Structured Literacy 

Xenia Community Schools uses the Acadience Reading K-6 screener to measure students’ foundational reading skills in grades K-3. This provides indicators of how well students understand the sound system of language (phonemic awareness), spelling patterns (phonics), if they read accurately and quickly (fluency), and if they comprehend text adequately. It also serves as a dyslexia screener and can help to identify students who show characteristics that indicate they may be at risk for dyslexia. 

Xenia’s reading instruction has made the shift to structured literacy, as is the expectation from the state. The purpose of structured literacy instruction is to teach the foundational skills of language and literacy in an explicit and cumulative way. Structured literacy teaches the alphabetic principle and phonics, which helps children break the ‘code’ of reading and learn to blend sounds to pronounce the words on the page. This emphasis on decoding words builds fluent readers who can apply more attention to comprehending text. Explicit instruction also applies to vocabulary and comprehension skills. Structured literacy is research-based and is appropriate for all students, including those struggling or at-risk for dyslexia.

Xenia schools has implemented a multi-tiered system of supports with reading instruction to ensure that students receive the instruction that is most appropriate for their needs. Tier One (whole class) instructional curriculum in reading is a combination of HMH Into Reading (foundational decoding skills plus comprehension), Wilson Fundations (handwriting and phonics skills), Heggerty (phonemic awareness), and Geodes (decodable text). Decodable text refers to reading passages that contain only the words with spelling patterns a student has been explicitly taught. Tier Two instruction is for students who are not making adequate progress in Tier One. Tier Two is in addition to the required whole group ELA instruction, and is administered in small groups that are geared toward the specific skills in which a child needs improvement. Tier Two usually happens inside the classroom and is taught by the classroom teacher. In some circumstances, Tier Two may be done by an additional teacher in a pull-out situation where more intensive training can be offered. 

For more information on structured literacy, please visit the following link:

Structured Literacy Instruction: The Basics | Reading Rockets