Super Learners Flying Toward Literacy

My Students

No matter where you go or what job you have, literacy is necessary. Many of my 22 1st grade students are unable to identify simple vocabulary words or even write their own names correctly. My class is filled with kinesthetic learners who need manipulatives and hands-on activities in order to learn.

Coming from low socioeconomic backgrounds many of these students are unable to afford items that I took for granted growing up.

They do not have books to read at home. Some do not have TVs to watch shows such as Between the Lions or Sesame Street. Many of them come in hungry because they have not eaten since the last time I saw them. Most of my students are far below the state goals for literacy. I aim to bring them up to grade level by the end of the year. Our school lacks elementary materials because it was a middle school that turned into a K-8 school. Many of the materials had to come out of pocket. As a first year teacher, I had not accumulated much to offer to my kids. These flash cards, board games, and centers will help my students with phonemic awareness and phonics skills. The writing center will also help students gain writing skills so that they are able to write in full sentences by the end of the year.

My Project

These materials will help develop my students because they are kinesthetic, engaging, and promote literacy. They will help some of my lower performing students identify letters, gain simple decoding skills, identify and pronounce blends, and create full and complete sentences to help with their writing skills. These materials will help the class focus on their individual skills that they need to develop during small group time. Differentiated learning is the most productive strategy and these activities will offer the children different choices during learning center time. These flash cards and board games will be distributed among the stations during their literacy block. Students will be able to engage in these activities and work together to play these games and use the card to complete the activities while I work with a small group as well. These games and center manipulatives will help students gain phonic skills and reading skills in a kinesthetic manner.

These students deserve nothing but the best.

With the extra push from us teachers and materials they need to learn, I have full faith that my students will be able to read at grade level by the end of the year. I am only able to provide so much. I came here with nothing and have been able to accumulate things here and there. But with help from sponsors, the goal to make my students literate can come to life.