Toronto Elementary School Implements A New Comprehensive Literacy Program

The Toronto Elementary Staff is implementing a brand new literacy program for the 2019-2020 school year. The program will consist of myView Literacy, the Heggerty Phonics Awareness Program, and Wilson Fundations Program.

myView Literacy is a comprehensive English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum for students in Grades K-5. It provides a balanced approach to teaching reading, writing, speaking, listening, and thinking through Reading and Writing Workshops. The all-new, print and digital curriculum includes authentic texts and mini-lessons, flexible resources, and meaningful differentiation.

Heggerty Phonemic Awareness program is a 35-week curriculum of daily phonemic awareness lesson plans that take 10-12 minutes. The lessons are designed to deliver phonemic awareness instruction in a whole group setting. Each level focuses on eight phonemic awareness skills, along with two additional activities to develop Letter and Sound recognition, and Language Awareness.

Wilson Fundations provides students in grades K-3 with a systematic program in critical foundational skills, emphasizing: Phonemic awareness; Phonics/ word study; High frequency word study; Reading fluency; Vocabulary; Comprehension strategies; Handwriting; and Spelling. In addition, Fundations serves as a prevention program to help reduce reading and spelling failure.

Toronto Elementary students in grades K-5 will receive two-hours of literacy instruction daily. By using myView Literacy, Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Program, and Wilson Fundations, the Karaffa Elementary staff will be able to provide a multi-tiered system of supports which will identify at-risk students early, provide evidence-based instruction, and enable students meet the goal of reading on grade level by the end of third grade.