Schools, out-of-school programs, tutors, mentors and juvenile detention educators are discovering a "sound" approach to reading instruction.

H.E.L.P. (Hip-Hop Educational Literacy Program) is a line of supplemental instructional materials for language arts intervention and enrichment.

Recently, Ms. Tara M. Brown, Assistant Professor, Minority & Urban Education Graduate Program, Department of Curriculum & Instruction, University of Maryland said:

"When students feel as though the lenses through which they see the world are devalued or denigrated in school, it can, understandably, cause them to, disengage. The Hip-Hop Educational Literacy Program is an effective and authentic curricular innovation that draws students into academic learning and helps them to develop the critical literacy skills they need. As a teacher educator and former urban public school teacher, its ease of use for teachers and its value for students is clear. Given the educational crises within schools that serve, particularly, Black and Latino/a youth, H.E.L.P responds directly to some of the most pressing issues facing education today."

Co-founded by Hip-Hop artist, professional educator, and arts advocate Gabriel "Asheru" Benn, this innovative approach allows teachers, educators, mentors and caregivers to tune in the pervasive popularity of the Hip-Hop genre. H.E.L.P. uses high-interest reading and real-world relevance to improve literacy while bridging demographic, cultural, language, and achievement gaps.

Teacher-created, student-tested and standard-correlated workbooks integrate the five essential components of effective reading instruction as identified by the National Reading Panel. Resource guides and professional development training facilitate effective use of the materials to engage reluctant readers, promote cultural responsive topics, address multiple learning styles and accommodate differentiated instruction.

Carefully-selected, clean song lyrics from well-known Hip-Hop recording artists are the sound foundation for H.E.L.P.'s creative reading and writing activities. Positive character-building messages, poignant social issues, literary devices, historical references, metaphors, rhymes, and broad vocabulary within the songs all provide cross-curricular opportunities during powerful language arts instruction in one-on-one, small group and classroom environments.

H.E.L.P workbook activities are leveled and designed to dramatically impact struggling students who are, indeed, being left behind by low reading skills. As an ancillary curriculum, H.E.L.P may be used effectively with other programs such as Read 180 (tm) and Four-Blocks (tm) and basal programs. Activities are differentiated and reading skills are targeted to allow a prescriptive learning approach that benefits both struggling and advanced students. Professional development is also available.

H.E.L.P . reflects the mission of its publisher, Educational Lyrics, LLC. Gabriel Benn co-founded the company along with entrepreneur special education expert Richard Henning. Educational Lyrics develops its products while believing that reading improves lives and that motivating, real- world connections help students become better readers and thinkers. H.E.L.P's culturally rich, relevant high-interest content enables such student engagement.

SPECIFIC CONTACT INFO:
Tom Schamel
Parnterships and Development
Educational Lyrics
tms @ yeomansmith.com
765.914.9497