Amanda.Casburn@hfuw.org
Jaquala Montalvo will be your first line of contact for questions and notification of absences.
CONTACTS
Read2Pals
898-211
To receive messages via
text, text Read2Pals to
898-211
You can opt-out of mes-
sages at anytime by re-
plying “STOP”.
Sign up for ReadingPals
text message alerts!

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TABLET TROUBLESHOOTING
How to Restart the Kindle Fire:
Step 1: Press and hold the power button on the top right of the device for 20 seconds and
then release.
Step 2: Power it back on: Wait until the device has completely turned off, then press the
power button to restart your Kindle Fire.
Can't Connect to Wi-Fi?
Before you begin, make sure that:
 Airplane Mode is off. To check, swipe down from the top of the screen and
tap Wireless. If Airplane Mode is On, tap Off to enable wireless connectivity.
 Then: Restart your Wi-Fi connection on your device. Swipe down from the top of the
screen and tap Wireless, and then tap Wi-Fi. Next to Wi-Fi, tap Off. After you turn off
your Wi-Fi connection, tap On to turn it on again.
 If there is still no Wi-Fi connection, restart the Kindle (instructions above).
Battery Doesn't Charge?
 Unplug the power adapter and micro-USB cable from your device, and then connect
them to your device again.
 Insert the power adaptor into a power outlet.
 If your device doesn't indicate that it's charging, unplug the power adapter and restart
the device (instructions above).