The Core Knowledge Foundation is presently engaged in the development of a comprehensive reading program for the elementary grades. The program is based on the insight that, in order to become a truly proficient reader who is able to derive meaning from what is read, an individual must develop mastery of systematic decoding skills and possess the background knowledge, vocabulary and “cultural literacy” needed to understand what is decoded.
To address these needs, the program is divided into two components:
- A Skills Strand provides systematic instruction in synthetic phonics, with a focus on the individual sounds in words. Reading and writing are taught in tandem as inverse procedures. Repeated oral reading of 100% decodable text is designed to build fluency.
- A Listening and Learning Strand focuses on building background knowledge and vocabulary through carefully sequenced fiction and nonfiction oral read-alouds, grouped into thematically unified domains, based on the Core Knowledge Sequence.
Ten pilot schools across the country have been field testing the kindergarten grade level materials since the start of this school year. Even at this very early stage, the classroom teachers in these pilot schools are sending very enthusiastic feedback about the success of their students this year with Core Knowledge Reading, as compared to kindergartners in previous years who used traditional language arts materials.
This six minute video clip, taken at Three Oaks Elementary School in Fort Myers, FL in January of this year, highlights activities from both the Skills and Listening and Learning Strands.
The Foundation is working on the development of the first grade materials at this time and intends to field test those materials next year in the same schools. (Note: We are not able to accommodate additional pilot schools for the 2008-2009 school year.) Development of subsequent grade levels will continue as funding is secured.
Linda Bevilacqua, the author of this entry, is the President of the Core Knowledge Foundation.
![[del.icio.us]](http://images.del.icio.us/static/img/delicious.small.gif){kind=small}
0 Responses to “Core Knowledge Reading Program Pilot Video”