Loudoun's Pathways to Reading and Writing, is an explicit staff development model, which provides kindergarten, first and second grade teachers, and instructional specialists with a consistent, research and strategies-based framework of reading and writing instruction.  The teacher expertise and on-going professional support provided by this program transfers into literacy competency for all students.

How is this literacy program conducted in the classroom?

The students are involved in large group, small group, and independent activities during the reading and writing time.  Lessons are conducted in the classrooms.  The students work on skills such as:

• Letters and Sounds:  Letters have distinctive features and may be identified by names or sounds.

• Working with Words:  The phonetic and structural features of words.

• Comprehension:  The process of constructing meaning while reading.

• Phonics:  Letter and sound relationships and how they are used in reading and writing.

• Independent reading:  Students read texts independently with teacher support as needed.

• Shared reading:  Teacher and children read text together concentrating on targeted skills.

• Guided reading:  Teacher guides the reading of small differentiated student groups with appropriate leveled texts.

• Read aloud:  Teacher reads text aloud to students to model and focus on skills.

• Writers Workshop:  Students are engaged in the writing process and produce pieces of writing in many genres.