The whole-class and small-group components work together to provide a supportive environment where students learn to love language and books and at the same time learn the skills and strategies they need to be independent, confident readers.
As a whole, the program builds the classroom community while nurturing independent work habits and providing opportunities for student autonomy. In kindergarten and grade 1, comprehension and language development lessons build the community of readers and provide engaging reading experiences, including explicit strategy instruction with application to guided practice as well as concepts of print, phonological awareness, and oral fluency.
Small-Group Reading provides systematic instruction and is supported by the language development context. In grades 2–5, whole-class Word Study (including Guided Spelling) builds sophisticated reading strategies needed for more challenging reading and writing, while Small-Group Reading continues to support individual reading development in comprehension, self-monitoring and self-correcting, generating independent thinking, and discussion.