Increasing Literacy in Children Kindergarten through Sixth Grade with A

Illiteracy has been a reoccurring predicament ever since people have been able to read. Either children do not understand how to read and write in school, or they require extra help in becoming skilled in the areas of reading and writing. After school programs were created to help schools increase the literacy development in children. An after school program is defined as a program that offers its services to children after school to help them with arts, crafts, sports, or homework. Are after school programs fulfilling their duty to increase the level of literacy in children? After school programs are increasing the level of literacy in children kindergarten through sixth grade because they were created to help children increase their literacy level since schools are not providing children kindergarten through sixth grade with help in increasing their literacy level. The common definition of illiteracy is the inability to read and write. The Funk and Wagnalls Dictionary defines illiteracy as the â€Å"inability to read and write, an error in speaking or writing.† Even if there is a fault in the speaking or writing of a child, that child is defined as illiterate. If that is the definition of illiteracy, is the definition of a literate child one who never makes a mistake in his or her reading and writing? A child will always make mistakes in reading and writing because the child is human, but if that child never progresses in his or her ability to read and write then the child is defined as illiterate. Funk and Wagnalls Dictionary defines literacy as â€Å"the state of being literate† and a literate individual as one that is â€Å"able to read and write, educated, cultured.† Literacy is also indicated by comprehension and a progres... ...b. 2005 . â€Å"Illiteracy.† Funk & Wagnalls Standard Desk Dictionary. 6th ed. 1983. â€Å"Literacy.† Funk & Wagnalls Standard Desk Dictionary. 6th ed. 1983. â€Å"Literate.† Funk & Wagnalls Standard Desk Dictionary. 6th ed. 1983. Prosser, Theresa M., and Levesque, Jeri A. â€Å"Supporting Literacy Through Service Learning.† Reading Teacher Sep. 1997: 31 par. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. University of Denver Penrose Library, Denver. 19 Jan. 2005 . Sylva, Kathy, and Evans, Emma. â€Å"Preventing Failure at School.† Children and Society 13 Sep. 1999: 9p. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. University of Denver Penrose Library, Denver. 19 Jan. 2005 .