Learning to read is one of the most important skills students develop in their early school years. At Otselic Valley, teachers and interventionists use a combination of programs to help students build strong reading foundations and grow into lifelong readers.Several tools work together to support literacy instruction in grades K-5, including HMH Into Reading®, Heggerty, DIBELS®, Amira Learning®, UFLI Foundations and Wilson Fundations.
Core Reading Instruction in the Classroom
In Otselic Valley elementary classrooms, the core reading curriculum is HMH Into Reading®, a program that supports reading comprehension, vocabulary development, and foundational literacy skills.In the early elementary grades, teachers also use Heggerty, a program that helps students build strong early reading skills by focusing on the sounds in words. This practice helps prepare students for decoding and reading.
Monitoring Student Progress with DIBELS®
To better understand how students are progressing, the district uses DIBELS® (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) as a benchmark assessment.These assessments help teachers and interventionists understand how students are developing important reading skills, such as recognizing sounds in words, decoding, and reading fluently. In addition to benchmark assessments during the school year, DIBELS® is used to help track student progress and identify areas where additional support may be helpful.
Additional Practice with Amira Learning®
Students also use Amira Learning®, an AI-powered reading program that provides additional opportunities for reading practice.As students read aloud, Amira Learning® uses speech recognition to listen and provide feedback while also helping teachers monitor student progress. Teachers can use this information to better understand how students are developing their reading skills.
Providing Extra Support When Needed
Some students benefit from additional support beyond the core classroom instruction.Interventionists use Wilson Fundations®, a structured literacy program designed to strengthen phonics and decoding skills.Programs such as UFLI Foundations may also be used to provide more intensive practice with phonics and decoding skills. These programs support students who need extra help developing foundational reading skills.
Working Together to Support Readers
By using these programs together, Otselic Valley teachers and interventionists can better monitor student progress, provide targeted support, and help students strengthen their reading skills.This comprehensive approach helps ensure that every student has the opportunity to develop the skills needed to become a confident reader.
Thank you to Sabrina Whorrall and Lisa Moseley for their help with this article.