• Leveling Literacy Instruction
     
    Literacy development and rate of skill mastery is unique to each child.  As teachers we are focused on a range of student skill development at each grade level and stage of development.  Having a range of expectations will support us to see the areas of strength for each child, as well as areas of opportunity for additional support. 
     
    Assessment data used is both formative (ongoing) or summative (end-of-unit/year).  Assessment tools used in the K-2 level include the formative benchmark district assessment called the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicator of Basic Elementary Literacy Skills) given three times a year.  Also used in assessing student development are running records, unit assessments in the reading program, writing assessment, and phonology assessments. 
     
    Assessment tools used in the 3-5 level include the formative benchmark district DIBELS assessment, running records, 4-SIGHT given 4 times a year, unit assessments in the reading program, portfolio assessments, and PSSA.
     
    Students are provided instruction daily with a balance focused on decoding (sounding out words) , encoding (writing of words and thoughts) , and comprehension (making meaning from what we read).  Along with daily explicit skill based instruction in decoding and encoding provided by our teachers, students  are allowed time for reading and writing that is student selected.  The teacher will guide the student selections to help to provide a balance of fiction and non-fiction text experiences for students.  Our goal is to have every student curious and excited about reading and writing at every level from kindergarten and throughout their 5th grade year with us at North Side.
     
    Clearly defined goals and expectations are necessary for all children to grow to become effective and efficient readers.  By the end of Grade 2, all regular education students, without exception at North Side, are able to read 60 words per minute at the end of the second grade level.  By the end of 5th grade, all student are able to read 120 words per minute or more at grade level.  We see these reading goals necessary for all children to maintain the level of reading proficiency necessary to embrace academic rigor and excellence throughout their lives as they read-to-learn.
     
    North Side proudly communicates assessment results with all parents as they are given.  Once student grades are calculated and recorded, student data is shared with each child's parents using a communication folder provided for all North Side students at the start of the school year.
     
     
     
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Last Modified on May 29, 2014