The goal of Literacy Instruction in Virginia is to ensure that all children have the necessary skills to become successful as they progress and transition through the stages of their lives. This section includes the State Literacy Plan and other resources to support students in literacy from birth through graduation.
VDOE Presentation: A Balancing Act: Literacy in the Primary Classrooms (Webinar Recording)
Language and Culture in the Classroom
At McHarg we implement a structured literacy framework in K-2 classrooms. We provide explicit and systemic instruction that addresses all of the essential components of literacy instruction.
Phonics: Orton-Gillingham is an approach to teaching phonics in a multisensory, direct, explicit, and systematic way. It is diagnostic and prescriptive and ensures that every child is taught the letters, sounds, rules, and generalizations they need at that point in time.
Phonological Awareness: To address phonological awareness, Kindergarten utilizes the Heggerty Curriculum, and grades 1-2 use a complete, research-based phonemic awareness training program developed by David A. Kilpatrick.
Comprehension: Lessons are planned and implemented based on the standards of learning for each grade level. Teachers encourage thoughtful and intentional interactions between the reader and the text.
Fluency: Teachers provide multiple opportunities for students practice fluency in a variety of settings. Practices include oral reading, repeated readings of familiar texts, partner reading, and fluency drills.
Vocabulary: Vocabulary is addressed throughout the day as it is integrated into each subject taught. Many opportunities are provided for students to learn new vocabulary through read alouds, small group instruction, morning meeting, science, social studies, and morning announcements.
In addition to strong classroom instruction, we use Lexia to support and enrich student learning. Lexia is a computer adaptive instructional program used in K-2 classrooms. Through a singular focus on literacy and a full spectrum of solutions to support it, Lexia helps more learners read, write, and speak with confidence.
We use the LETRS professional development to enrich our teachers' knowledge of the most effective way to teach reading and writing.
K-3 English Achievement Record Sample – Schools maintain a record of achievement in English for each K-3 student to monitor progress and to promote achievement on third-grade SOL tests. This record accompanies a student who transfers to a new school.
Early Intervention Reading Initiative (EIRI) – provides intervention services to students who demonstrate reading deficiencies on the Phonological and Literacy Screening (PALS) assessment
Read to and with your child. Talk with them about what they have read and follow up with questions and conversation. For example, "What did this make you think of? Who were the characters? Did anything surprise you?"
Make reading a choice and not a chore. Allow children to have a choice in what, where, and when they are reading.
Visit your local library and join their reading programs.
Point out other places besides books that you see words like road signs or at the grocery store.
You can increase your child's vocabulary and background knowledge — two important pieces of the reading puzzle — by having conversations with them. Giving children a rich language environment is one of the best ways to build a foundation for reading success. (Reading Rockets)
Below are a list of websites that include great resources for families to use at home to reinforce reading strategies they are learning at school.
VDOE Family Literacy Night Resources