The Weakley Readers program is progressing right
along in this fourth six weeks of school. We are at a "break" time for first
and second graders while we review and prepare to take the TCAP test during
April. The Kindergarten students will continue with groups until after Spring
Break. During the month of May, all students will be benchmarked and DIBELed
for the last time to see how much progress everyone has made this year.
What is the "Weakely Readers Reading Program?" If
is a systematic approach of meeting the reading needs of the individual child
based upon the child's strengths. Dr. Beverly Tyner, a Tennesseean, and
recognized reading specialist, devised a systematic plan (called a
differentiated reading model) which allows children of like strengths to work
in groups of 6 or less on skills in sounds, letters, words, word families,
sight words, sentences, and leveled texts. Trained instructors provide lesson
plans specific to tartgetted skills to instruct in a block of time from 30 to
45 minutes daily. Leveled texts are key to the building process of reading,
thus the 'bookroom' provides a diversity of sebjects in each level of 1 to 30.
Reading instructors check out levels based upon children's strengths that
provide opportunities to use introduced and l arned reading strategies and
word skills while slightly challenging the reader to explore newly introduced
strategies and concepts. Leveled texts, matching card games, sight word
exposure, specialized word exposure, writing exercises and conversation are
geared toward specific daily goals. One main goal of the program is to
strengthen reading and writing through providing systematic reading
strategies, leveled texts, sight word exposure, and dissecting / matching
words while in a positive learning environment. Our ambition is that the
children will transfer the skills learned in the small groups toward gaining
positive results in all other subject areas in school.
The program appreciates the support of our
principal, Mrs. Athalia Donaldson, who has always been a big fan of the
program, even when she was a teacher just a couple of years ago.