Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling

LETRS

 This year my ICDP focus is on reading instruction.  Our district goal is to have at least 80% of our students reading at grade level each year. Based on the spring benchmark data for first grade, all of my students entered second grade as “persistently at-risk” in reading.  I know that my core instruction must address phonological awareness (including phonemic awareness), decoding, and sight recognition with more intensity than in the past. 

 

I am currently enrolled in the LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) professional development course with several other teachers in our building.  I am excited to participate in a study group with them, and I look forward to going through the learning process together.   My research will focus on word recognition, which is the topic of the first four units of the course.  I am also using the Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Program, Sounding Out Spelling Words, and Equipped for Reading Success as resources for instructional activities and strategies.

 

I am confident that by focusing on the word recognition skills of phonological awareness, decoding, and sight recognition, I will see improvement in reading accuracy and fluency.  As a participant of the LETRS training, I will complete a case study of three specific students in class, but as a classroom teacher, I am excited to help all of my students grow as readers.

Really Great Reading

 I am focusing on implementing the program “Really Great Reading” for my ICDP for this year. I chose this because it is something brand new that I have not used before. The school purchased this program over the summer and it was used during summer school.

I am excited to learn this program because it is “all there.” It will not require me to search for activities and lessons to help my struggling readers – the program is all laid out in sequential order.

I love that the program follows a scope and sequence so no aspect of acquiring reading skills will be missed. The lessons are fast-paced, have simple structure and are repetitive – perfect for the Title I reading setting.

I am excited to learn this program and hope I am successful in using it to help my students become better readers. Our school goal is to have 80% of students reading at grade level and I am hoping Really Great Reading will help achieve that.