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Resources to Support Literacy Instruction

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Resources to Support Literacy Instruction

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The photo below shows child friendly language/ pictures to implement new strategies. She explained that this is a useful way to teach because it motivates and excites learners in literacy.

Another strategy used to support literacy was with the iPads. During small group instruction she sometimes has the other learners at the iPads engaging in literacy games. One application is called RAZ, its a guided reading program with interactive reading books. Another application is called 'leveled readers'. She explained that there are also a variety of sight word games for Kindergarten as well.

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The kindergarten uses Wonders Basal Learners Program. It is designed to nurture each child's social and emotional development, while providing students with learning experiences. The program gives teachers one big book for each unit as well as a matching child size book. It also comes with leveled guided reading books per each unit that coincides with the standards.

The teacher also uses decodable reader books to work with children on their CVC words and fluency. These books came with read aloud cards to help with visualization.

I was surprised to learn that she used a Lucy Calkins handwriting book for the students to practice and further their skills in writing.

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16 students
1 teacher
1 helper that come in every other day

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Each literacy unit is somewhere around three weeks long. At the end of the unit there is an assessment for each child.

The school uses ESGI to organize the students assessments.

The teacher also works to organize 1 on 1 phone calls, or meetings with parents to discuss the learners letter recognition, rhyming, blending, segmenting, sight words, and fluency.

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This was a beneficial field visit to learn first hand how literacy instruction is implemented in a kindergarten classroom. I was able to see first hand how a teacher works to incorporate many aspects of what we have been learning about in Curriculum 313.

This experience has helped me to develop a clearer understanding of all the different strategies in helping learners become literate.

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While interviewing Mrs. J, she explained that the school has not formally adopted NGLS because it doesn't have to be fully implemented until 2020. For right now they are following the common core.

To simplify the learning targets for students, the teachers uses a 'focus' ball. This helps the students learn literacy skills in a fun way. The teacher also had two statements posted on the wall for the students to reference. Mrs. Johnson explained to me that in Kindergarten, she relies more on using verbal reminders to teach her learners literacy instructions.

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During guided reading, the teacher I observed separates the children into three small groups; low, on, and high. The other children not in the small group either independently read or work on another assignment with a teacher helper.

As for tracking, she gives a formal assessment to each child after a unit. They are tested on many different areas including letter sounds, phonemic awareness, and comprehension of sight words.

The school uses a software called ESGI to target and assess instruction. Mrs. J said that this an effective platform to help her organize letter naming, sight words, rhymes, and blending segments for each individual student. She also uses an app on the iPad called 'Star Assessment' that is given to a child four times through out the year. The app works to accommodate each individual child as well as working a little bit on their digital literacy skills.

The school gives out quarterly report cards to help parents understand where their child is.

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Everyday in from 9:30-11 the classroom focus is mainly on ELA , sometimes they combine social studies/ science into the lesson, making it interdisciplinary. Then from 11:30-12 they work on writing skills.

For the ELA work she uses several different styles of teaching. I witnessed her teaching a lesson using a big book for a shared reading. The benefit of using a large text is to engage learners and help with vocabulary development. Mrs. J also has children work on independent reading, giving them new books in their buckets to look through and sound out words which are appropriate to the child's needs. She also works on phonics/phonemic instruction in small groups. The lesson I taught with the learners was in place to help with their sight words.

On my last day I watched her give a lesson on handwriting, they were working to write the letter C. She started the lesson on the carpet using a smart board and then had them practice on the chalkboard at their assigned seats.

During my interview with the teacher, she told me how she likes to switch each day up to motivate the learners when learning/practicing a new skill.

(Below is a picture of the students books used for independent reading)

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The library is organized and color coded by genre. The teacher explained how it is not leveled because in kindergarten the students levels are not fully known until later on in the year.

These books are accessible to the kids during free time.

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I observed and worked with a Kindergarten classroom. Since it is many of the learners first years attending school, the teacher waits until January to assign a child with a reading interventionist. When January comes around the school does use the pull out method to support its students.