Students of all ages can benefit from a carefully planned, systematic, and results-oriented reading program. It is so important that students are able to master the fundamental reading skills by the third grade otherwise, they are at risk for falling behind. Teachers and school administrators acknowledge this as well, which is why they invest so much time and effort to provide as much assistance as they can, especially to students who can benefit from reading programs.
Good Reading Instruction
To be able to claim that reading instruction is “good,” it has to be able to make use of explicit and systematic strategies in the following components of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Teachers have to design activities that are aligned with the program, including supplementary materials for students who are a little behind from the rest of the class.
What School Administrators Can Do
The best thing that school administrators and subject coordinators can do would be to design a framework that will guide reading teachers in implementing the programs. Through this framework, they will be able to identify specific reading-related concerns that need to be addressed, and also assess whether the institution has the resources to provide the assistance needed. If resources are available, they can use these strategically and efficiently, and if not, the school can take the necessary steps towards acquiring the materials and resources needed to help the students.
The Resources Needed
To help the school achieve its goals of improving the reading skills of students, a few things need to be in place. This includes the following:
· A research-based reading program that is aligned with the school curriculum
· Instructional materials that provide both explicit and systematic instruction
· Teacher training and follow up professional development for teachers
· Uninterrupted reading instruction for each part of the program, and extra time for students who need extra assistance
· Evaluation data regarding the effectiveness of the program and the activities that were used during classroom instruction
· Intervention programs for students who are behind, that are aligned with the goals of the program
Final Thoughts
Whenever a school plans to implement a reading program, it is best to do it under the guidance of a framework. In this way, teachers and subject coordinators can identify the needs of the students and address them accordingly. It is no secret that acquiring funding for schools can be challenging. The framework will serve as the roadmap for all teachers as they implement the reading programs.
