“Wonderbooks provides students with the opportunity to experience a story in print while also having access to narration, sound effects, and expressive reading,” shares Mrs. Hansard, Librarian at Challenger Intermediate School.
Goddard Public Schools is in its second year of implementing LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) training. This initiative equips educators with the deep knowledge needed to transform literacy instruction and reach every learner. Through her participation in these courses, Mrs. Hansard identified a critical need and discovered a way to bridge the gap for students struggling with reading during library time. “Audiobooks take some of the pressure off a struggling reader,” Mrs. Hansard explains. “They help develop a love of reading that builds life-long habits.”
In the short time Wonderbooks have been available for trial in the library, they have quickly become a class favorite. Mrs. Hansard is thrilled to see students engaging in new ways, and soon, students will have the opportunity to check these books out to enjoy at home. By making reading fun and accessible, Mrs. Hansard aims to motivate young readers while building essential skills in comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency.
Thank you, Goddard Education Foundation and our generous benefactors for providing the tools needed to inspire new opportunities for young readers.
Looking for an opportunity to GIVE, GRATITUDE, GODDARD? Consider joining us ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ at the Goddard Education Foundation’s premier fundraising event, called Oz on March 28, 2026. Purchase Tickets or donate to support the GEF and future Innovative Teacher grants by clicking here… https://www.goddardef.org/o/gef/page/oz-2025-fundraising-event