Below you will find information about our Literacy Programs. We are currently using a literature based program called My View Literacy. This program along with Orton-Gillingham help your child learn important skills they need to become successful readers.

The National Reading Panel identified five critical areas of explicit reading instruction necessary for children to become successful readers.  They are phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and text comprehension.

In kindergarten children will learn that sentences are made up of words and words are made up of a sequence of letters, most of which make distinct sounds.  This is called phonemic awareness. Once the students have learned the letter-sound relationships, they will learn how to apply their knowledge to reading the text.  They begin to read text that allows the students to apply their letter-sound knowledge.   They will learn to decode words as they read and comprehend the meaning simultaneously.  In kindergarten we work hard to build strong foundations in phonics using the Orton-GIllingham program and our My View Literacy program combined.

They will apply their phonemic awareness in their writing and sound out words. They will also write using high frequency words, these are words that they learn through sight and that they can not sound out. They will learn grammar skills, which will also help build their writing skills. 

I model reading aloud for the students.  I assess the students individually, so I can focus on the skills where they need additional support. They will gain additional practice in phonics, reading and writing while emersed in a variety of center activities. They will also work independently with me or in a small group to focus on their skills. 

Children learn vocabulary indirectly through their everyday experiences as well as through explicit vocabulary instruction.  The students are introduced to vocabulary in kindergarten through books, songs and poems. 

Comprehension of the text is greatly improved when students have received direct instruction in activating their prior knowledge, making predictions, understanding story structure, and visualizing.  The students are presented with essential questions, designed to motivate and guide them as they work through the unit.