What is Reading First?

Reading First, part of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, is a focused nationwide effort to provide States and school districts with support to establish research-based reading programs for students in kindergarten through third grade. Funds will also support a significant increase in professional development to ensure that all teachers have the skills they need to teach these reading programs effectively. Additionally, the program provides assistance to States and districts in preparing classroom teachers to screen, identify and eliminate reading barriers facing their students, receive support to apply scientifically based reading research.

Texas was awarded funded for Reading First grant during the spring of 2003.

The goals outlined for all Texas Reading First grant recipients are:

1. Place highly qualified teachers in the role of literacy coach to ensure that there is a strong leadership team in place to guide school-wide reading achievement. 
2. Implement the Three Tier Reading model which consists of:

   1. A minimum of 90 minutes of uninterrupted, focused reading instruction for all students in K-3;

   2. Intervention by highly qualified teachers for all students deemed “at risk” for not reading on or above grade level by 3rd grade; and

   3. Use student data from assessments to target instruction for “at risk” students in order to remediate and accelerate achievement.

3. Ensure that all campuses employ a Scientifically Research-Based Reading (SBRR) program.

Kelly Harmon, president of Texas Literacy Resources, LTD., has successfully written grants for the Hondo Independent School District and the Eagle Pass Independent School District. She provided technical assistance in the writing of Reading First Grants for Devine Independent School District, Kaufman Independent School District, and Quinlan Independent School District. 

Currently, the staff of Texas Literacy Resources, LTD. provides literacy training and technical assistance for professional development to the following school districts: 

• Devine
• Eagle Pass
• Hondo
• Kaufman
• Medina Valley
• Somerset
• Quinlan

K-3 educators are provided with many opportunities for professional growth.  Focused on scientifically research-base approaches to teach students to read, campus staff participate in book studies and have frequent opportunities to observe demonstration lessons that are provided by state and national reading experts. In addition, workshops are specifically designed to meet the needs of individual campuses and teachers in order to increase the teachers’ knowledge of the process of learning to read, as well as understandings about how to use data to inform instruction. All staff development is data driven as data is frequently desegregated to ensure that all efforts are having the desired results. 

For more information on assistance related to the Texas Reading First grant, please contact Kelly Harmon at 210-403-2663.

Parents are a child's first teacher. Just ask a 9-12 year-olds how they learned to read and most will say “My mom/dad taught me.”  The following is a list of ways parents can support their child in learning to read: 

1. Talk to your child about everyday things. Have the child list, describe, question, sort, and classify the experiences and observation they have as they go through the day.

2. Provide reading materials at home such as newspapers, magazines, books, travel brochures, etc. 

3. Have the child read texts and then talk to you about the author’s message. Ask the child about the “big ideas” in the text, as well as the details that led them to the “big idea.”

4. Help the children make connections to what they read. Ask “did this reading remind you of something? Maybe a similar experience or a place you’ve been.”  Information is stored in the brain when connections are made. 

5. If the child is reading a book where many of the words are unknown you can prevent frustration by:

   1. Reading the text to the child.

   2. Chorally reading the text with the child.

   3. Encouraging the child to “read the pictures.” Much information can be gleaned from the pictures, particularly in non-fiction texts. 

   4. Encourage the child to select a book where more words are known, leaving brain space of understanding meaning rather than just trying to sound out words.

6. Model reading and writing at home. Use newspapers and magazines to help your child build world knowledge. The more world knowledge a child has, the easier it is to understand new situations and reading materials. Children need frequent opportunities to see the importance of being able to read and write in our community and world.

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