McNair's ultimate mission is for students to develop a lifelong love for reading and books. Students must first become proficient readers in order for this to happen.
Five elements of reading instruction have been identified by the National Reading Panel (NRP) to be critical to the success of readers. These elements are as follows:
1. Phonemic Awareness (the ability to manipulate the sounds of spoken language)
2. Phonics (the connection between letters and sounds; and how those sounds and letters are used in reading, writing, and spelling)
3. Fluency (speed, accuracy, and phrasing when reading aloud)
4. Vocabulary (words recognized and understood when speaking, listening, and reading)
5. Comprehension (understanding what is written)
As part of the DoDEA English Language Arts Standards students grades 1-2 are to be exposed to whole group and small group reading instruction, word study,writing, read aloud, and sustained silent reading. This balanced model of literacy instruction is research based and has proved to be an extremely successful way of teaching children to read.
The component of small group guided reading is one of upmost importance, as it is reading instruction that is on a child’s particular instructional level.
During the first quarter of the school year each classroom teacher forms 3-4 small reading groups. Decisions for small group formation are derived from data gathered from each child’s Diagnostic Reading Assessment (DRA), as well as teacher observations. These groups are flexible, and children may move from one group to another depending on their progress, or specific needs for skills instruction.
McNair's Reading Support Program for Grades 1-2 is designed to enhance the classroom instruction during the 90 minute literacy block. McNair’s reading teacher provides support to the classroom teachers by assisting with small flexible reading group instruction. The benefit from this is that more children can receive small group instruction more often.
During this “push in” support time the classroom teacher works with one small group while the reading teacher works with another. Halfway through the grading period groups rotate and the reading teacher works with a different group. Both the classroom teacher and the reading teacher interact and work with all students in the classroom during the school year.
The classroom teacher and the reading teacher collaborate with one another periodically sharing student progress. They also discuss possible new strategies to make reading instruction more powerful with maximum student achievement as the goal.
If you have a child in 1st or 2nd grade and
have questions please ask the classroom teacher for more information on
this support model.
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page updated 10-15-09
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