Reading
Instruction
We do literacy centers for our reading instruction. The children rotate through four centers daily. Each center is roughly fifteen to seventeen minutes each. The centers change daily.
"Read With the Teacher" Center
This center is the Guided Reading center with teacher. Students are divided into groups based on their level (determined by district testing). The teacher will see each group at least 2 times a week. The teacher provides support for small groups of readers as they learn to use various reading strategies (context clues, letter and sound relationships, word structure, and so forth). The proper leveled books are selected so students are able to read with approximately 90% accuracy which enables the students to enjoy the story because there is not an overwhelming amount of "road blocks" that interfere with comprehension. Children can move guided reading groups as they increase their knowledge or the whole group can increase.
"Phonics" Center
This center is with the classroom assistant. It focuses on expanding the lessons taught by our phonics curriculum. We use the letterland phonics program. Please check it out here: http://www.letterland.com.
"Letterland" Center
This center has review/extension activities related to what the class is working on daily Letterland lesson. Activities can range from pictures sorts to word building.
Computer Center
On the computers we often explore the abc portion of starfall.com and do other school programs, such as letterland and reading eggs.
Technology Center
At this center the students explore LeapFrog Tag Reader pens and LeapFrog Leaster activity pags. We also have an Ipad with learning apps that students use.
.Listening Center
During this center students listen to various stories and complete a recording page about their favorite part of the book.
Library Center
This Center has numerous books from different genres and authors that your child can explore. Whisper reading phones, pillows, and stuffed animals are available here. This is also our “detective” center where child use magnify glasses to located specific letters and /or sight words the class is working on!
Writing Center
At this center students use a variety of writing techniques from handwriting to stamping. Students complete copying, prompted writing, and free writing here.