Our Programs

Generations Incorporated delivers intergenerational literacy programs to the children of Greater Boston. We are an affiliate of Experience Corps, a national program that engages senior citizens as literacy tutors in public school settings.

Greater Boston’s Host to Experience Corps

We are Greater Boston’s host to Experience Corps, and as such, we are one of the largest and most effective programs in the country. Nearly 300 Experience Corps members currently serve with Generations Incorporated, and in 2011, they provided more than 50,000 volunteer hours of tutoring to 2,600 students.

Why Experience Corps and Why Now?

Problem: 70% of Boston elementary school students are not proficient in reading (2010 MCAS scores). If children are not proficient by the time they enter the 4th grade, they will have a much higher risk of school failure. Children need to read well and to comprehend in order to learn.

Solution: Utilize the experience of Greater Boston’s fastest-growing populations: baby boomers and retirees. Older adults have the time and the talent, and they seek to be meaningfully engaged in their local communities.

Does Experience Corps Work?

In 2009, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis revealed that Experience Corps produces statistically significant results:

  • Students with Experience Corps tutors make over 60% more progress in sounding out new words and in reading comprehension than non-participating students.
  • This boost in reading skills is equivalent to the boost students would get from being assigned to a classroom with 40% fewer children.
  • The Experience Corps program works for all students, even those farthest behind in reading.
  • Teachers overwhelmingly welcome the program, which is little or no burden to them.
  • Experience Corps members are stronger, less isolated, have better physical and mental health, and greatly enjoy their service.

We engage students and volunteers in two proven literacy programs:

Reading Coaches is the structured one-on-one literacy program used by our Experience Corps members. It supports the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks with a focus on reading comprehension and vocabulary building. The program builds on important reading skills while also creating a love of reading and strong intergenerational relationships.

  • “Students made more improvement than control students on the passage comprehension measure and on the teacher rating of reading skills … Teachers consider the program to be very beneficial to students …  Also, tutors perceive that their work with students leads to positive change not only in reading but self-confidence and behavior.” – Nancy Morrow-Howell, lead researcher of Washington University’s Experience Corps research project

The Classroom Literacy program brings trained older adults into elementary school classrooms to work with children in small groups to improve literacy skills while reinforcing teacher instruction. This not only provides an extra learning opportunity for children, but also provides a smaller adult:child ratio inside the classroom.


To learn more about our programs, please call us at 617.423.6633.

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