Students are encouraged to use critical thinking and take ownership for the product.
Balanced Literacy is a framework for literacy instruction. It encompasses a broad range of instructional strategies that reflects recent research and responds to student needs. Each component of Balanced Literacy represents a different approach to teaching literacy. Each supports a range of student abilities and learning styles.
Our school participates in the Ministry Turnaround program. The school has attracted this program through a needs assessment of student and family support, student readiness concerns at entry, EQAO performance and initiatives addressing rural concerns. We benefit from funding for literacy materials for the students, professional development opportunities for the staff, pre and post program assessment, and support from our literacy coach.
Steps towards improving literacy achievement include providing common planning time for same-grade teachers, integrating literacy in other subject areas, providing higher level thinking skills, examining our assessment practices and developing and implementing a system for identifying, prioritizing and supporting at risk students. We also promote staff training, development and support by providing opportunities for professional development, mentoring and leadership in a collaborative working environment. Another important focus is the home and school connection. The staff organizes home reading programs as well as parent information and training sessions. The upward trend of our reading and writing scores on the EQAO testing is a testament to the success of the Turnaround initiative.