|
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by
Anthony Amato |
October
10, 2007 |
Early
Reading First
Millions of dollars slated to help all children
learn English in Kansas City, Mo.'s district
The Kansas
City Mo. School District has been awarded a $4.4 million Early
Reading First grant by the U.S. Department of Education. The
three-year grant has been named Leveling the Field for English
Language Learners and will focus on developing oral language
and pre-reading skills with three- and four-year-old pre-schoolers.
A very strong focus of the grant, and the reason for its name,
is on leveling the field for children who normally would start
kindergarten with language deficiencies, due to the fact that
English is not their primary language at home, or in some cases
due to a learning disability. The goal is that after being in
a pre-K room for two years, these children will be ready to
enter kindergarten and will have a fair chance at a successful
kindergarten year.
Leveling the Field will provide the scientifically based reading
research programs Curiosity Corner. It will also supplement
using Breakthrough to Literacy with scientifically based research
in English language development through professional development
so that teachers can address the specific language needs of
the children.The Curiosity Corner and Breakthrough To Literacy
curriculums include an environment rich in literature and meaningful
environmental print, an emphasis on oral language production,
and a daily schedule pervaded by literacy events.
The program provides teachers with engaging materials and explicit
strategies to teach letter names and sounds through meaningful
vocabulary. Sheltered instruction methods address three main
principles that must be present in all second language classes:
increased comprehensibility, increased interaction, and increased
thinking skills.These three principles, combined with the instructional
strategies appropriate for young second language learners will
be used to develop English language skills.
The Early Reading First (ERF) was a very competitive grant,
part of Title I in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Its
intent is to support existing early childhood education programs
in becoming centers of educational excellence for pre-school
age children.
There were initially 400 pre-applicants. Of those 400, 176 districts
were invited back to submit a full application, and 32 grants
were finally awarded. We think that one of the reasons we were
awarded such a competitive grant is that we had a very clear
focus, and all the components of the proposal addressed this
focus: leveling the field for English Language learners.
ERF is designed to prepare pre-school age children to enter
kindergarten with the necessary language, cognitive, and early
reading skills for reading success. Early Reading First uses
scientifically based reading research to: improve the classroom
environment; the quality of instruction; the curriculum and
instructional materials; and the professional development of
staff.
The three-year grant will be implemented at five KCMSD schools:
Douglas, East, Wheatley, Whittier, and Woodland.
The grant will fund additional staff, including a project coordinator,
six literacy coaches, and substitutes or stipend pay for professional
development in scientifically based reading research, second
language acquisition, sheltered instruction for second language
learners, and early childhood research and strategies. Each
Early Reading First school will have a dedicated literacy coach,
with one site, Douglas, getting two literacy coaches to adequately
serve the number of early childhood classrooms in existence.
All classrooms will continue using the Success For All core
curriculum Curiosity Corner, and add Breakthrough to Literacy
as supplementary support. All teachers will get professional
development on these curriculum components, as well as second
language acquisition and delivery methods for second language
learners.
Funding from the grant will also be used to create a print rich
environment in every class, purchase multicultural classroom
libraries, and reading backpacks that children will take home
with books that will be read with their parents. This includes
Take-Me-Home Books in Spanish that when paired with the English
Take-Me-Homes promote classroom reading and family reading time
in homes in either Spanish or English.
The grant will also fund equipment for the classrooms. Each
classroom will receive five computers per classroom that are
appropriate for young children as they develop their gross and
fine motor skills.
Amato’s
Corner is a biweekly feature in The Northeast News by Superintendent
Anthony Amato, with insightful information and analysis of education
trends and new programs in the Kansas City, Mo. School District.
We want your feedback. Please feel free to contact our public
information professionals with any questions regarding Kansas
City, Mo. schools and our ongoing endeavor to provide students
the highest quality education possible.
