CORE SERIES

The selection and adoption of an effective, research-based core reading program in the primary grades is a critical step in the development of an effective school wide reading initiative.

A core reading program is the primary instructional tool that teachers use to teach children to learn to read and ensure they reach reading levels that meet or exceed grade level standards. A core program should address the instructional needs of the majority of students in a respective school or district.

What are the five essential elements of reading instruction?

• Phonemic Awareness is the ability to notice, think about, and work with the individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words.
• Phonics instruction teaches children the relationships between the letters (graphemes) of written language and the individual sounds (phonemes) of spoken language. Phonics includes using knowledge of the alphabetic principle to decode unfamiliar words.
• Fluency is the ability to read grade appropriate text accurately, quickly, and with expression. Fluency is important because it provides a bridge between word recognition and comprehension.
• Vocabulary refers to the words we must know to communicate effectively. Knowledge of both oral and reading vocabulary is essential to facilitate spoken and written communication.
• Comprehension is the ability to construct meaning from text. It is the reason for reading. Knowledge and application of comprehension strategies help active readers understand various types of text.
  

What is an Uninterrupted Reading Block?

All Reading First schools are responsible for providing a 90-minute uninterrupted reading block for instruction of the core program. Every K-3 classroom teacher must use the 90-minute uninterrupted reading block to provide differentiated small group instruction for ALL students. Writing instruction and intervention for strategic and intensive level students must be scheduled beyond the 90-minute uninterrupted reading block. read more*

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