Language Arts at VASD

Science of Reading

Studying the Research

In 2022, Verona Area School District's Administrators, Principals, Coaches, & Instructional Leaders to began to learn more about the science of reading and to make recommendations for ways to improve student learning in literacy. The Coaches and Instructional Leadership team consists of a variety of educators that represent grades K–12, as well as special educators, multilingual language teachers, curriculum learning specialists, instructional coaches, and related service providers. This team has participated in learning opportunities to support current professional development for our teachers and inform the decisions of our Foundational Literacy Resources as we move through the curriculum renewal and design process.

At the start of this school year, K–3 educators across the District participated in literacy professional development centered in Phonemic Awareness instruction using Heggerty. This training was offered for both our Monolingual and Multilingual (TWI) educators.This training allows our educators to make intentional shifts in their classrooms. Shifts in current literacy teaching and learning practices include:

Increased emphasis on Phonological awareness, including word awareness, rhyme recognition, repetition and creation of alliteration, syllable counting or identification, onset, and rime manipulation.
Increased emphasis on Phonemic awareness, including phoneme identification, isolation, blending, segmentation, addition, substitution, and deletion.

Teachers will continue to learn about the Evidence-Based Reading Strategies as the year progresses and will apply strategies with students as we continue the 2023–2024 school year.

What are Evidence-Based Reading Strategies?

The science of reading is a vast, interdisciplinary body of scientifically-based research about reading and issues related to reading and writing. This research has been conducted over the last five decades across the world, and it is derived from thousands of studies conducted in multiple languages. To learn more about the Evidence-Based Reading Strategies as it relates to 2023 Wisconsin Act 20, click here.

2023-2024 School Year

What's changing this year?

K-3 Phonemic awareness instruction using Heggerty
Our Professional Learning Communities meet on late start Mondays to collaborate and design meaningful, grade-level instruction for all students to help them achieve their goals. They will examine our current instruction and work collaboratively to disrupt inequitable practices and guarantee all students have the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in a diverse global society.

Misconceptions and Talking Points

Misconception:

We are "doing" the Science of Reading.

Talking Point:

The Science of Reading is not a program. It is not a philosophy. It is a body of information and research that continues to grow and evolve as we learn more.

Misconception:

Science of Reading is phonics instruction.

Talking Point:

The Science of Reading is not ONLY about phonics instruction; it's about understanding and applying the most current research on how the brain learns to read, of which phonics instruction is one important component.

Misconception:

The Verona Area School District Teaching & Learning Framework and the Science of Reading are not aligned.

Talking Point:

Throughout the 2023-2024 school year, the Verona Area School district will design a Teaching & Learning Framework that aligns with both Wisconsin DPI's curriculum essential standards and the 5 priority areas of our Strategic Framework: Community Collaboration, Inclusive Teaching & Learning, Student Agency, Value and Belonging, & Wellness and Mental Health.

Misconception:

The Science of Reading doesn't apply to Dual Language Immersion (DLI) or DLI and Science of Reading are incompatible.

Talking Point:

It is accurate that much of the research about the Science of Reading has been done in monolingual settings. The brain research related to the Science of Reading applies to all learners, showing the importance of orthographic mapping, which needs to occur in any language in order to connect audible sounds with written symbols. Since there is little research about the intersection of DLI and the Science of Reading, it will be important for our educators to identify areas of dissonance and to develop new understandings and instructional practices based on our best thinking.

Misconception:

Explicit phonics instruction is isolated skill and drill.

Talking Points:

Explicit instruction refers to teachers using specific and clear language with intentional purpose/planning to teach phonics. It must include time for students to practice in connected text using the gradual release of responsibility and feedback, and it must follow a research-based scope and sequence.

Misconception:

We have to change all of our balanced literacy practices to follow the Science of Reading research.

Talking Points:

There are many places where the research agrees:

The goal of reading is comprehension.
Fluency at the word and text level impacts comprehension.
The reading process includes both oral language development and phonological awareness/word recognition.
Students need a balance of print and meaning to be skilled readers.

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Language Arts at VASD

Science of Reading

What are Evidence-Based Reading Strategies?

Notes on Implementation

2023-2024 School Year

What's changing this year?

Misconceptions and Talking Points

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