PTO Presentation on Harcourt Reading Series Erin Monn Literacy Coach

Agenda What is Balanced Literacy? How will the Harcourt reading series benefit my child? What are the components in the Harcourt reading series? What materials will my child be using? Questions

What is Balanced Literacy? Response to the “Reading Wars” –Phonics versus whole language All 5 components of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension) are important

How will the Harcourt reading series benefit my child? The National Reading Panel Report (2000) shows effective reading instruction must include: –Phonemic Awareness –Phonics –Fluency –Vocabulary –Comprehension A Comprehensive Core Reading Program (Harcourt): –Includes all five essential components –Is research based –Provides consistent and systematic instruction across and between grade levels –If instruction is delivered with fidelity, we can better assess why students are not succeeding

How will the Harcourt reading series benefit my child? (cont.) Materials – Variety of instructional materials to support learners at different levels –Anthology stories are “real” literature; include fiction and nonfiction –Built in review of concepts –Students make connections Vocabulary in leveled readers and anthology story Stories within a theme Focus skills and strategies

What are the components in the Harcourt series? Reading –Shared Reading –Guided Reading –Independent Reading –Read Aloud Writing –Modeled Writing –Shared Writing –Guided Writing –Independent Writing Word Study/Spelling –Phonemic Awareness –Phonics –Vocabulary Grammar Assessment Planning

What materials will my child be using? Every child uses: Anthology Leveled readers Practice book Other Materials: Predecodable and decodable books Big books Word builder cards Sound spelling cards Center activities Story retelling cards Fluency builder cards

Questions