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Designing Interventions that Match Student Needs - An RtI Conference - October 14, 2011

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This website serves as a portal for up-to-date information on reading instruction.  Below you will find a brief description of the key components of the New York State Reading Resource Center (NYSRRC):

If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at:  NYSReads@esboces.org

Please scroll down the page to access these descriptions.

According to the United States Department of Education, Early Reading First (ERF), part of the President's "Good Start, Grow Smart" initiative, is designed to transform existing early education programs into centers of excellence that provide high-quality, early education to young children, especially those from low-income families. The overall purpose of the Early Reading First Program is to prepare young children to enter kindergarten with the necessary language, cognitive, and early reading skills to prevent reading difficulties and ensure school success.

The goals of Early Reading First are:

• To support local efforts to enhance the early language, literacy, and prereading development of preschool-age children, particularly those from low-income families, through strategies and professional development that are based on scientifically based reading research
• To provide preschool-age children with cognitive learning opportunities in high-quality language and literature-rich environments so that the children can attain the fundamental knowledge and skills necessary for optimal reading development in kindergarten and beyond
• To demonstrate language and literacy activities based on scientifically based reading research that support the age-appropriate development of
  • Oral language (vocabulary, expressive language, listening comprehension)
  • Phonological awareness (rhyming, blending, segmenting)
  • Print awareness
  • Alphabetic knowledge
• To use screening assessments to effectively identify preschool-age children who may be at risk for reading failure

Click here to access the Early Reading First Home Page.

Families are critical partners in effective literacy education and play important roles in supporting their children’s reading success.  The resources in this section are provided to help encourage, support, and understand the development of literacy skills in young children.  Teachers and educational leaders will find valuable tools with which to engage families in the school community.  Family members will find resources to inform and guide them to take a more active role in developing their children’s literacy.

Click here to access the Families Home Page.

The National Commission on Teaching and America's Future found that investing in teacher knowledge and skills nets greater increases in student achievement than other uses of education dollars.  In addition, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has shown that the qualifications and training of teachers affect reading achievement (Darling-Hammond, 1999).  There is a growing body of evidence that professional development, when viewed as an integral part of the life of the school, allows teachers to acquire the experience that encourages them to grow and change in the context of school reform (Lieberman, 1995).

The New York State Reading Academy is designed to offer foundational knowledge about evidence-based literacy instruction.  It is comprised of learning modules which cover the critical components of literacy instruction.  Designed for teachers, administrators, reading specialists and coaches, the New York State Reading Academy provides a focused source of information and opportunities to apply newly-gained knowledge about instructional techniques and strategies to be used in the classroom.  Participants learn to use data to assess student progress and reflect on their own practice within a learning community environment.

Research shows that teachers learn best in activity-based professional development that takes place over an extended period of time, supported by peer interaction and local coaches.  Facilitated group meetings and classroom application activities create a learning community led by a Reading Academy coach, who oversees scheduling while helping guide participants through the curriculum materials.  Teachers receive continuous feedback through peer and coach discussion and reviews, and are able to practice new teaching strategies in the classroom.  The blended format presents instructional materials in a way that is both interactive and informative, taking teacher training to the next level.

Click here to access the Reading Academies Home Page.