Holy Trinity Catholic School Division honoured students who completed the literacy intervention program this year by throwing year-end parties to celebrate their accomplishments as “little rocket scientists.”
Mark Selinger, supervisor of learning and technology, provided a reading celebration report during the recent board meeting highlighting some elementary students in the literacy intervention program (LIP) who increased their reading levels during the 2023-24 school year.
His report title was “Teaching reading isn’t rocket science—it’s harder,” which was also the playful theme the division used to celebrate the students.
“The science of reading is grounded in research and cognitive science. It is not a program but rather a method which provides evidence-based strategies for teaching children to read,” the report said.
Decades of research in fields like brain science have pointed to effective methods for teaching reading, especially for struggling readers, the document continued. Structured literacy is based on the science of how children learn to read and emphasizes explicit, systematic instruction in key areas of phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
With this approach, most students can learn to read at or near grade level with the right instruction, while science changes regularly and gives organizations “the grace to do better when we know better,” the report said. Therefore, structured literacy is not only beneficial but necessary for learners.
“Prepare for lift-off as we celebrate the stellar progress of our students,” the document added. “Together, let’s continue to inspire these young minds to reach for the stars and beyond in their quest for knowledge.”
Selinger then showed trustees a webpage that featured stories of six children — one from each elementary school — wearing a scientist’s white coat from this year’s program and videos of the “little Einsteins” reading to learning facilitator Stacey Moser. The students’ parents also provided comments on their child’s literacy growth.
One Grade 2 student grew nine reading levels this year and can now read in English and French. The youth’s mother said that her daughter doesn’t need as much practice with her French dictation, which shows that everything is “clicking” for her with reading.
“(The student) has come a long way in her willingness to sit down and read to us. A time that used to be a struggle has turned into a time where she is proud to show us how far she has come,” the mom said.
The mother added that “seemingly out of nowhere,” her daughter is now reading English books to her parents, which is surprising since her child is not actively being taught English in a French immersion school. Yet, they are thrilled and proud of this accomplishment.
Another Grade 2 student started the year at a Grade 1 reading level but grew two years in nine months through hard work, determination and support from teachers and his parents. Furthermore, initially, he could read only eight words a minute with a 53-per-cent accuracy rate, but he can now read 57 words a minute with a 95-per-cent accuracy rate.
“It’s great to see the growth he’s experienced from the start of the year to the end of the year,” said Selinger.
The boy’s mother told the division, “My mom-heart beams with gratitude and pride, as I've watched such a wonderful transformation. (My son) is efficiently reading! With confidence! It makes me smile ear-to-ear … because the transformation is truly amazing.”
Selinger highlighted another student who arrived last summer from a Caribbean country who knew little English and was learning letter sounds. Yet, by June, he could read multisyllabic words and had expanded his vocabulary.
The next Holy Trinity board meeting is Monday, Aug. 19.
