Unlocking Student Reading Success: Elevating young minds with phonics excellence

Laura Avakians • Cahn Fellow 2022

If we engage students in daily phonics instruction, utilizing all of the components of the FUNdations curriculum with fidelity, then all students will be able to successfully decode on grade level.

During the 2022-2023 school year, our theory of action was both system-focused and evidenced based. The work has been centered around the fidelity of phonics delivery instruction in K-2 classrooms. Through intentional, systematic adjustments to the flow of the day, program resources/supplies, and teacher training, we have been able to show great progress in students reading on grade level or above. In order to train teachers and offer support throughout the school year we adopted a lab site classroom model with a FUNdations lead teacher. With the support from our district literacy coach, our lead teacher was able to collaborate and open her classroom to colleagues to share best practices, observe lessons, and disseminate updates from district meetings/training. Additionally, our teachers were able to observe exemplar lessons on FUNdations components during PL time and used a self-study checklist as part of the school’s fidelity implementation plan. As a result of this implementation plan, our students made great progress across all literacy pillars, not just phonics.

In our journey to cultivate strong and confident readers, our approach to teaching phonics stood apart. Our program ensured that young students not only learn to read but also develop a deep love for language and literature.

The result? Reading success that transcends the classroom. Our approach cultivated confident readers who excel academically and embrace the joy of exploration through literature. Join us in shaping a future where phonics fidelity, teacher empowerment, and enriching resources converge to unlock the doors to reading triumph for every young student.