Partnerships
The LDAA is working to support a pilot project using the Firm Foundations Model for Early Literacy Teaching and Learning. Firm Foundations was created by the North Vancouver School District Number 44. It is a phonologically based teaching strategy that is play based and delivered by teachers in classrooms to all students.
Beginning in 1997, the North Vancouver School District, with support of University of British Columbia researcher, Dr. Linda Siegel, conducted a multi-year longitudinal study that followed students from kindergarten to grade 6. Students were screened to assess their risk for reading difficulties. Screening, which involved testing children in language and memory skills determined that approximately 25% of students with English as a first language, and up to 40% of students who were English language learners, were at risk for reading difficulties.
The Firm Foundations program involves the systematic use of intervention to improve phonological awareness and letter naming skills. After 4 years of good classroom based instruction, the longitudinal evaluation of student risk and performance revealed that 2.7 % of English speaking students and 2% of students who were English language learners, were at risk for reading problems. As noted on the North Vancouver Website, this represents a 90% decline in “students in difficulty” over a 4 year period.
Firm Foundations is one of several tools developed by the North Vancouver School District. All have been created by teachers for use in the classroom for all students. The tools have been created based on research and best practices. Here is a listing of the key resources developed by the North Vancouver School District. Manual associated with each program may be obtained at a nominal cost. For more information, visit the North Vancouver School District Site.
- Our Turn to Talk! - For Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten students to reinforce pre-literacy skills;
- Firm Foundations - For early literacy teaching and learning;
- Reading 44 – Designed for implementation at the kindergarten, primary, intermediate and secondary levels to support the goal of ensuring that all students have the ability to read proficiently. It would be employed after Firm Foundations;
- Math 44 - Designed to help teachers incorporate knowledge from research to help students achieve mathematical proficiency.
The Firm Foundations Discussion Board
As one of the ways in which to support the Right to Read project, the LDAA has created a discussion board on this site for use by those engaged in the pilot to post questions and exchange ideas. Ideally, the discussion board will facilitate the development of a virtual community among teachers participating in this project. Teachers and visitors to the site are invited to provide their comments, or suggest new questions or message themes. The discussion board is moderated, so all comments and contributions will be reviewed before they are published. The LDAA as well as those involved in the project will also monitor the comments and will follow-up with the appropriate individuals to ensure questions are indeed answered.
Other School Districts
The LDAA is presently holding discussions with other school districts regarding the Right to Read initiative.
