Title I Reading Specialists , ELL and ELA teachers and tutors implement scientifically-research based reading strategies that include small group instruction, individualized phonics and spelling, interactive writing, specific and explicit instruction of reading strategies.  These serve to support children's earlu literacy skills and ultimately in their overall comprehension of text.   Instruction is determined from the needs students demonstrate on formal assessments Running Records, DIBELS and other informal tests.

Reading Recovery, Grade 1 Reading Recovery is an early intervention program designed by Marie M. Clay (1979, 1985) to assist children in first grade who are having difficulty learning to read and write. Children eligible for the program are identified by their classroom teachers as the lowest in their class in reading acquisition. Children who are not taking on reading and writing through regular instruction receive a short-term, individually designed program of instruction that allows them to succeed before they enter a cycle of failure. Reading Recovery is designed to move children in a short time from the bottom of their class to the average, where they can profit from regular classroom instruction. The goal of Reading Recovery is accelerated learning. Children are expected to make faster than average progress so that they can catch up with other children in their class. Reading Recovery provides one-to-one tutoring, five days per week, 30 minutes a day, by a specially trained teacher. The daily lessons during these 30-minute sessions consist of a variety of reading and writing experiences that are designed to help children develop their own effective strategies for literacy acquisition. Instruction continues until children can read at or above the class average and can continue to learn without later remedial help. Reading Recovery is supplemental to classroom instruction and lasts an average of 12-20 weeks, at the end of which children have developed a self-extending system that uses a variety of strategies to read increasingly difficult text and to independently write their own messages.

Guided Reading Program:  Grade 1 – 5 This targeted, purposeful instruction is ideal for student success on standardized tests.  Through small group instruction and guided-reading techniques, students learn to practice comprehension skills, analyze new vocabulary, evaluate challenging sentence structure, and consider new ideas. In the Guided Reading Process, a teacher works with a small group of students who demonstrate similar reading behaviors and can all read similar levels of texts.  The text is easy enough for students to read with the teacher’s skillful support.  The text offers challenges and opportunities for problem solving, but students can read it with about 90 percent accuracy. 

Leveled Literacy Intervention System: Grades K – 3: The Fountas & Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention System (LLI) is a small-group, supplementary intervention program designed for young children who struggle with reading and writing. LLI is designed to be used with small groups of young children who need intensive support to achieve grade-level competency.  Participants include low-achieving children who are not receiving another supplementary intervention.  English language learners can also benefit from LLI. Each LLI lesson provides specific suggestions for supporting English language learners.

Kindergarten Safety Net Tutorial:  ELA Tutors and Reading Specialists target Kindergarten students who need extra support in attaining early literacy concepts.  Students receive additional support within the classroom four times a week for a maximum of 20 minutes.  This program has three phases:  

Phase 1:  Letter Knowledge/Phonemic Awareness: The tutorial builds on the familiar using student’s names and known letter.  Students then are introduced to unfamiliar letters and their sounds.

Phase 2:  Guided Reading and Writing: Students read and write emergent text to develop early literacy concepts.  The teacher gradually releases the responsibility of reading each book over four levels: Teacher Reads, Echo Reading, Whisper Reading, Student Reads

Phase 3:   Safety Net Tutorial: A 20 session tutorial designed to help students “connect with text” to develop the foundation for comprehension.