D668- Elementary Literacy Curriculum

literacy

the ability to read, write, and understand information, enabling effective communication and comprehension

the reading brain

the network of brain regions that work together to decode, comprehend, and interpret written language

systematic instruction

instruction that presents concepts in order, beginning with the easiest concepts and increasing in difficulty, with new concepts being built on prior knowledge

explicit Instruction

a systematic and direct teaching approach where educators clearly and directly teach specific concepts, skills, or strategies involving providing clear explanations, modeling, guided practice, and feedback to facilitate understanding and mastery of the material

multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS)

a framework that provides varying levels of academic and behavioral interventions to support the diverse needs of all students

phonology

the study of the sound patterns of language, including the organization and systematic relationships of speech sounds (phonemes) within a particular language or dialect

sound-symbol

the understanding that letters and letter combinations (symbols) make different sounds

syllables

units of sound within words that contain a single vowel sound and may or may not be preceded or followed by consonant sounds

morphology

the study of how words are put together with smaller parts called morphemes, which can be prefixes, suffixes, root words, or other word parts

syntax

the structure, arrangement, and organization of words into phrases, clauses, and sentences in a language

semantics

the meaning of words/phrases and how they relate to each other; it helps us understand the meanings of sentences and how words/phrases connect to form clear and meaningful communication

systematic and cumulative

instruction that presents concepts in order, beginning with the easiest concepts and increasing in difficulty, with new concepts being built on prior knowledge

explicit

a systematic and direct teaching approach where educators clearly and directly teach specific concepts, skills, or strategies involving providing clear explanations, modeling, guided practice, and feedback to facilitate understanding and mastery of the material

diagnostic

instruction that includes ongoing formal and informal assessment and focuses on student strengths and needs

content standards

the guidelines that outline the knowledge, skills, and concepts students are expected to master at each grade level in a particular subject area; typically defined at the state level

performance standards

standards that describe the level of proficiency or achievement students should demonstrate in relation to the content standards

Blooms Taxonomy

a hierarchical framework that categorizes cognitive processes into six levels, ranging from lower-order thinking skills, such as remembering and understanding, to higher-order thinking skills, such as analyzing and creating

multisensory

education that involves engaging multiple senses, such as sight, hearing, touch, and movement, to enhance learning and reinforce concepts

literacy-rich environment

a setting that immerses students in a variety of reading, writing, speaking, and listening activities and materials, promoting the development of strong literacy skills

auditory (sound)

the sense of hearing or learning through sound

visual (sight)

the sense of sight or learning through images, graphics, and spatial representations

kinesthetic/tactile (touch)

learning through physical movement and touch, respectively, engaging the senses of body movement and physical sensation

phonemic awareness

a subset of phonological awareness and specifically refers to the ability to recognize and manipulate individual phonemes (speech sounds) in spoken words

phonics

the study of the relationships between letters and the sounds they represent, essential for students to know in order to decode words

fluency

the ability to read text accurately, automatically, smoothly, and with expression

vocabulary

a deep understanding of a words' meaning, once achieved, the word will be stored the brain's mental lexicon (storehouse of words)

comprehension

understanding and interpreting the meaning of text

science of reading

a body of research that investigates how individuals learn to read, encompassing the cognitive, linguistic, and instructional processes involved in literacy development

simple view of reading

students having both the ability to recognize words and the ability to comprehend language, to become a skilled reader (reading comprehension = decoding × understanding language)

decoding

the process of using knowledge of letter sound relationships (grapheme phoneme correspondence) to translate written symbols (graphemes) into spoken language (phonemes) and recognize words

dyslexia

a learning disorder characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities

language acquisition

process in which students acquire the ability to comprehend language and to have the skills necessary to use words and sentences to communicate

four-part processor

a framework that describes how the brain processes written language, involving phonological, orthographic, meaning, and context processors working together to facilitate reading and comprehension

orthographic processor

the part of the brain that helps us recognize and remember the visual patterns of written words and letters

phonological processor

the part of the brain that helps us recognize, remember, and work with the sounds in spoken language

meaning processor

the part of the brain that helps us understand and interpret the meanings of words and sentences

context processor

the part of the brain that helps us understand words and sentences based on the surrounding text and overall situation

syntax

the structure, arrangement, and organization of words into phrases, clauses, and sentences in a language

alphabetic principle

the understanding that written language is based on a system of letters (graphemes) that represent sounds (phonemes) in spoken language

prosody

reading with appropriate expression, intonation, and phrasing

Scarborough’s reading rope

an illustration of the simple view of reading broken down into the different areas of skill needed to be developed to become a skilled reader.

skilled reader

someone who has interleaved the language comprehension strategies with structured literacy lessons to be able to not only read text but gain a deep understanding of it.

orthography

the conventional system of spelling and writing in a language

print awareness

the understanding that print has meaning and is organized in a particular way, understanding that we read from left to right/ top to bottom. It is knowing that words are made up of letters and have spaces in between them. It is also called print concepts or concepts of print.

Ehri’s phases of word development

Pre alphabetic (pre-k); partial alphabetic (end of K); full alphabetic (end of grade 1); consolidated alphabetic (end of grade 2), describing the way students learn words

Tolman’s hourglass figure

a conceptual model that illustrates how broad, general knowledge is progressively filtered and refined into specific, goal-directed behavior through the stages of learning and decision-making

phonological awareness

the ability to recognize and manipulate the sounds of spoken language, including words, syllables, and phonemes (individual speech sounds), without necessarily understanding the meaning of the words

isolation

the ability to identify and isolate individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words

segmentation

the process of separating a word into individual phonemes

blending

the process of combining individual phonemes (speech sounds) together to form a word

addition

the process of adding a phoneme into a word to make a new word

deletion

the process of removing a phoneme from a word to make a new word

substitution

the process of changing a phoneme in a word to another phoneme to make a new word

phoneme

the smallest unit of sound in spoken language that distinguishes one word from another

grapheme

the written symbol (letters or combinations of letters) that represent phonemes (speech sounds) in written language

accuracy

This refers to reading words correctly. Accuracy is important because it allows readers to understand what they are reading without stumbling over unfamiliar words.

rate/Automaticity

Rate (or automaticity) refers to the speed at which a person reads. While it's not just about reading quickly, a good rate allows readers to maintain comprehension and engagement with the text.

word consciousness

developing a love for language and a curiosity about learning new words

metacognition

Pay attention to how well you understand what you're reading. If you're confused, try to fix it by rereading it or asking questions

monitoring comprehension

A reading strategy where readers actively check their understanding of the text as they read, identifying and resolving any confusion to enhance overall comprehension.

visualizing

using prior knowledge/experiences to create a mental model in your mind of things you are reading

graphic and semantic organizers

Use visual tools like charts or webs to organize information from the text. These tools help you see connections and understand the text's structure

answering questions

Answering questions about the text helps you check your understanding and think more deeply about what you've read.

generating questions

Asking your own questions about the text helps you think critically and understand it better

recognizing story structure

Understanding the parts of a story, like characters and plot, helps you follow the story and understand how it all fits together.

summarizing

Summarize the main ideas and key details of the text in your own words. This helps you remember and understand what you've read.

transcription

the process of converting spoken sounds into written symbols or letters

composition

the process of creating written text by organizing and expressing ideas coherently

working memory

the ability to hold and use information in one's mind while reading

cognitive flexibility

the ability to adapt one's thinking or understanding based on new information or different perspectives encountered in the text

text structure

how a text is organized, such as using sequences, causes and effects, problems and solutions, or comparisons

mental lexicon

a storehouse of words with a deep understanding of (including definition, role, pronunciation) housed in the language section of the brain

grammar and language mechanics

Grammar and language mechanics are like the rules of the road for writing. They show us how to use punctuation, spelling, and word order correctly, making sure our writing is easy to understand and looks neat

text analysis and interpretation

using the words and sentences in a text to understand what a piece of writing is about

chatbots

software that mimics human interaction/conversation

written expression

the ability to translate thoughts and feelings into writing

discourse

verbal or written communication that involves the exchange of ideas, information, and meaning within a specific context or social setting

active listening

paying close attention to what someone is saying and showing them through questions and body language

paraphrase

Rewording what someone says in your own words to show understanding

cultural intelligence

the ability to understand, appreciate, and effectively navigate different cultural contexts and interactions, demonstrating respect and adaptability

genre

a category of literature like fiction, non-fiction, or poetry. These types all have the same characteristics.

protagonist

the leading character in a fictional text

antagonist

the character who causes conflict with the protagonist

text features

elements such as headings, bullet points, captions, and diagrams that help organize and highlight important information in a text, aiding in comprehension and navigation

Metaphors

a type of figurative language that directly compares two different things by stating that one is the other

Symbolism

use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities

Prose

poetry written in the way most people write and speak every day

Simile

a type of figurative language that uses 'like' or 'as' to compare

Onomatopoeia

phonetically imitates or suggests the sound it describes

Writing craft

also known as skilled writing, having a mastery of both transcription skills and composition skills

conventions

accepted rules and norms that govern how text is written and understood. These include grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and formatting. conventions help ensure that writing is clear, coherent, and easily understood by readers

the process writing routine

a process for writing that includes the steps of think, plan, write, and revise, also known as the writing process

opinion writing

a type of writing where the author expresses their personal beliefs, thoughts, or viewpoints on a specific topic

persuasive writing

a type of opinion writing that aims to convince readers to accept a particular point of view or take a specific action

narrative writing

form of storytelling that aims to entertain, inform, or convey a message through a sequence of events

Informational writing

style of writing that aims to educate readers by presenting factual information, explanations, and details about a specific topic