Penn Reading Initiative is a tutoring program developed by Dr. William Labov, Emeritus Professor of Linguistics, and his students at the University of Pennsylvania through two Academically Based Community Service (ABCS) courses. ABCS courses integrate research, teaching, learning, and service.

LING 160 | Introduction to African American and Latino English

An introduction to the use and structure of dialects of English used by the African American and Latino communities in the United States. It is an academically based service learning course. The field work component involves the study of the language and culture of everyday life and the application of this knowledge to programs for raising the reading levels of elementary school children.

LING 161 | The Sociolinguistics of Reading

This course will be concerned with the application of current knowledge of dialect differences to reduce the minority differential in reading achievement. Members will conduct projects and design computer programs to reduce cultural distance between teachers and students in local schools and to develop knowledge of word and sound structure.

These courses are no longer offered; however, the following ABCS classes connect students to PRI:

To Be Announced