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Literacy Action Steps for Kingswood

Some of our inquiry questions around literacy learning for all of our learners was, "How do we know the needs of our learners?  How do we monitor their progress?  How do we know how to meet them where they're at, and then provide meaningful instruction to engage all of our students?"  Last year, we invested additional funds to support staff to be able to assess students' literacy learning, and then use these to guide instruction and support.  We have invested in the latest PM Benchmark Assessment kit, the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Literacy Assessments, as well as the updated Jerry Johns Reading Assessment.  We've also invested "time"---offering up professional development within our own school to be able to assist teachers not familiar with these assessments so that they can also use these with students in their classes.  We also invested a significant amount of time and funds to be able to complete our organized literacy room, including levelled materials for all staff to be able to access, and to best support the needs of our students.  When students were asked what specifically they hoped to engage in in terms of their reading, quite a few in our mid-intermediate grades requested readers theatre/plays and also chapter books that were easier for them to read.  This was especially crucial for some of our students in grades 4 and 5 who may have been struggling with their reading.  Having resources that look age appropriate, but are still readable for these young learners was essential.  We have invested in these as well.  When we notice that a student who may have been struggling in the beginning of the year with their reading, and witness that same child blossom into establishing a love of reading, we notice what types of texts, which authors, etc. they are enjoying and we seek out further materials whenever we can to foster this love of reading in ALL of our students.  All students have the right to see themselves, think of themselves, and blossom as readers.  We have surveyed our students and their responses from K-7 were all quite positive---"Every Child a Reader" is our vision of how we believe students should think of themselves.  

Updated: Thursday, July 7, 2022