Literacy

student literacy

Literacy is at the foundation of successful learning and living. It's an active, life-long process. It begins almost from birth, when our parents first start reading to us and develops over our whole lives.

Literacy is more than basic reading and writing skills. Literacy education at Clearview Public Schools is about helping students find ways to make sense of the world by acquiring, understanding and communicating information in a variety of ways.

Clearview has adopted a balanced literacy approach. Balanced literacy encompasses three crucial areas which are to do be done each day - reading, writing and working with works. In each of these areas, teachers begin with direct instruction and gradually release responsibility to students so students can become successful independent learners. In all three areas, students are making connections to self, text and word.

Reading Foundational Resources to our Literacy Work

  1. Every Child, Every Day by Richard Allington and Rachael E. Gabriel

  2. "The Book Whisperer" by Donalyn Miller

  3. "Visible Learning for Literacy:" by Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey and John Hattie

Clearview created the Clearview K - 12 Literacy Framework and Plan with the Literacy Steering Committee. A sincere appreciation to the exceptional educators who have participated in the development of this framework and plan.

Supports for Teachers

In 2017, Clearview purchased over $400,000 materials for K - 12 classrooms through the Alberta Education Classroom Improvement Fund with additional funds from the Clearview. Clearview purchased Scholastic Literacy comprehensive Canadian literacy resource for K - 12 which includes

  • Strategy-based approach to meet the needs of all students

  • Support for reading, writing, oral language, word study and questioning techniques

  • Fiction, non-fiction and info-fiction texts

  • Ongoing practical assessment to inform instruction

    • Planning guides

    • Graded materials

  • Individual teaching plans for every book in the resource

Teachers were provided access to

  1. Grade level appropriate materials

  2. Classroom libraries

  3. Guided reading materials

Professional Learning Opportunities include...

  1. Secondary Literacy Summer Symposium - Douglas Fisher and Leyton Schnellert

  2. Scholastic resource training with Sue Jackson - August

  3. Joyful Literacy Summit in Calgary for K - 6 Principals and Teachers

  4. Fountas and Pinnell Benchmarks

  5. Right to Reading - Reading Readiness Assessment Tool (Resource packages)

  6. Phonemic Awareness training (Resource packages)

  7. K - Grade 3 Balanced Literacy - Lori Jamison

  8. Grades 4 -6 Balanced Literacy - Lori Jamison

  9. CARC Daily 5 and CAFE

  10. Academic Vocabulary

  11. Background Knowledge

  12. Joyful literacy book at each school with additional support with Wendy

  13. School scholastic support with Wendy

  14. Words Their Way

  15. Other PD opportunities through school PD budgets

  16. May PD day - Scholastic follow up support sessions

General Resources for Balanced Literacy

Balanced Literacy

Reading and Writing Lessons

Guided Reading Leveling Chart

Literacy Place for Early Years site

Moving Up with Literacy Place site

The relationship between reading and writing

Daily 5

Book Leveling Sites

Supports for Schools

  1. School were provided Scholastic Materials

  2. Fountas and Pinnell Benchmarks and training

  3. Literacy Lead Teacher

  4. Professional Learning Opportunities

Supports for Students

In addition to regular, ongoing work in the classroom-which has a strong focus on literacy -our Division offers a range of literacy interventions for all students who need extra support developing these skills. These interventions involve more time with a teacher in a one-on-one or small group session.

Clearview is also using STAR Reading Screen. STAR reading guides our K - 12 students to greater reading growth with outcomes-based computer adaptive assessments that measure students' reading comprehension, monitor achievement and growth.

Supports for Parents

As parents, you're a literacy leader! You are your child's first and most important teacher. To help strengthen your ability to be a great coach and mentor at home, we encourage you to see the great tips for parents created by Edmonton Public.

Literacy Links

ABC Life Literacy Canada