Saline Area Schools puts a new emphasis on literacy

Reading Workshop was developed by the teacher’s institute at Columbia University. Teachers using the program say it's not a revolutionary concept. Instead of all students reading the same story for a lesson, students will read books at their particular level. Steve Laatsch, assistant superintendent for instructional services, said the program aims to get kids reading books that are “just right” for them.

“Kids don’t progress in literacy if they’re reading at a level that is completely frustrating all of the time,” Laatsch said.

Debbie Kolacki, a kindergarten teacher at Harvest School, said the approach is “very developmental… If I have a reader, I can move him along, but if I have a child who doesn’t know letters or sound, I can move him along too.”

Teachers need to determine the student’s reading level, and then provide lessons and reading materials that are best for that level. Mary Jane Tramontin, a fourth grade teacher at Heritage, prepared for the start of school and the Reading Workshop program last week by labeling the books in her library by level.

Laatsch said Saline students consistently score well in reading on state tests, but teachers were often using different methods of assessing student reading levels.

“There are all sorts of assessments out there,” Laatsch said, “so this makes sure that they’re being uniform.”

Laatsch estimates at least half of those who teach literacy — elementary teachers and middle school language arts teachers — are working Reading Workshop into their lesson plans this year. He said the goal is for all teachers who deal with literacy to use it in their classrooms next year.