More Island students will be able to read at a Grade 3 level by the end of Grade 3 because of the increased emphasis on learning and teaching literacy in the primary grades and the availability of new early interventions that help students overcome their learning challenges.
Some of the successful early literacy programs that are improving reading, writing and mathematics for young students were outlined in the Legislature by Education and Early Childhood Minister Gerard Greenan.
“Increased supports for students and teachers, especially in early grades, will have a significant impact on student success after Grade 3,” says Minister Greenan. “Literacy coaches, early intervention programs, and improvements to math curriculum and resources are engaging students and teachers across the province,” he said.
There are eleven Early Literacy Coaches with expertise in teaching literacy who travel to schools to coach the classroom teachers on innovative ways to teach reading and writing. Reading Recovery offers one-to-one teaching for Grade 1 students who are struggling with reading. Primary Literacy Intervention Program (PLIP) is a short-term reading program for Grades 2 and 3. Specially trained teachers work intensively for 20-25 consecutive days with small groups so that students can advance to reading at grade level and continue to progress with their classmates.
“Common literacy assessments at Grades 3 and 6 measure how well students are reading and writing at the end of these key stages of learning,” said Minister Greenan. “Results from the assessments have provided valuable information that enables us to identify areas of greatest need and to define appropriate programs to address these needs,” he said.
Adjustments to the math curriculum and teaching practices were influenced by the results of recent common assessments for Grade 9 students. This fall, a new common math assessment will be introduced in the Western School Board and La Commission scolaire de langue français to students who completed Grade 3 the previous June. It will be a provincial assessment the following year.
“Our new math curriculum has a strong focus on the fundamentals of math, math strategies and how to learn math,” said Minister Greenan. “New Mental Math resources encourage students to calculate and estimate numbers in their heads, making math easier and more meaningful and engaging,” he said.
Innovative, interactive teaching tools such as hand-held white boards encourage active participation by students which in turn increases student engagement and provides immediate feedback to students and teachers on their progress in the class. Students are also able to access new online math tutorials for support.
Increased government funding for education was used to purchase thousands of new books and reading resources for students in Grades 1-3, more new resources for all school libraries, and support for family literacy grants that encourage literacy and learning at home.
“Today we know so much more about how students learn,” said Minister Greenan. “Increased support in the early grades and innovative learning opportunities through to Grade 12 are setting a much higher academic standard for all students and they are fostering successful learning into adult life.”