Literacy & Targeted Intervention

Fostering Lifelong Literacy

As a former English Learner who navigated the challenges of language acquisition, I hold a deep empathy for students facing linguistic barriers. Backed by a Master of Science in Reading and Literacy and an English Language Learner Authorization, I design instruction that builds deep foundational literacy. In a world filled with digital distractions, AI tools, and inequities, my goal is to help students develop reading automaticity so they can dedicate their cognitive energy to critical thinking. I often think of the newcomers and struggling learners I've taught back in my 1st year of teaching. There were 3 newcomers: Puerto Rican, Chinese, and Afghan (during the refugee situation). I remember always feeling like I'm not doing enough for them, and it aches my heart. I wish I could've done more. So, I decided to pursue the Master's program and hone my literacy strategies.

Assessments known include, but are not limited to: CORE Phonics Survey, Heggerty, Informal Reading Inventory, San Diego Quick, Test of Word Reading Efficiency, Pearson’s Qualitative Reading Inventory, Ekwall/Shanker Reading Inventory

Foundational Literacy & English Language Development

Students must see themselves in the curriculum to engage authentically with reading.

Diverse Literature & Representation

To ensure my classroom reflects our school's diversity, I secured a DonorsChoose grant to build a library of over 100 high-interest fiction and nonfiction books. I use wordless picture books like Shaun Tan’s The Arrival to explore the immigrant experience, allowing English Learners to access complex narratives and build cultural empathy regardless of their current language proficiency.

Building Fluency Through Poetry

Research indicates poetry is highly effective for building reading fluency and word decoding skills. Its brief, predictable rhythm allows students to focus on word families and recognize consistent linguistic patterns. I utilize the TPCASTT framework (Title, Paraphrase, Connotation, Attitude, Shifts, Title, and Theme) and another mnemonic devices to teach students to comprehend abstract language and condense ideas into precise statements.

Targeted Literacy Intervention

When I taught a 6th-grade full-inclusion class where over half the students were two or more grade levels behind, I learned that targeted support requires concrete data and intentional scaffolding.

Science of Reading Assessment & Intervention

When working with students struggling with decoding or fluency, I rely on the Science of Reading framework. I utilize the CORE Phonics Survey to diagnose specific gaps in consonant blends, variant vowels, or multisyllabic words. Using this data, I implement explicit, systematic phonemic awareness interventions like Heggerty, guiding students to visually manipulate phonemes rather than relying on context guessing. This ensures my Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions are data-driven and targeted directly at a student’s zone of proximal development.

Students' progress are always communicated concisely for families so they can better support them going forward.

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Standard-Aligned Foundational Literacy

Building reading automaticity begins with strict adherence to foundational phonics and ELD standards. I design targeted lessons, such as phonemic awareness activities targeting CCSS RF.K.3, to help students recognize rhyming patterns and the sound structure of oral language. To scaffold this for emergent bilingual students, instruction incorporates tactile manipulatives and customized clue cards featuring native language pronunciation alongside English, ensuring direct transference of literacy skills.

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