A balanced literacy approach is necessary for our students to learn to read and write and to function successfully in their classrooms. All of our special education reading students must be included in a guided reading group for instruction on a regular basis (minimum 3 – 4 times per week). (This can occur in either the special education or the general education classroom.) Following are some considerations in developing instruction plans for our special education students:

All kindergartners need to be included in the Scholastic Phonemic Awareness program as taught in the general education classroom. At the beginning of the school year, our special education teachers will spend the majority of their time with observing and assisting in the kindergarten room. Early literacy activities can be done with the students to help with deepening their understanding of the concepts they are learning in the general education classroom. Most of our multicategorical kindergarten students will not require a pullout model for appropriate instruction. The pull aside model, where the students remain in the general education classroom for instruction, is the preferred model. Road to the Code is a curriculum piece that will be provided to supplement the kindergarten phonemic awareness program. The appropriate time to begin this program would be no sooner than approximately early November. It is recommended that Direct Instruction materials are not used with our multicategorical kindergarten students.

Our first grade multicategorical students need to be included in two general education programs to assure a balanced literacy curriculum: SRA’s Open Court and the Macmillan reading program. Road to the Code is a tool that can be used at the beginning of the school year for multicategorical first graders to strengthen phonological awareness (if there is a need). The utilization of this program should help develop skills necessary to deepen learning when students begin in Reading Mastery I. Students that receive Reading Mastery I instruction must also be in a guided reading group to practice skills taught in Direct Instruction. Edmark is a sight word reading supplement that can be used, but again, practice in authentic reading is a must (guided reading). Pull aside is the preferred service delivery model.

Our second grade multicategorical students need to be included in two general education programs to assure a balanced literacy curriculum: the Macmillan reading program and possibly SRA’s Open Court. Our second grade multicategorical students should have their phonological awareness skills intact, but if not Road to the Code could be used to strengthen this area. Students that receive Reading Mastery I and/or II instruction must also be in a guided reading group to practice skills taught in Direct Instruction. Edmark is a sight word reading supplement that can be used, but again, practice in authentic reading is a must (guided reading). Pull aside is the preferred service delivery model.

Our third grade multicategorical students need to be included in the Macmillan reading program to assure a balanced literacy curriculum. Students that receive Reading Mastery I and/or II instruction must also be in a guided reading group to practice skills taught in Direct Instruction. Herman Reading needs to be considered for any students that are not making acceptable progress in learning to read. Edmark is a sight word reading supplement that can be used, but again, practice in authentic reading is a must (guided reading). Pull aside is the preferred service delivery model, except for Herman Reading students.

Our fourth grade multicategorical students need to be included in the Macmillan reading program to assure a balanced literacy curriculum. Students that receive Reading Mastery III or Corrective Reading Level A or B1 instruction must also be in a guided reading group in order to practice skills taught. Below grade level Soar to Success is available for fourth graders that have developed sufficient fluency and decoding skills (possibly when they have mastered B1). When preparing students for Soar to Success, it is required to first, teach The Word Identification Strategy. When students learn this strategy to the level they are ready for the generalization step; Soar to Success can begin. Herman Reading needs to be considered for any students that are not making acceptable progress in learning to read. Pull aside is the preferred service delivery model, except for Herman Reading students.

Our fifth grade multicategorical students need to be included in the Macmillan reading program to assure a balanced literacy curriculum. Students that receive Corrective Reading Level A, B1 or B2 instruction must also be in a guided reading group in order to practice skills taught. Below grade level Soar to Success is available for fifth graders that have developed sufficient fluency and decoding skills (probably when they have mastered B2). When preparing students for Soar to Success, it is required to first, teach The Word Identification Strategy. When students learn this strategy to the level they are ready for the generalization step; Soar to Success can begin. Herman Reading needs to be considered for any students that are not making acceptable progress in learning to read. Pull aside is the preferred service delivery model, except for Herman Reading students.

Our sixth grade multicategorical students need to be included in the Macmillan reading program to assure a balanced literacy curriculum. Students that receive Corrective Reading, Level B2 instruction must also be in a guided reading group in order to practice skills taught. Below grade level Soar to Success is available for sixth graders that have developed sufficient fluency and decoding skills (when they have mastered B2). When preparing students for Soar to Success, it is required to first, teach The Word Identification Strategy. When students learn this strategy to the level they are ready for the generalization step; Soar to Success can begin. Herman Reading needs to be considered for any students that are not making acceptable progress in their learning to read. Pull aside is the preferred service delivery model, except for Herman Reading students.