Lantrip Elementary’s reading and language arts curriculum combines the best of several approaches to provide a stimulating learning environment. Through progress monitoring, teachers create intervention plans to meet the individual needs of children. Literacy workstations are used in every classroom to create hands-on learning experiences that engage and challenge students while teachers work with small-groups to meet the needs of struggling readers. By way of a guided reading library, teachers plan a balanced approach to literacy by providing leveled readers to students.
Beginning in Pre-Kindergarten, students at Lantrip are exposed to a phonics-based approach that embraces the development of phonological awareness. Word recognition skills are built through phoneme segmentation, blending, decoding, and sight word recognition in Grades K-2. Our teachers recognize the importance of reading fluency and accuracy in developing reading comprehension. Grade appropriate word walls are visible in every classroom with words added each week. Fluency assessments and individual tracking are done on a bi-weekly basis through progress monitoring to ensure students develop as readers, while strategically getting students excited about their progression. Reading is taught in small guided reading groups based on instructional levels while other students are engaged in literacy workstations. In the upper grades, group activities, classroom discussions, and literature circles are used to promote cooperative learning.
For struggling readers, the three-tier reading model has enhanced our differentiation and intervention designs. Students in the tier three reading level are provided with 45 minutes of targeted intervention instruction daily. Extended instruction after school is provided to accelerate learning and to ensure that struggling readers avoid failure and are given additional time to practice skills.
Writing is also an essential element of Lantrip’s literacy curriculum and is integrated throughout all curricular areas. Lantrip capitalizes on the 6 + 1 Traits writing framework as a guide and assessment tool to develop excellent writers. Many teachers utilize the benefits of Writer’s Workshop to promote writing within each child. The process of Writer’s Workshop begins in Kindergarten and develops gradually each year as students progress as writers.
