After years of debate, a new and broader definition of reading has emerged, fully focused on the student as the central actor and encompassing its broader functions within language and literacy. Reading has been defined as the process of constructing meaning from written texts.  Reading is a complex skill requiring the coordination of a number of interrelated sources of information.  This definition, formulated by the National Commission on Reading, positions reading as a part of the student's general language development and not as a skill to be isolated from other areas of literacy and understanding.

For many students, there is a recognizable progression toward literacy:

·         For almost all students in a literate society, learning to read and write begins very early in life.

·         The functions of literacy are an integral part of the student's goal-directed activity.

·         Reading and writing develop together (concurrently) and interrelatedly.

·         The English language, like other alphabetic systems, is based on "the rule-governed generation" of a large set of words with a limited number of graphemes. In general, beginning reading is a process of acquiring control over the alphabetic property of written language—a process students begin quite early in life.

In recent years, a huge debate has occurred between those proposing direct instruction as the most effective method of teaching reading and those who stress the natural acquisition of reading in a literacy-rich environment.  In reality, the most effective reading instruction combines the best of both approaches. 

While letter/sound relationships and accurate word identification are basic components of the process of becoming literate, they need not assume a primary position at the expense of reading or writing meaningful and authentic text. In fact, knowledge gained from environmental print and repeated storybook readings, matches more closely the developmental level of the emergent reader and writer.

Beyond this preliminary stage, students need to learn ways to extend skills in order to decipher unknown words independently. Teachers provide opportunities for students to proceed independently, by helping students develop the thinking and critical reading skills that provide a structure for understanding and by providing students with experiences that relate patterns of letters and sounds and also supply a variety of contextual cues. The aim is to facilitate the development of thoughtful, active readers who can approach text comprehension armed with a variety of problem-solving skills.

We promote the view of students as active agents who construct their own representation of the world around them in the process of working with, creating, and communicating ideas.  Language instruction involves the active participation of students as well as incorporates aspects of direct instruction. The use of literature, and the instruction of phonics and structural analysis skills work together to meet the students’ instructional needs. A wide variety of print materials is made available to support the sequential instruction of developmentally appropriate language skills and concepts through active learning.

To involve students actively in working toward meaningful linguistic constructions, paramount importance is attached to writing. As expressions of their interests and current developmental levels, students’ written works are of at least equal importance to their spelling, punctuation, or penmanship:

Other key areas of language instruction include:

1.      Speaking & Listening

a.       Asking and answering questions

b.      Stating facts and observations in their own words

c.       Using language to solve problems

d.      Participating in singing, storytelling, poetic and dramatic activities

e.       Making and using recordings

f.        Recalling thoughts and observations in a purposeful context

g.       Acquiring, strengthening, and extending speaking and listening skills

2.      Writing

a.       Observing the connections between spoken and written language

b.      Writing in unconventional forms

c.       Writing in conventional forms

d.      Expressing thoughts in writing

e.       Sharing writing in a purposeful context

f.        Using writing equipment (e.g., computers, typewriters)

g.       Writing in specific content areas

h.       Acquiring, strengthening, and extending writing skills

i.         Expanding the forms of composition

j.        Publishing selected compositions

3.      Reading

a.       Experiencing varied genres of students’ literature

b.      Reading own compositions

c.       Reading and listening to others read in a purposeful context

d.      Using audio and/or video recordings in reading experiences

e.       Reading in specific content areas

f.        Acquiring, strengthening, and extending specific reading skills

g.   Expanding comprehension and fluency skills