Watson & Associates Literacy Center

Mission Statement

The mission of the Literacy Center is to assist students, grades kindergarten through 12, to improve their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Funded by a generous grant from Watson and Associates, the Center offers interactive tutoring within carefully designed programs.

Services

Founded in 2004, the Watson and Associates Literacy Center is a component of the James R. Watson and Judy Rodriguez Watson College of Education at California State University, San Bernardino. The Literacy Center offers one-to-one literacy tutoring services to students who have not yet achieved grade-level proficiency in literacy or math. Children in grades kindergarten through 12 attend weekly tutoring, Monday – Thursday, 3:30-4:30 PM or 4:30-5:30 PM. Tutoring sessions are one day per week for each tutee, one hour per session. Tutoring support is provided during the fall and spring semesters of the University. Contact the center if you are interested in tutoring support during the summer months.

Tutoring services are provided by America Reads or America Counts tutors and volunteer tutors who are enrolled in one of the credential teaching programs in the College.  America Reads and America Counts tutors successfully complete the ESEC 5450 course, which provides tutor training for CSUSB students to work with K-12 students to increase their skills in literacy and math. Topics include literacy and math methods, multicultural issues, learning disabilities, and the use of educational software.

Tutors receive ongoing support and coaching on best practices regularly from the reading specialist and director at the Literacy Center.  These strategies provide instructional techniques that tutors can readily and immediately implement to increase the effectiveness of the tutoring session.

Pre and post-online assessments document the progress of the K-12 students (tutees) as they increase in the acquisition and use of academic skills and strategies over time.

For the last week of tutoring, parents and families are invited to attend a Writing & Math Celebration that highlights and celebrates their student's projects completed during tutoring.