Re-envisioning Reading for Everyone By Chris Gollmar
“ Not everyone can read, but everyone can learn how to read.”
In the spring of 2021, a group of Lower School teachers came together to envision a new system for reading instruction
My student Joie shared these words on a September
and support. Our goal was to improve upon our previous
morning, as her 1st Grade class discussed why people read.
approach by offering a mix of differentiated and individualized
She articulated this idea carefully, giving them a sense of
instruction alongside a shared scope and sequence of reading
importance. With a thick, blue marker I wrote her words on
skills. Whereas VCS’s previous reading groups were, broadly
a large piece of poster paper. As if subconsciously trying
speaking, homogeneous—that is, students of similar skill
to model this mindset, I misspelled “read,” crossed it off,
levels were grouped together—our new system would be a
and tried again.
mix of homogeneous and heterogeneous groups. Every week, students spend time learning and practicing reading with the
Some months later, Joie’s words—and my misspelling—
whole class and with peers who are working on mastering
are still posted prominently in the classroom. The poster
similar reading skills.
reminds me and my students that we are each on our own path toward becoming better readers.
Our new system has three components, with slight variations across grade levels. I’m thrilled by the work we have done
What does it mean to become a better reader? Like most
together to re-envision reading at VCS, and I’d like to share
institutions, VCS’s reading instruction in the early years is
with you what each component looks like in my 1st Grade
built around five key components: comprehension, fluency,
classroom.
vocabulary, phonics, and phonemic awareness. In any given classroom, students show a range of skills in each of these
Whole-Class Reading Instruction
five areas. Generally, the range is quite broad in Kindergarten
When we meet as a whole class for reading, I often begin
and 1st Grade, where fluent readers may sit side-by-side
by leading a short lesson to introduce and practice phonics
with classmates who are still mastering letter-sounds.
and phonemic awareness skills. I don’t spend the whole time with systematic phonics instruction, though.
As was the case with nearly every area of students’ lives, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted some of our core practices in
“I LOVE marshmallows,” I read, “They’re my favorite food!”
reading instruction. Before March 2020, many K-3rd Grade
The class giggles and groans at this last line. We’ve been
students left their homerooms during reading time, traveling
reading a King and Kayla book together, and they know
down the hallway to separate reading groups organized by
that King, a lovable golden retriever, has a new favorite food
skill level. But the protocols we put in place to safely re-open
once or twice every chapter. Our shared book has become an
in-person instruction meant we could no longer mix students
introduction to character traits, an informal study of narrative
between classes. How, then, would we ensure each student
structure, and a rich time to practice reading words with
could learn and practice the right skills at the right time?
consonant blends.
16 | THE MURAL
