Page 10 - EL Grade 2 Skills Block - Module 1: Part 1

Implementing the Reading Foundations Skills Block
Reading and writing are ultimately about understanding. In order to gain and show that un- derstanding independently, students need to be able to “crack the code” of written language. In the primary years, they need systematic and speci c instruction in the basics of reading and writing—so that they acquire strong and automatic knowledge of letters and sounds.
Because of this widely recognized need, EL Education has created the K–2 Reading Founda- tions Skills Block (Skills Block). The intent is to ensure that, by the end of Grade 2, students acquire the depth of skills they need in the Reading Foundations standards in order to be able to navigate grade-level text independently. The lessons and assessments explicitly address the CCSS Reading Standards: Foundational Skills, as well as some Language standards associated with spelling and letter formation.
The Grades K–2 Language Arts Curriculum consists of three hours per day of instruction: the module lessons, the Labs, and the Skills Block. Three hours for literacy is a lot of time—and well worth it. Building strong literacy skills and knowledge in the primary years is key to ongoing success in school and life. All three hours address the fundamental needs of primary learners for learning and joy.
This introduction helps teachers understand the why, as well as the concrete what and how, of the Skills Block. Speci cally:
■ How did research inform the design of the Skills Block?
■ What is the overall structure of the Skills Block?
■ How is time used during the hour of instruction?
■ What do students do during whole group instruction?
■ What do students do during di erentiated small group instruction and independent work?
■ How does the design of the Skills Block re ect grade-level reading and language standards?
■ What do assessments look like in the Skills Block?
■ How is the Skills Block related to the two hours of content-based literacy in the module lessons and Labs?
■ What might a day in the Skills Block look like for teacher and students?
■ What are some frequently asked questions about the Skills Block?
Refer to the K–2 Reading Foundations Skills Block—Resource Manual for additional informa- tion on the topics addressed below.
x
_ELED.SKILLS.02.01.P1.indb 10
1/27/19 11:05 AM