What is it?
Reach out and Read (ROR) is a nonprofit organization of medical providers that promotes early literacy and school readiness. During every well-child check-up, medical providers remind and encourage parents to read to their children at home. Medical providers also give every child between the age of six months and five years free children’s books. In waiting rooms, ROR organizes volunteer readers to further promote literacy. The network of ROR pediatric teams reaches 4.2 million children across the country.
What is the evidence base?
Families in ROR read more frequently to their children, demonstrate higher attendance rates for well-child visits, and are more likely to own 10 or more children’s books. Children exposed to the program have higher receptive and expressive language scores and improve their language development by three to six months.
