In this district, an early literacy initiative helped improve foundational reading in K-2 students, like these two students reading on a tablet.

Getting started with early literacy


In this district, an early literacy initiative helped improve foundational reading in K-2 students

Developing robust literacy skills empowers children to succeed in school and life. In Cobb County School District, we strive to ensure every student is reading on or above grade level by grade 3.

The Cobb County Teaching and Learning Standards in English Language Arts provide a rigorous set of proficiencies in reading, writing, listening, speaking, and language. As part of our district’s systematic and balanced approach to literacy, K-5 students are learning to become fluent and proficient readers and receive explicit instruction in phonics, spelling, and vocabulary.

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In some schools, however, our data and test scores indicated that students were struggling. So, in 2016, we launched an Early Literacy Initiative to add another layer to our approach and help K-2 students develop a strong literacy foundation.

Addressing early literacy learning

The Early Literacy Initiative addresses early literacy learning through the application of consistent high-quality instruction, targeted interventions, timely data evaluation, and collaboration between school and district leaders. It is built upon a strategy of two-week, structured, direct instructional cycles followed by individual common formative assessment.

The assessment results for each class are organized by standard and by student. With this data, teachers know who to pull for small group instruction to address learning deficits related to a standard or group of standards. This allows data to immediately inform instruction and impact student achievement.

Embedded in the direct instruction for 20 to 30 minutes per day are these small groups as well as flexible grouping, support for English language learners, support for students with disabilities, reinforcements, and intervention.

Selecting a digital intervention

We investigated several digital resources to support our balanced literacy approach and help students who are not on grade level. We also wanted something that would work on multiple devices since our schools have a mix of iPads, Chromebooks, laptops, and desktop computers. After careful evaluation, we selected an adaptive online and mobile reading program called Headsprout from Learning A-Z.

We began by introducing the program at the kindergarten level in six striving elementary schools in 2016-17. We started with our most struggling schools based on data and test scores, then progressed from there. The first cohort of six schools expanded Headsprout to first grade in 2017-18 and second grade in 2018-19. A second cohort of six more schools began using it with kindergartners in 2017-18, and a third cohort of another six schools started in 2018-19. Each cohort will roll up its implementation each year until all K-2 students are using the program.

Enhancing early literacy with technology

We recommend that teachers use the online reading program with their students three times a week, for a total of at least 60 minutes. Some students may be on it more than that, depending on their needs.

With the digital program, teachers have the ability to reinforce the skills they are teaching in class, but on an individual level. Students work on critical reading fundamentals, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and basic vocabulary, and can later progress to skills and strategies for comprehension. The online instruction automatically adapts to each student’s specific learning needs, and embedded error correction ensures mastery before they move to the next sequence.

Teachers track students’ progress with the program’s automated reporting and use that data to inform their instruction. With the reports, they know what skills students are struggling with, so they can concentrate on those skills in their small groups. They also discuss the data in professional learning communities called Cobb Collaborative Communities.

Looking at data from the two-week cycles, we see a direct correlation between students’ time on task in the program and their gains. That is why we continue to use the online reading program in the Early Learning Initiative. The data show that the more time students spend on it, the greater gains they are making.

Conducting data calls

Data is a critical part of the Early Literacy Initiative at the school and district levels as well. Every two weeks each cohort of six principals participates in a conference call via Skype with a team of district leaders. They collaborate over the data and drill down to the specific needs of individual students and groups. They discuss strategies, ideas, and successes, and customize the support needed for each school and its teachers and students. This allows students to benefit from the collective expertise of all of the professionals on the data call.

Every two weeks, the literacy and academic coaches within each cohort also conduct data calls with district leaders. The coaches review their data and discuss things such as trainings that need to occur or what the next test will look like. They might come up with focus questions like ‘What are we going to do for students who have mastered this skill and for those who have not?’ The discussions depend on what we see in the data and where we want to focus our attention.

This transparency with seeing each school’s data on screen allows us to look deeper into our schools so we can problem-solve, celebrate successes, and provide support and feedback on a consistent basis.

Improving foundational reading skills

Since launching the Early Literacy Initiative, our schools have seen improvements in students’ foundational reading skills. In the classroom, students are highly engaged in learning to read. Teachers, coaches, principals, and district leaders are working together to evaluate and monitor progress, and make immediate adjustments to instruction to improve student achievement and outcomes.

Our district’s mission is One Team, One Goal: Student Success. It is our responsibility to look at each individual child and meet them where they are. The Early Learning Initiative is an example of how schools and districts can systematically leverage resources and work as one team toward the goal of student success.

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