Words in the Wild

Website: Words in the Wild

Description

Words in the Wild is a small education non-profit based in Oakland, CA. We offer strengths-based literacy programs to children and the adults who teach and love them. Our approach (grounded in nature and infused with joy) develops confidence and critical thinking by sparking innate curiosity — kids become scientists who investigate words in the same ways that they’d investigate the details of a maple leaf or a butterfly.

Through teacher education and community connection, we work to make evidence-based approaches to early literacy instruction widely available, emphasizing underserved populations and students with diverse learning needs with the overarching goal to promote educational equity.

Through our collaborative learning environment, educators learn how to imbed research-based reading instruction into inquiry-led experiences, families are empowered to engage in positive early literacy experiences alongside their growing readers, and children build their skills and independence, ready to interact with the wonder-filled world around them as competent readers and writers.

Literacy Programs

We offer evidence-based literacy learning through playful inquiry-led experiences that center learners through strengths-based instructional methods. Most of our programs are offered in collaboration with local schools and community partners. Our programs include:

Storytime: Free service bringing quality children’s books, movement, and community connection to children of all ages.

WordLab: Afterschool enrichment led by reading experts. Small groups of Word Scientists (K-4) use reading, writing, and the power of scientific inquiry to explore nature and words through hands-on activities.

1:1 Intensive Reading Intervention: Individualized reading and writing intervention for K-5, tailored to meet the needs of students who struggle in these areas.

Words in the Wild Summer Camp: Guided by experienced teachers and reading specialists, Word Scientists (K-4) chart a course for adventure in word and nature studies through hands-on projects and multimodal learning.

Family Literacy Workshops: Families, teachers, and service providers learn joyful strategies for families to foster reading and writing skills at home.

Summer Institute: Educators and specialists learn how to teach reading as a science using a strengths-based approach in our intensive training program.