David Brankin Elementary 24-25

Every day, students at David Brankin Elementary are presented with opportunities to grow as readers in ways that we hope will benefit them both in and beyond the classroom. Building on the work we began last year—focused on strengthening reading comprehension and foundational literacy skills—we saw an opportunity this year to deepen our impact by aligning our instruction more closely with the BC Curriculum and by implementing consistent, school-wide strategies to support reading development.

This year, our focus has been on strengthening phonemic awareness and phonics instruction, building reading stamina, and creating school-wide continuity through shared literacy experiences. We also prioritized professional development for staff and the use of standardized reading assessments to better track student progress and inform instruction.

To guide our work, we focused on the following literacy goals:

• Strengthening Phonemic Awareness in Primary Grades
• Supporting Phonics and Spelling in Intermediate Grades
• Collaborative Literacy Events Across Grade Levels
• Building Reading Stamina and Independence
• Professional Development for Responsive Reading Instruction
• Promoting Book Clubs in Intermediate Grades
• Implementing Standardized Reading Assessments

Our primary teachers implemented the UFLI (University of Florida Literacy Institute) program to build strong phonemic awareness and decoding skills. This structured, evidence-based approach has helped students in early grades develop confidence in their ability to read and spell. In intermediate grades, teachers continued to use Catch Up Your Code to reinforce phonics and spelling patterns, ensuring that students who still need support with decoding receive targeted instruction.

To promote a love of reading and build stamina, we introduced daily silent reading sessions, home reading logs, and family reading mornings. These initiatives have helped students develop the habit of sustained, independent reading and have encouraged families to become active partners in their children’s literacy journeys.

We also coordinated school-wide literacy events that align with our reading goals. Each month, all classes read a common book connected to our annual theme—this year, the Indigenous 7 Sacred Teachings—and share their reflections during our ROAR assemblies. These shared experiences foster a sense of community and deepen students’ understanding of diverse perspectives.

To support staff in delivering high-quality reading instruction, we engaged in ongoing professional development focused on Responding to Readers. Teachers explored strategies for conferring with students, using formative assessment to guide instruction, and differentiating reading tasks to meet individual needs. We also began transitioning from anecdotal notes and teacher-made assessments to school-wide, standardized reading assessments, giving us a clearer picture of student growth and areas for support.

Finally, we expanded our focus on student-led book clubs in intermediate grades. These clubs provide opportunities for students to engage in rich discussions, practice comprehension strategies, and take ownership of their reading lives.

We believe that by focusing on these key areas, we are equipping our students with the tools they need to become confident, capable, and joyful readers. This work will be explored further in the “Our Next Steps” section.

The evidence from our inquiry into reading instruction this year—gathered through classroom observations, standardized assessments, and teacher reflections—suggests that our school-wide approach to literacy is having a positive impact on student learning.

Throughout the year, teachers implemented targeted strategies aligned with our school reading goals, including the use of UFLI in primary classrooms, Catch Up Your Code in intermediate grades, and the coordination of school-wide literacy events. We also introduced standardized reading assessments to replace anecdotal tracking, giving us a clearer picture of student progress across grade levels.

In terms of phonemic awareness and decoding, we observed notable growth in our primary learners. In October of last year, approximately 78% of our K–2 students were assessed as having an initial or partial understanding of phonemic awareness and phonics. By June of this year, that number had decreased to 52%, with 48% of students demonstrating a proficient or extending understanding of these foundational skills.

In intermediate grades, we tracked students’ ability to decode multisyllabic words and apply spelling patterns in context. Last year, 61% of students were meeting or exceeding expectations in these areas. This year, that number rose slightly to 66%, indicating steady progress and the effectiveness of continued phonics instruction beyond the primary years.

We also saw growth in student engagement and reading stamina. Teachers reported that more students were independently selecting books, participating in book clubs, and completing home reading logs. Our monthly ROAR assemblies and shared reading experiences helped foster a sense of community and purpose around reading.

However, while we are proud of the gains made in reading over the past few years, we recognize that writing is an area that now requires greater attention. Many students who are developing as readers still struggle to express their ideas clearly and confidently in writing. Teachers have noted challenges in areas such as sentence structure, organization, and elaboration of ideas - skills that are essential for academic success and communication.

Moving Forward

Building on the momentum of our literacy work, we plan to shift our focus next year toward writing instruction, while continuing to maintain strong reading practices. Our goal is to support students in becoming not only thoughtful readers but also effective writers who can communicate their ideas with clarity and purpose.

To support this shift, we will:

• Engage in professional development focused on writing instruction, including strategies for teaching sentence fluency, paragraph structure, and genre-specific writing.
• Pilot school-wide writing assessments to establish baseline data and track growth over time.
• Integrate writing into our monthly ROAR themes, encouraging students to respond to shared texts through personal narratives, reflections, and creative writing.
• Continue to use reading as a foundation for writing, helping students analyze author’s craft and apply similar techniques in their own work.
• Explore cross-curricular writing opportunities, particularly in science and social studies, to help students see writing as a tool for thinking and learning.

We believe that by expanding our focus to include writing, we will provide a more balanced and comprehensive literacy experience for our students. Just as we have seen growth in reading through intentional, collaborative efforts, we are confident that a similar approach will lead to meaningful gains in writing achievement.