Weekly discussion

Closing the Gap is phenominal. It was difficult to select a topic to research but I chose assessment since it is one of my areas of interest. The article that I chose to review reflected on the success of the Breakthrough to Literacy program by Wright Group/McGraw-Hill. The Derry School District in Pennsylvania, one of many school disticts within 40 states, discussed how the research-based program decreased their at-risk and deficient literacy scores, as measured by the DIBELS, approximately 75%. What an amazing achievement and testimony for the computer-based program.

Many states have mandated the use of the DIBELS early literacy assessment with children from kindergarten through second grade, however there are many teachers who are not familiar with the DIBELS assessment or the Get It! Got It! Go! assessment that has been developed for preschool aged children. Both of these assessments provide individualized assessment of literacy skills, including phonemic awareness which is the essential ingredient for reading. I incorporate both of these assessments in the assessment course that I teach. The assessments can be accessed through the following websites (http://dibels.uoregon.edu and http://www.getgotgo.net/ ) and are available free of charge.

The Breakthrough to Literacy program is a computer-based program that individualizes instruction for every child. According to information found on the www.WrightGroup_com.htm website it supports recommendations of the National Reading Panel Report and No Child Left Behind legislation.

Time to go! I hope that you will check out the websites that I have included.