Curriculum

I often craft my own lessons for my students. These lessons are based on my knowledge of a student’s skill level and strengths and weaknesses. Each lesson is composed of an activity intended to put the student into a receptive state of mind and provide a context and purpose for the skill being taught. This is followed by direct instruction, guided practice, closure and independent practice.

I am also trained to instruct many different intervention programs. If a student’s learning needs fit a particular program I will embed the curriculum, as much as necessary, within my own lesson plan.

Reading Instruction

The five components to reading instruction are: phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency.

Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear the discrete sounds in words.

Phonics relates to alphabet knowledge and decoding phonetic and non–phonetic words (sight words).

Comprehension corresponds to understanding what we are reading. This requires meta-cognitive skills and a rich vocabulary. It requires students to become conscious of an abstract tool kit, which includes visualization, making predictions, making connections to one’s personal knowledge, and clarification. It is often beneficial for younger students to use gestures to concretize each of the items in their comprehension “ tool kit.”

Vocabulary instruction works to increase a student’s vocabulary. Several words are taught and then encountered in a related text. The definitions are given with supplementary imagery: sometimes students draw a sketch to go with a definition. Students must be able to create their own sentences using the words, and therefore gain grammar expertise.

Fluency corresponds to the rate, accuracy and expression of how we read aloud.


Examples of learning tools and programs I use include:

• Step Up to Writing
• Phonics for Reading, Levels I,II, III
• Rewards Multi-Syllabic Word Reading Strategies, Intermediate Level
• Read Naturally Take Aim and Reading Fluency Progress Monitor
• Read Naturally Read Live
• Stern Structural Arithmetic, Levels I, II and III
• Touchphonics
• The Florida Center for Reading Research Teacher Resources
• Words Their Way

Comprehension Process Motion (CPM's)

Examples of products I use are:

• Didax Hands On Phonics
• Lakeshore Fiction and Non-Fiction Collections