Story and Photos by Kim Elder, St. Charles NEA
In 2022, Missouri adopted the Read, Lead, Exceed reading initiative, dedicating millions in federal relief funds to support student literacy. Rooted in the science-of-reading research, the program aims to educate teachers on evidence-based literacy instruction and focuses on the five key elements of reading success:
- Phonemic awareness—recognition of sounds and the ability to manipulate sounds
- Phonics—understanding the relationship between sounds and letters
- Fluency—efficient and effective word reading that sounds smooth
- Vocabulary—knowledge of what the word means
- Comprehension—acquiring meaning from the text
These essential elements of effective reading instruction are crucial reading components. Unlike language, children’s brains are not naturally hardwired to learn to read. Some students struggle with the complexities of reading development. Building neural pathways is essential to creating proficient readers, and for many learners, repeated practice is key. Teachers use many methods to help with literacy, but learning is always more exciting when play and creativity is involved. Many everyday toys can become effective, hands-on teaching tools! Multi-sensory activities serve an important purpose in the classroom. They offer an engaging practice and allow students to ignite different areas of their brains and receive information in more than one modality. Tactile-kinesthetic tools can be an especially effective learning style with students who need repeated practice to achieve reading success.
Eight great literacy activities...Read the full article in the spring 2023 issue of Something Better.