Elementary English Language Arts

  • ELA Updates

     

    Literacy Instruction in Ann Arbor Public Schools:

    Our beliefs, resources, tools, and practices aim to center, affirm, support and challenge each of our students. AAPS strives to improve student literacy achievement through cultivating and sustaining:

    • Guaranteed and viable curriculum (standards, resources, tools, practices) that includes:
      • Up-to-date, research-supported practices
        • Literacy Essentials
        • A Framework for Equitable Instruction
          • Culturally affirming instructional practices
          • Universally designed instruction
          • Instruction with linguistic and academic accommodations
          • Active and engaged instruction
      • Alignment to Standards 
      • Quality and engaging resources and tools that support learning and instruction (see Figure 1.1)

     

    AAPS uses a targeted and multi-tiered system for instruction, intervention, and assessment that is designed to meet the academic achievement needs of ALL students. 

     

    Tier 1:

    Tier 1 encompasses core instruction that is differentiated and provided to all students. Effective tier 1 instruction meets the needs of most students (approximately 80% of the student population). 

     

    Ann Arbor Public Schools’ core (tier 1) literacy program provides reading and writing instruction and assessment through the combination of whole-group, small-group and individual instruction that is differentiated to meet the needs of individuals. Reading instruction at the tier 1 level addresses the following and beyond: print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

     

    Our AAPS Tier 1 Literacy Curriculum includes:

     

    Additional AAPS Tier 1 Literacy Supports Include:

    • Flexible small group and individual instruction for students
    • Adaptive blended learning opportunities with Lexia Core5
    • Literacy Coaching for teachers

     

    Graphic highlighting key components of AAPS Tier 1 Literacy Instruction

    Frequently Asked Questions About Literacy Instruction in AAPS

    Q: I have heard the term Science of Reading a lot recently.  What does this mean?

    A: Reading science, also referred to as the science of reading, is a cumulative and evolving body of evidence proposing explanations about reading development, writing development, and related issues. The science of reading informs what to teach and how to teach reading.

     

    Q: What is AAPS currently doing to align instruction and resources with scientific reading research?

    A: Based on current and emerging scientific reading research, we have done extensive work to make important shifts already to align instruction and resources with scientific reading research.  These shifts include:

    • A focus on the Literacy Essentials to guide the professional learning path and resource selection in our AAPS classrooms 
    • The adoption of a systematic and explicit phonics instruction program for grades K-2: Fundations in our Title 1 elementary schools in 2018 and UFLI Foundations in our Non-Title elementary schools in 2023 
    • The addition of Morpheme Magic, a curricular resource for grades 3-5 to build awareness of the morphological structure of words in 2023
    • Small group instruction that is both flexible and strategy based, a significant shift away from reliance on student reading levels
    • The removal of reading levels from report cards and family communication to demonstrate a focus on the individual strengths and needs of each reader 
    • 130+ AAPS elementary educators are engaging in the Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling, LETRS training, which provides educators and administrators with deep knowledge to become literacy and language experts in the science of reading
    • Monthly professional learning sessions focusing on deconstructing the former three-cueing system, use of decodable texts, and the essential need for orthographic mapping when teaching high frequency words.  
    • The adoption of Heggerty, a phonemic awareness curriculum, in all of our elementary schools in 2022
    • The restructuring of instructional time in our literacy block to increase time spent daily on foundational skills instruction
    • The creation of an explicit, developmentally appropriate scope and sequence to use with the Words Their Way curriculum to ensure all students have daily access to grade-level content and meaningful and authentic ways to apply their learning.

     

    Q: What next steps will AAPS take to further align instruction and resources to scientific reading research?

    A: While we take pride in the strides we have made to align practice to research in the area of literacy we aren’t finished yet.  Our upcoming action steps include:

    • The addition of powerful decodable texts 
    • An ongoing review of our current literacy curriculum to ensure alignment to scientific reading research
    • A review of literacy assessments to ensure we are screening and diagnosing needs in timely and accurate ways

     

    Q: Are there any helpful resources I can read to learn more about the Science of Reading and effective literacy instruction?

    A: Below you can find a small sampling of resources to help you learn more about literacy.