Early Literacy Information

Collaborative Literacy, consisting of Being a Reader and Being a Writer, is used for fidelity in all classrooms in grades K-3. Collaborative Literacy, created by The Center for Collaborative Classroom, sequences deep content knowledge with research-based foundational skills instruction which is provided in a small group format. It provides systematic and explicit instruction in phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, phonics, the building of background knowledge, oral language development, vocabulary, writing, comprehension, and fluency. Collaborative Literacy does not use the three-cueing model of literacy instruction.

In grades K-3, students participate in daily instruction in foundational skills, writing, and reading. This instruction provides intentional and systematic support in building decoding skills. The lessons support learning related to phonemic awareness, sound-letter patterns (or spelling patterns), decoding, writing mechanics, and writing structure and processes. Collaborative Literacy takes a comprehensive approach to teaching the code of the English language. The English language has 26 letters, these letters combine to create 150 spelling patterns that represent 44 sounds of language. Collaborative Literacy explicitly focuses on teaching each of the 44 sounds and the 150 ways these sounds are represented in a logical sequence that builds independence. This approach assures that students have the knowledge they need to address any text and any word.

A variety of texts and topics develop young children’s language and background knowledge. By exposing students to rich complex texts through daily read-alouds, engaging in text-based and analytic discussions of the text and content, and building connections from the text to the work of the classroom through extension activities. These lessons reflect the fact that knowledge, comprehension, and vocabulary are intimately related. Students spend sustained time in a variety of domains. This coherent organization of the content is critical to building knowledge, inferring new vocabulary, and enabling comprehension. The content-rich reading that students are required to do creates an optimal context for interactive discussions and activities that allow for the development of skills that foster the comprehension of complex sentences and ideas. The content within the knowledge strand creates rich academically oriented, oral language experiences that promote receptive and expressive language skills.

The teaching of both strands in parallel helps students avoid cognitive overload and acquire advanced, complex vocabulary in the knowledge strand. Students both read to learn in the knowledge strand and become expert decoders in the skills strand.

By third grade, students are digging deeper in to authentic texts and focusing on the following:

• Analysis and expression in reading and writing - Students get daily exposure to complex texts. In reading instruction students engage in discussion and short writing activities to answer text-dependent literal, evaluative, and inferential questions about literary and informational texts. Students return to passages multiple times for deeper analysis. 
• Fostering “wonderful conversationalists” - Students not only frequently discuss content-rich texts, but also develop the ability to present, debate, and build upon each other’s responses.
• Explicit language instruction - Students learn to apply conventions of English grammar, punctuation, and spelling through explicit instruction, target practice activities, and daily writing.
  Rich variety of texts and contexts - Students read knowledge-rich texts and begin to read an increasing number of classics and encounter different original source materials. They will read articles from different sources to write opinion pieces and increasingly complex texts on their own. 
• Maximizing vocabulary acquisition - Students read a variety of content-rich complex texts. Teachers foster structured and informal discussions that help students become accustomed to using complex vocabulary in scaffolded and supported contexts. The combination of exposure to complex tests and meaningful discussions allows students to build an internal web of vocabulary and allows for the continued growth of vocabulary by providing the opportunity to link new words to words that are already understood.
• Build background knowledge for strong comprehension - The topics build upon the broad base of knowledge that students acquired in grades K-2. The development of a broad base of knowledge about the world allows students to comprehend increasingly complex ideas and texts, make connections and inferences, and engage in extended discussions of the works they are reading or hearing read aloud.

Note: In the assessment process, it may be determined through reassessment or alternatively-approved assessments that the original screener was not accurate for the student.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction selected aimswebPlus as the required reading readiness screener. Students in 4K will be assessed twice a year, fall and spring, and students in kindergarten through third grade will be assessed three times per year (fall, winter, spring). Parents will be notified within 15 days of the completed assessment.

• DPI-required screener: aimswebPlus

Diagnostic assessments will be administered within 10 days for students who score below the 25th percentile per the requirements of Act 20 of 2023. These assessments are used to dig deeper into early literacy skills to identify the best strategies and interventions to use with each child. Potential subskill diagnostic assessments include, but are not limited to:

• aimswebPlus 
• Fastbridge
• i-Ready diagnostic
• Core phonics assessment

Please notify the district if your preferred language is other than English.

Equitable Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (EMTSS)

Lake Mills Elementary School provides a range of interventions as part of our Equitable Multi-tiered Systems of Support (EMTSS). These interventions will be used to support students in need of a personal reading plan.

Students receiving intervention will be progress monitored weekly to ensure the intervention is working. All intervention data is reviewed every 6-8 weeks (depending on holidays, no school, etc) by a team of school personnel. Families can expect to receive updates about the student's progress at least every ten weeks.

Personal Reading Plans

Students who score below the 25th percentile on the reading readiness screener will have a personalized reading plan developed. The plan includes:

• early literacy assessment data
• overall early literacy analysis
• student goals and a specific plan to meet the goals
• recommendations for culturally relevant early literacy learning
• record of student attendance in the intervention
• communicate record along with team member signatures

Exit Criteria - A student may be exited from a personalized reading plan based on multiple data sources and involves the team of educators and caregivers. Data sources will include performance on the aimswebPlus screener, progress monitoring data, and classroom level assessments. 

Family Notification System

Families will be notified of their child's assessment results via paper which will include a plan language description of the literacy skills measured in the reading readiness assessment(s). Additionally, families can access information about the district's assessment schedule and the DPI's Guidebook for Dyslexia and Related Conditions using links on the right.

Family & Community Engagement

Families and our community are active partners as we work to achieve the goal of literacy success for every learner. We will continue our literacy engagement activities throughout the school year and summer including family literacy nights, read around the community, newsletter strategy tips, and much more. We will be creating take-home literacy kits containing books, guides, and activities tailored to the child's needs. Within the community, we will continue our partnership with L.D. Fargo Library to organize summer reading challenges and book lending services. We are also fortunate to have volunteers read with students during our school day.