our 1st graders change classes

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Home : 2003 : November : 19

our 1st graders change classes
By Meaghan

All our students, from grade 1-5 change classes for reading, which is a 90 minute block based on Success For All (SFA). We're on a Native American reservation, in a very poor, rural area and 68% of our kids are ESL, but aren't
fluent in their native language either. Many of our students are 1-2 years behind in their reading level so we do ability based groups instead of age based groups. Last year I taught a second grade reading level and I had a mixed group of 2-4th graders.

It has it's advantages and disadvantages and our new reading specialist is advising we go back to having our homeroom kids

all day long next year.

The 2 biggest disadvantages I see are these:
1. the slower students are motivated by seeing what the more adept students can do. Also, in our extreme case, where we have 50% or so students below grade level, our 3rd graders don't know where a 3rd grade level is. They don't know they aren't up to par because the average is below average.

2. If we cover a topic in reading comprehension, or have specific vocab for reading, by having a different reading class, I can't reinforce those skills throughout the rest of the day.