STARS / EPALA 2024
Students Taking Action Reading Solo
Élèves Prennent Action en Lecteur Autonome
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What is STARS / EPALA?
Students Taking Action Reading Solo / Élèves Prennent Action en Lecteur Autonome (STARS / EPALA) is:
A way to motivate students to choose reading for pleasure;
A method to achieve K-8 Literacy, ESL, and FSL curriculum expectations, as well as to meet CRRP goals;
A chance to highlight and celebrate diverse literary voices; and
An opportunity to define and enrich UGDSB’s ‘reading culture’.
How does STARS / EPALA work?
REGISTER - January 8 - 26, 2024
Teacher submits Google Form to register class (registration closes on January 26)
Teacher receives information pack and promotional materials (for distribution throughout program)
Teacher demonstrates Sora and Scholastic French magazine reading platforms to their class
Teacher and students troubleshoot any tech/access issues
READ - January 29 - March 15, 2024
Students begin reading recreationally
Reading in any format (i.e. novel, picture book) and any language is eligible
Reading for class is not eligible
Students track their time spent reading and submit weekly totals to their teacher
Teachers keep running tally of class reading hours
Do your students need WiFi or a device for reading at home? Check out this Access Guide from the Guelph Wellington Digital Equity Coalition!
TALLY & WIN - March 18 - April, 2024
Teachers submit final class reading tallies to the TJRC
Classes are entered in prize draws and winners are announced
Students submit Google Form to recommend new book purchases for Sora
Literacy curriculum connections
STARS / EPALA 2024 supports the achievement of K-8 and ESL curriculum expectations by:
Supporting access to diverse identities, lived experiences & perspectives, and building student independence;
Encouraging reading for a variety of purposes and building vocabularies; and
Strengthening students’ understanding and connections to identity and culture by reading a variety of texts.
Grades 1-8 Language
“As students read and reflect on a rich variety of…texts,1 they develop a deeper understanding of themselves and others and of the world around them.”
“...important to give students opportunities to choose what they read…in order to encourage the development of their own interests and pursuits.”
ESL & English Literacy Development
“...students will develop a richer vocabulary, become more attuned to the conventions of written English in various genres”
“Reading experiences that…develop their imaginative powers will go a long way towards convincing them that reading can be a rich source of pleasure and knowledge.”
FSL curriculum connections
STARS / EPALA 2024 supports the achievement of FSL curriculum expectations by:
Promoting the use of effective language learning strategies;
Providing input for language learning by building vocabulary repertoire and comprehension skills; and
Supporting students in becoming lifelong language learners through independent reading.
Reading Strand Overall Expectations:
C1. Reading Comprehension: determine meaning in a variety of French texts, using a range of reading comprehension strategies;
C2. Purpose, Form, and Style: identify the purpose(s) and characteristics of a variety of adapted and authentic text forms, including fictional, informational, graphic, and media forms;
C3. Intercultural Understanding: demonstrate an understanding of information in French texts about aspects of culture in diverse French-speaking communities and other communities around the world, and of French sociolinguistic conventions used in a variety of situations and communities.
CRRP connections
Core Components of CRRP
High expectations (curriculum expectations and skill development)
Cultural competence (Dr. ABC Cultural Competence)
Joy of Identity
Based on the work of Gloria Ladson-Billings who named 3 key components of successful teaching for students who are racialized. An additional focus on Joy of Identity has also been added to our understanding of CRRP, based on the work of Gholdy Muhammed.
“Before getting to literacy skill development such as decoding, fluency, comprehension, writing, or any other content-learning standards, students must authentically see themselves in the learning.” - Gholdy Muhammed
“CRRP is not a program that can be delivered to schools in a box and distributed at a staff meeting or even on a single professional development day…It intentionally centres the cultural assets that students bring with them to the classroom and uses those assets as a way to get to know the students and their way of knowing the world, and as a way of engaging all students. But it also forces educators to consider how those assets are put to work to allow students to see themselves reflected in the curriculum and in the life of the school.” - EdCan
What does the research say?
Extensive research has been conducted into the benefits of recreational reading or “reading for pleasure”. Although many of these studies initially focused on the benefits to adults, researchers have more recently been exploring the experiences of children and young adults who read voluntarily - explore their findings below to learn more!
Literacy Facts: Why is this important?
"Literacy is more than just reading…It’s the foundation upon which we learn and grow. Building literacy skills in children is one of the most effective ways to ensure they can achieve their full potential in school and throughout life.”