Students In The Charlotte Reads Program Demonstrate Greatest Growth
The UNC Charlotte Reads program entered its fourth year with ongoing support from the Belk Foundation. Drs. Corinne Kingsbery and Erin Washburn along with coaches Thomas Connors and Laytora Dash trained and provided boots-on-the-ground support to 28 COED teacher candidates as they provided explicit, systematic reading instruction to 34 K-5 students at Hornets Nest and Niner University Elementary Schools. New to the program this fall, families were welcomed at both sites to celebrate students’ program completion and to discuss student data with teacher candidates. This family engagement night is expected to be a tradition each semester going forward.
All teacher candidates implemented the reading program with fidelity and demonstrated growth in their reading knowledge and beliefs. The students in the program demonstrated the greatest growth to date growing an average of 19 correct letter sounds and 7 words read correctly on a nonsense word reading assessment. There was on average a jump of 11 words correct per minute and an increase of 11% in accuracy on an oral reading fluency assessment. Credit goes to the learners, teacher candidates, program coaches, and school partners.
A special thanks extended to the school liaisons (Lydia Stanton-DeLeon, Naomi ImOberstag) and community partners (Ms. Loving of ASEP at Hornets Nest, Ms. Tangella Stephens of Greater Enrichment Program at Niner).