Sullivan Elementary 22-23

Question

We are wondering how our early learners' reading skills will improve when we use a targeted skill-based program focused on strengthening decoding skills, high frequency word knowledge and increasing phonemic awareness using Heggerty. We are curious to see if this cohort will improve in their overall reading skills (decoding, fluency, and comprehension) and if this will help improve their spelling and writing skills in the intermediate grades.

Intervention strategies:

50 min targeted instruction based on assessment of decoding and sight words initial and subsequent terms.

In a typical literacy session

· Phonological & phonemic awareness activities (word families, whiteboard spelling, word segmenting boxes, games, word building, printing, targeted writing instruction, Heggerty)

· High frequency word instruction

Results

Thoughts

Grade 1

Decoding / High Frequency Word Recognition

· Looking at emerging group, some of these identified children show a need for intensive intervention with additional supports. There are also attendance issues with some.

· Overall showing growth in both decoding and high frequency word recognition.

· Please note that each term the learning expectations grow and the data reflects the change in expectations. All children are showing growth but they may not match the term expectations.

Writing

· At the beginning of the year, many children were expressing their ideas and thoughts through pictures, initial sounds and some commonly used words

· End of term 2, children are more confident in expressing their thoughts using sentences. This includes appropriate casing, letter formation and end of sentence punctuation.

· It is evident in their writing that children are applying their phonological skills to write independently as well as using more high frequency words

Grade 2

Decoding / High Frequency Word Recognition

· Significant growth between initial and first term with targeted instruction of both decoding and high frequency words

· Evidence of parent involvement in reviewing sight words has increased high frequency word knowledge

· Application of decoding skills lags behind the memorization and knowledge of high frequency words. Children are meaning making and are more proficient decoding words with meaning, rather than using their skills to decode nonsense words

Writing

· At the beginning of the year, children were able to express their ideas using phonetic spelling and some commonly used words.

· They struggled with letter casing, space, formation, punctuation and general sentence structure

· Now we see more consistent use of spacing, casing and end of sentence punctuation

· Evidence of introduced spelling patterns and their increased use of high frequency words

· More confidence while writing and increased stamina

· Increased supporting details and some descriptive language