Language Arts

Your child will be using Fountas & Pinnell, Fundations and Heggerty this year to reach our curricular objectives.  The system strives for a balanced literacy approach by including the following components:

Interactive Read Aloud:  This whole class activity is the foundation of your reading instruction and is a dedicated time in which you have selected a text for student enjoyment. Books are read one time in the whole class setting utilizing teaching points from the lesson menu. (Fountas & Pinnell materials)

Shared Reading: This whole class activity supports your literacy instruction by shifting from teacher-led to student involvement. During the first session, the teacher models reading and offers think alouds based on the lesson menu. In the second session, the students join the teacher in reading. (Fountas & Pinnell materials)

Phonics: Explicit instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, and word study are necessary for developing readers. (Heggerty and Fundations materials)

Guided Reading:  Leveled groups meet daily. Teachers utilize assessment data (Fast, BAS, Reading Records) to select teaching points from the lesson menu. (Fountas & Pinnell materials)

In addition...

Independent Reading: Students have time daily to read independently selected, unleveled text. Developing lifelong readers need to feel empowered to choose their own reading material.

Lexia Core5: This year, your child will be using Lexia® Core5® Reading—a fun, computer-based program that helps students improve their literacy skills. The activities in Core5 support and build on your child’s classroom curriculum and focus on developing reading skills in six areas: phonological awareness, phonics, structural analysis, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.  Students will complete an auto-placement assessment that places them at an appropriate instructional level.  They will then be given a path of lessons.  This is similar to iReady.

Writing:

Students will explore narratives, informational, and persuasive writing.  The components of lessons may include:

Modeled/Shared Writing: During workshop mini-lessons, teachers model writing and collaborate with students.

Guided/Independent Writing: During workshop, students write independently and the teacher meets with individuals and small groups to offer differentiated support.