David Brankin Elementary 23-24

Reading is fundamental to education. It not only equips students with essential literacy skills but also supports their overall academic, social, and emotional development. By fostering a love for reading and providing the tools needed for critical thinking and lifelong learning, strong reading instruction prepares our students to thrive in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

Foundation of Literacy Skills
A well-structured reading curriculum lays the groundwork for developing fundamental literacy skills. These include phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. Mastery of these skills is crucial for students to become proficient readers.

Students at David Brankin participate in a variety of reading program and assessments that support the learning of fundemental literacy skills including ELPATS (Early Early Literacy Phonemic Awareness Tool), Morpheme Magic, Catch Up Your Code, Fountas and Pinnell and Words Their Way.

Critical Thinking and Analytical Skills
Reading exposes students to a variety of texts, encouraging them to think critically and analytically. They learn to infer, predict, compare, and contrast, as well as evaluate and synthesize information. These skills are transferable to other academic disciplines and real-life situations.

Language Development
Regular exposure to diverse texts enhances students' language skills. They encounter new vocabulary, complex sentence structures, and different writing styles, which contribute to their language development and communication abilities. Differentiated instruction, including leveled reading materials and targeted interventions, ensures that all students have the opportunity to succeed in reading.

Students at David Brankin are able to share their knowledge from reading through a variety of ways including Guided Reading, literacy circles, book clubs, Reading Link Challenge., student debate competitions, reading response journals, book talks and dramatic interpretations.

Cultural Awareness and Empathy
Reading a wide range of texts, including those from different cultures and perspectives, broadens students' understanding of the world. It strengthen students' understanding of themselves, diverse cultures, and multiple perspectives through the exploration of First Peoples’ and other Canadian and international texts. Ultimately, reading contribute to Reconciliation by building greater understanding of the knowledge and perspectives of First Peoples

Every month every class at David Brankin reads the same book that will be discussed at our monthly ROAR assemblies. Every year we choose a different theme to expose students to different cultures and perspectives. This year we chose books realted to the Indigenous 7 Sacred Teachings. During each assemblies, classes share their connections to the stories we have read together. We also draw names of students who win copies of the book to take home and additional copies for their classrooms.

Academic Success
There is a strong correlation between reading proficiency and academic success. Students who are strong readers tend to perform better in all subjects, as reading is integral to understanding and learning across the curriculum.

Lifelong Learning 
A robust reading curriculum instills a love for reading that extends beyond the classroom. Students who enjoy reading are more likely to continue reading throughout their lives, which supports lifelong learning and personal growth. The ability to process and understand written information is vital. A solid reading foundation prepares students for future academic endeavors, the workplace, and civic participation, where reading is a key component of informed decision-making.

Emotional and Social Development
Reading can have a positive impact on students' emotional and social development. It provides a means for students to explore different emotions, understand social dynamics, build relationships and develop empathy.