Read to Succeed Reading Plan

LETRS Questions: 

• How many teachers in your school have completed Volume 1 ONLY of LETRS? 3
• How many teachers in your school have completed Volumes 1 and 2 of LETRS? 21
• How many teachers in your school are beginning Volume 1 of LETRS this year? 11
• How many teachers in your school are beginning Volume 2 of LETRS this year? 3
• How many CERDEP PreK teachers in your school have completed EC LETRS?2
• How many CERDEP PreK teachers in your school are beginning EC LETRS this year? 0

 

Section A: Describe how reading assessment and instruction for all PreK-5^th grade students in the school includes oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension to aid in the comprehension of texts to meet grade‑level English/Language Arts standards.

 

Reading assessment and instruction for PreK-5th grade students is a comprehensive process that integrates various components essential for developing proficient readers.  At Lambs Elementary the five pillars of Reading Instruction ( oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency and comprehension) are incorporated in grades PreK through 5.  In each grade level, students are instructed in oral language development through the modeling and promotion of rich discussions around texts and topics to build students’ knowledge. The use of interactive read-alouds also helps to engage students in listening to stories while enhancing their vocabulary and comprehension skills. In the primary grades, students are explicitly instructed in phonological awareness through activities that help students to recognize and manipulate sounds in spoken language.

Our school has taken a systematic approach to phonics instruction. Students are explicitly taught letter-sound relationships in a structured manner that progresses over time. Students are given the opportunity to apply their learning through decoding of words both in isolation and in connected texts, thereby reinforcing their phonics knowledge.

Fluency is developed through the practice of having students do repeated readings of texts, choral reading, and partner reading in order to build speed, accuracy, and expression. Vocabulary instruction at Lambs Elementary is included in the daily curriculum for all grade levels and across subject matter.  Students are given direct instruction in vocabulary and are explicitly taught word meanings through context, visuals and word maps. Students are given many opportunities to reflect upon and use the vocabulary through class discussions and in writing activities.

Comprehension, which is the ultimate goal of reading, is developed in each grade level as students work through grade-level texts using methods such as class discussions, written responses, and graphic organizers to deepen understanding and engage with the text in a meaningful manner.

Students are formally and informally assessed in all of these areas of reading instruction routinely. These assessments help teachers know how students are progressing, what students need to work to strengthen, all while driving the instruction to ultimately move students towards the goal of becoming proficient readers and meeting grade level standards.

The curricula used at Lambs Elementary (Creative Curriculum. Heggerty Instruction, CKLA ( Core Knowledge Language Arts), and CKLA Skills). helps to ensure that all of the components of Reading instruction are addressed. 

Creative curriculum (PreK) supports our youngest learners through an engaging learning environment.  Students are exposed to experiential learning, critical thinking and collaboration. Students participate in meaningful daily discussions that spark conversation about different topics.

Heggerty Instruction (PreK-2) provides a structured approach to developing phonemic awareness skills, which builds the foundation for reading success. This program focuses on sound manipulation using  a hands-on approach to blending and tapping sounds.

CKLA (Core Knowledge Language Arts) is a knowledge building curriculum for grades K-5. This comprehensive program builds students’ general knowledge and vocabulary across various subjects like science, social studies and the arts. This knowledge building approach is grounded in the Science of Reading and in building students background knowledge in a wide range of areas.

CKLA Skills Strand (K-3) provides a comprehensive framework for developing literacy skills in young learners. This program focuses on the 5 key components of literacy instruction to equip students with the tools they need to become successful readers. Through the use of a synthetic phonics approach, sounds are taught along with their corresponding spelling moving from the simple to complex.

Section B: Document how Word Recognition assessment and instruction for PreK-5^th grade students are further aligned to the science of reading, structured literacy and foundational literacy skills.

The Science of Reading emphasizes that reading comprehension is the product of both word recognition, or decoding and language comprehension. Word Recognition instruction and assessment for PreK through 5th grade students involves explicit instruction on phonics skills. These skills include letter sound relationships, blending, and segmenting. Through LETRS training, educators at Lambs have deepened their understanding of how to teach students the skills necessary for fluency in reading. Through a structured literacy approach, which is grounded in the research of the Science of Reading, students are directly taught phonological awareness. Students are then explicitly taught phonics and how to decode using the letter sound relationships. Students are also given practice through decodable texts. The use of assessments helps to measure students ability to identify letter- sound relationships, high frequency words, and the use of phonics skills when encoding and decoding. All of this information is essential to determining what students know and what students need further instruction in. Through this systematic approach, teachers and students are given a “road map” that highlights where students are in their word recognition journey. This information coupled with the systematic structured literacy program enables teachers to help students reach the destination of being a proficient reader.

 

 

Section C:  Document how the school uses universal screener data and diagnostic assessment data to determine targeted pathways of intervention (word recognition or language comprehension) for students in PreK-5^th grade who have failed to demonstrate grade‑level reading proficiency.  

 

The use of universal screener data and diagnostic assessment data enables our school to identify pathways for targeted intervention for students that have failed to demonstrate grade level reading proficiency. The universal screeners are administered to all students three times a year, starting at the beginning of the school year to identify students that are not meeting grade level proficiency. These screeners assess key foundational skills (i.e phonological awareness, word recognition, phonics, fluency and comprehension. Once students have completed the screeners, the results are analyzed to determine the needs of students and the tiers of intervention that they may need.   

Students that are shown to have deficiencies in word recognition and/or language comprehension are given in class instruction and pull-out intervention to help close the reading gap. A student classified as tier 2 will receive extra in class support and small group instruction aligned to their specific needs. Students that are tier 3 receive a more intensive intervention and are pulled out of class to work with reading interventionists in small groups. Students are routinely progress monitored to assess their progress and make the necessary adjustments to instruction.Through systematic use of universal screener and diagnostic assessment data, Lambs Elementary works to effectively determine targeted pathways for intervention in word recognition or language comprehension. This data-driven approach ensures that instruction is tailored to meet the specific needs of each student, ultimately fostering improved reading proficiency for all learners.

 

 

Section D: Describe the system in place to help parents in your school understand how they can support the student as a reader and writer at home.

Supporting parents in helping their children become proficient readers and writers is crucial for reinforcing literacy skills at home. At Lambs Elementary, parents are kept abreast of not only what their students are learning, but also ways to help at home. Each teacher sends home regular communication via newsletters and Class Dojo, sharing the weekly focus and tips to use when working with their students.  In addition, parents also receive a School newsletter “The Lambs Ledger” which highlights the learning, upcoming events and tools to help students learn at home. We also host events, such as Literacy Night, where families are invited back to school to do fun literacy activities with their students while also gathering ideas to use at home. Our school also regularly holds parent-teacher conferences where parents can get one on one details about their child’s progress and receive guidance on ways to work with them at home. In addition, parents also receive detailed information about their child’s diagnostic assessment scores and what the scores actually mean.

 

Section E: Document how the school provides for the monitoring of reading achievement and growth at the classroom and school level with decisions about PreK-5^th grade intervention based on all available data to ensure grade-level proficiency in reading. 

 

Lambs Elementary provides for the monitoring of reading achievement and growth at the classroom and school level in several ways. Students are first given universal Screeners and diagnostic assessments to determine if there are any gaps in reading. Once students are flagged by the screener, they are given more detailed assessments to identify specific skill deficits. Once students are identified they are given in class interventions and pull out interventions based on need. Through regular progress monitoring, teachers track individual student progress over time. The Reading Interventionists and Reading Coach hold monthly meetings, or Trend Checks, to review each student's data to determine if they are making progress and if changes need to be made to help students reach their goal. In addition, grade level teams hold weekly meetings and review student data and collaborate to determine trends and to share strategies to boost student achievement. Parents are given regular updates on their students progress through intervention progress reports and report cards. In PLCs, teachers also work in teams to review data, which allows for easy monitoring of areas of strength and opportunities for growth. By systematically monitoring reading achievement and growth through a combination of assessments, collaborative data analysis, tiered interventions, and ongoing professional development, schools can make informed decisions that ensure all PreK-5th grade students achieve grade-level proficiency in reading. This data-driven approach fosters a responsive educational environment that meets the diverse needs of all students.

 

 

Section F: Describe how the school provides teacher training based in the science of reading, structured literacy, and foundational literacy skills to support all students in PreK-5^th grade.

 

In order to effectively support all PreK- 5th grade Teachers in evidence-based science of reading instruction, teachers in grades K-3rd as well as interventionists and resource teachers were all trained in LETRS. This training provided teachers with the background knowledge of how one learns to read and ways in which literacy should be structured and taught in classrooms. Teachers have also been trained in the latest evidenced based curriculum which offers structured literacy, systematic phonics and foundational literacy skills. The Literacy Coach has also worked alongside teachers to offer personalized support, model effective instructional strategies. Through the use of coaching cycles, teachers can receive feedback on their instruction while also reflecting and refining their instructional techniques. Additionally, professional development workshops and opportunities are consistently offered to help teachers grow in their knowledge of literacy development.

 

Section G: Analysis of Data

 

 

Section H:  Previous School Year SMART Goals and Progress Toward Those Goals

• Please provide your school’s goals from last school year and the progress your school has made towards these goals. Utilize quantitative and qualitative data to determine progress toward the goal (s). As a reminder, all schools serving third grade were required to use Goal #1 (below).

 

 

Section I: Current SMART Goals and Action Steps Based on Analysis of Data

• All schools serving students in third grade MUST respond to the third-grade reading proficiency goal. Note the change in language for the 3^rd grade goal to align with the 2030 vision of 75% of students at or above grade level.  Schools that do not serve third grade students may choose a different goal. Goals should be academically measurable. All goals should align with academic growth or achievement. Schools must provide a minimum of two goals.

 

• The Reflection Tool may be helpful in determining action steps to reach an academic goal. Schools are strongly encouraged to incorporate goals from the school renewal plan. Utilize a triangulation of appropriate and available data (i.e. SC READY, screeners, MTSS processes, benchmark assessments, and observational data) to set reasonable goal(s) for the current school year.