• WSSD values the science of reading as the research base informing the best practices for teaching literacy. This includes word recognition (decoding) and language comprehension. These two overarching components to literacy instruction include the teaching of word recognition skills through direct, systematic, and explicit phonics instruction as well as the teaching of literary elements that support language comprehension through the study of content that builds vocabulary, background knowledge, and understanding of language structures. These are depicted in Hollis Scarborough’s reading rope (pictured below).

    Wallingford-Swarthmore School District’s Current Programming

    • Materials currently board approved in grades K-2:

      • Heggerty (word recognition)

      • FUNdations (word recognition)

      • Geodes (word recognition/language comprehension)

      • Interactive Read Aloud (language comprehension) 

      • Units of Study: Writing (writing)

    • Materials currently board approved in grades 3-5:

      • Units of Study: Reading (language comprehension)

      • Units of Study: Writing (writing)

      • 95% Group Core Phonics (September 2024) (word recognition)

    Wallingford-Swarthmore School District’s Next Steps

    • The district is in the midst of significant programming changes in phonics (95% Group Core Phonics in grades 3-5) and math (Reveal Mathematics). In the coming years, WSSD is committed to addressing the language comprehension component of literacy instruction through a language arts block that combines content instruction and skill practice. This process will include a departure from Lucy Calkins’s Units of Study towards a comprehensive knowledge-building language arts program. The district’s next step focuses on selecting a language arts program that focuses on knowledge building and addresses the language comprehension component of literacy. The Knowledge Matters Campaign offers streamlined information about knowledge building curricula and the research process to adopt a program. During the 2024-2025 school year, the district will research programs, visit school districts using various programs, and explore potential resources.