03/02/04

     Schools throughout our nation will celebrate the importance of reading on March 2, Read Across America Day. In DoDDS Pacific, community members visit our classrooms to serve as guest readers and to share books with children.

     DoDDS Pacific has emphasized balanced literacy across the curriculum in an effort to prepare students to be independent readers. Balanced literacy includes students engaging in reading and writing activities that are instrumental in implementing a standards-based curriculum and developing independent readers and writers. The components of a balanced reading and writing program include shared reading and writing, guided reading and writing, independent reading and writing, modeled writing, and interactive writing.

     A primary aspect of balanced literacy is that it provides teachers with the tools to allow the implementation of instructional strategies that are considered best practices. The reading materials allow the teacher to address individual skill needs of each student and select appropriate resources to build skills necessary for the student to achieve success. Often, teachers will address student needs with specific instructional strategies for small groups of students.

     In accordance with the DoDEA curriculum development cycle, adopted materials are selected by panels of teachers and administers. Current materials for English Language Arts include McDougal Littell and Scholastic Literacy Place. These materials include the student anthologies as well as a wealth of research-based support materials for the classroom teacher. The guided reading materials available in classrooms were identified as high interest titles which teachers utilize in teaching specific skills. At the high and middle school levels, our system introduced Read 180, an optional support program, designed to provide identified students with strategies for improving reading achievement. The goal of this course is to improve the reading and writing skills of students who are not achieving at grade level.

     Classroom teachers utilize various forms of assessments to guide their instruction. Assessments provide a checkpoint for teachers to monitor student progress throughout the year in achieving the DoDEA standards. Teachers use informal checklists, reading inventories, and the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) to inform them about student progress. Schools use the results of the standardized, systemwide TerraNova and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in setting their goals for school improvement.

     Read Across America Day, sponsored by the National Education Association (NEA), is observed every year on Dr. Seuss’s birthday. It is an exciting day for school children throughout DoDDS Pacific and gives all educators an opportunity to reinforce our belief that literacy is vital to achievement and lifelong learning. DoDDS Pacific is committed to promoting exemplary literacy skills for all students. We implement initiatives and programs based on research that supports our decisions. Please join me in emphasizing literacy today and every day, and help all children experience the excitement and joy of reading.

Nancy C. Bresell
Director, DoDDS Pacific