Being a Reader: Early Reading Instruction

Being a Reader is a research-based early reading curriculum for grades K-2 designed to both teach foundational skills and foster engagement with and love of reading. Being a Reader systematically develops both early reading competencies and comprehension through whole-class, small-group, and independent work lessons.

The Being a Reader instruction intentionally creates an environment in which all students can grow as readers, independent learners, and caring members of the classroom community.

Whether used as a stand-alone program or integrated in Collaborative Literacy, the Being a Reader program structures build success:

• Differentiated Small-Group Instruction – Giving every teacher the ability to differentiate Tier 1 instruction so students receive the support they need to develop as readers at their own pace.
• Whole-Class Instruction – Learning together with fully articulated instruction in shared reading, handwriting, letter names, independent work, and word study, depending on grade.
• Independent Work Rotations – Designed to provide opportunities for students to practice what they are learning in whole-class and small-group lessons.Independent work also provides students with choice and fosters self-efficacy.
• Authentic Reading Experience – Lessons are based around high-quality children’s literature, and students have opportunities to apply their learning to texts at their appropriate reading levels.

Being a Reader also features:

Intentional alignment with SIPPS (Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Sight Words) intervention – Being a Reader and SIPPS were designed to work together seamlessly in a powerful multi-tiered approach for readers moving between Tiers 1 and 2 in the RTI/MTSS framework (Response to Intervention-Multi-Tiered System of Support).

Systematic Decoding Instruction – Explicit and systematic lessons develop phonological awareness, spelling-sound relationships, decoding, and sight word knowledge that  build the foundation for accuracy and automaticity that lead to fluent reading and comprehension.

Integrated Social and Academic Development – Research shows that developing social competencies prepares students to be productive contributors to learning experiences and increases their capacity to learn.

Meaningful Assessments – Being a Reader offers a comprehensive set of formative and summative assessments that are designed to help teachers make informed decisions about instruction and track student progress throughout the year.