FROM SOUNDS TO WORDS

By Eric Ogden HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL

One of the greatest joys of teaching in Lower School is witnessing boys in those special aha moments when they fall in love with books and begin to realize there is an endless array of stories and information to be found through the magic of reading.

The early Lower School years (Kindergarten to Grade 2) encompass the most rapid period of developmental growth for a student’s reading. As letter sounds combine to form words and then become sentences, paragraphs, and whole books, boys discover that reading opens up the world to them. At Browning, we use a multifaceted approach to teaching reading in the younger grades. On one hand, boys are given a strong foundation in word study, which comprises the areas of phonics, spelling, and vocabulary development. K–2 boys engage daily with the Wilson Fundations program, exploring letter sounds and formation at the most basic levels, and over time building an understanding of the mechanics of both decoding (sounding out) and encoding (spelling) words. Midway through Kindergarten, boys begin to read several times each week in a small group targeted to their own stage of reading development. Beginning with early pattern books and accelerating to more complex texts, teachers provide a host of strategies to help students both break down and comprehend each text. In Grades 1 and 2, boys meet in their small guided reading groups every day, working at their own targeted levels to build skills using a targeted library of both fiction and nonfiction texts.

At the same time, teachers help boys cultivate a genuine appreciation for the wonder of books through a wide variety of read-alouds and shared reading experiences. Boys listen to class readings of novels with rich plots, full of character development. At the same time, teachers and librarians share a variety of picture books, delving into topics that range from ways to be a good friend to exploring holidays and cultural celebrations. Our students also soak up informational texts such as biographies or those on scientific themes. The combined approach of practicing the fundamentals of phonics and reading skills, while developing an appreciation and joy for all that literature can bring, helps the boys grow into competent and enthusiastic readers.

As basic reading skills are solidified, somewhere towards the end of second grade and leading into third and fourth grades, boys make a shift from learning to read to “reading to learn.” While they continue to expand both their vocabulary and spelling skills through the Words Their Way word study program, capable third and fourth grade readers now have an entire world of information and literature available to them. In conjunction with our curricula in language arts, social studies, and library, our older Lower School boys learn about the world and the experiences of others through text. Boys delve into deep studies of class novels and examine their own independent reading books, dissecting themes and author messages. Additionally, more in-depth nonfiction texts are introduced through our media literacy and social studies programs, allowing students to develop important skills for both research and the organization of information gleaned from text.

It is simply a gift to watch a boy become a reader over his five years in the Lower School. That formative experience sets each student up to become a man of intellect, to which our Browning mission aspires.