Highlights
PHONICS INSTRUCTION EMPOWERS COLUMBUS STUDENTS TO READ CONFIDENTLY
Source: https://www.ccsoh.us/
Columbus City Schools (CCS) emphasizes the critical importance of literacy skills for student success. Chris Totman, a first-grade teacher at Lindbergh Elementary School with over two decades of experience, highlights the evolving curriculum and research-based teaching methods in early elementary literacy. She is dedicated to mastering these methods to effectively teach her students essential literacy skills, ensuring they receive a strong foundation in reading and writing.
Key Highlight:
- Columbus City Schools (CCS) has recently shifted its approach to teaching literacy to young students. Previously, teachers relied on a balanced literacy method assuming students had innate foundational skills. Now, including Chris Totman at Lindbergh Elementary School, educators employ an equitable curriculum emphasizing letter-sound interactions. Totman refers to this approach as “code-breaking,” focusing on teaching students the rules of English to enhance reading comprehension. The new method aims to help students effectively decode and understand written language.
- Chris Totman teaches her students essential rules for decoding words in English texts. For instance, the “-CK” spelling pattern appears only at the end of words following a short vowel sound, and “K” can start a word only if followed by “I” or “E”. These rules are foundational in helping students understand English and decode words effectively. Totman emphasizes that this approach has significantly benefited her students, who grasp and apply these rules with enthusiasm, leading to noticeable academic progress.
- Chris Totman’s code-breaking teaching strategies in early literacy have not only benefited her students but have also led to broader success within Columbus City Schools (CCS). Amber Bernal, a CCS literacy coordinator, has noted significant progress in early literacy outcomes since the implementation of these methods. Bernal highlighted a specific case of a fifth-grade student who struggled with reading due to a lack of explicit phonics instruction in earlier grades. Once the student began learning these foundational rules later in elementary school, her confidence and reading skills noticeably improved.
- Amber Bernal shared a powerful story of a student who, after learning phonics sounds and decoding strategies, significantly improved her reading abilities and is now one of the top readers in her class. Jennifer Ey, Director of Literacy at Columbus City Schools, commended teachers like Chris Totman for their dedication to equipping students with these crucial skills. She emphasized that literacy and decoding abilities are fundamental for personal empowerment and success in life, highlighting the transformative impact on students and their families.
Image Source: https://www.ccsoh.us/
