Radford COSD faculty and students host full RiteCare© summer schedule to enhance children's literacy and language skills

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Beginning June 6, Radford’s Department of Communications Science and Disorders (COSD) and the Scottish Rite Foundation will host four clinics in the Waldron Hall to help children develop and enhance their communication and literacy skills.

RU faculty and graduate student clinicians will work with clients who have applied to participate in the program and attend for free, courtesy of the Virginia Orient of the Scottish Rite and the Scottish Rite Foundation. The RiteCare© clinics will culminate with a luncheon and program June 29, to honor the Scottish Rite Masons who have partnered with Radford University since 1995 in support of the Summer RiteCare© Clinics.

"Again, this summer we have a wonderful opportunity to serve children from across the region, thanks to the Scottish Rite Masons of Virginia," said COSD Department Chair Diane Millar. "Our students will have a unique opportunity to develop their skills in this intensive clinical experience before beginning their on-site clincial placements in the fall."

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The Preschool Language Lab is a program for toddlers and pre-school-aged children with identified communication disorders or who are at risk of failing to develop strong communication skills that features music therapy activities for its clients.

The 2016 RiteCare© events are:

  • The Language and Literacy Summer Institute, led by COSD Associate Professor Elizabeth Lanter, will support the academic achievement of children from preschool to middle school with programs to bolster oral and written language skills. The Institute will address language and literacy skills, such as story re-telling, sound awareness, letter-sound correspondence, comprehension and written expression among others. The LLI will run from June 13 through June 23 and provide five COSD graduate students with clinical experience.
  • The Preschool Language Lab (PLL) is a program for toddlers and pre-school-aged children with identified communication disorders or who are at risk of failing to develop strong communication skills. The PLL will feature peer interaction and music therapy activities for 12 clients who will work with faculty and COSD graduate and undergraduate students toward specific speech, language and peer interaction-skill goals. The PLL is organized by Corey Cassidy, WCHHS associate dean and associate COSD professor, and Assistant Professor of Music Trish Winter and will include six COSD student-clinicians and music therapy students. The PLL begins June 6 and ends July 1
  • Reading Smiles Jr. is a speech/language summer therapy program for toddlers and pre-schoolers to promote dynamic and intelligible spoken and signed language skills through play, parent teaching and home programming. Five graduate students and Clinical Instructor Patricia Rossi organize Reading Smiles Jr., which runs from June 13-29.
  • Assistant Professor COSD Karen Davis and COSD Instructor Karen Arndt will host the Radford Adventure Reading and Writing Camp, a literacy-focused camp for 12 school-aged children. Through small-group and individual work, clients will work from June 13-30 with faculty and 12 graduate COSD students to develop literacy skills, a cornerstone of academic achievement.

Five RU COSD graduate students will receive Scottish Rite Summer Fellowships for the 2016 camp and clinic season:

  • Lauren Paulette
  • Ashley Houchin
  • Lauren Aprile
  • Kelsey Owens
  • Elizabeth Bowen

In addition to those who receive fellowships from the Scottish Rite Foundation to participate in the 2016 RiteCare Summer Clinics, the Scottish Rite Foundation awards additional fellowships in the fall to Radford students who have committed to advancing knowledge of childhood language disorders and positioned themselves to work with children in Virginia with such challenges.

Jun 3, 2016