Sociologist George Farkas to Train Reading Tutors and to Lecture By Sue Kropp
	George Farkas		SEPTEMBER 20, 2000--The Oberlin College Center for Service and Learning (CSL) has been involved in tutoring local elementary school children for several years, but this fall the CSL will help set in motion a new program for third- and fourth-graders at Prospect Elementary School. On September 26 George Farkas, professor of sociology at Pennsylvania State University, will visit Oberlin to meet and train CSL volunteers as Reading One-to-One tutors. His visit is sponsored by the Oberlin Public Schools, with assistance from the CSL. Reading One-to-one, a program that combines whole-language skills and phonics, offers elementary-school students individualized contact with a tutor who is trained to adapt the program to each child's needs. Daphne John, associate professor of sociology at Oberlin, volunteered as a Reading One-to-one tutor at Prospect Elementary School during the summer. John and the other volunteers participated in an intensive two-day training program that outlined the goals of Reading One-to-one and taught tutors to assess the progress of children involved in the program. "I was impressed with the progress the kids made," says John. "Not only does the program help children improve their reading and writing skills, but it also teaches them to critically evaluate reading material." Farkas's research focuses on children who do not receive help with reading skills at home, either because their parents do not have time to be involved or chose not to be involved with school assignments. His studies have found that these children typically fall behind their peers, and continue to do poorly in school after failing to learn basic skills. However, early intervention programs like Reading One-to-one greatly increase a child's skills and opportunities to learn. On Wednesday, September 27 at noon, Farkas will present a lecture for students and community members. The lecture, in King 306, will explore Reading One-to-one and the concept of literacy tutoring for social justice. "Farkas is one of the few sociologists I know who bridge the gap between research and practice," says John. "In creating Reading One-to-one, Farkas has combined learning with service. It's really an Oberlin kind of program."
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