With these funds, my students will be on the path to becoming better readers.  They are, for all intents and purposes, regular kids. They tell jokes, the make friends, and like to play. They just don't learn the way that other students do. In a school like ours, it is sometimes difficult to know who has a disability and who does not because many of our students have academic deficits. Our reading scores indicate that a large number of students are reading below grade level. The teachers at our school have committed to changing the dynamics because we understand that literacy is essential to changing lives. Considering the neighborhood in which our school is located, it is apparent that our students need a path out of the poverty that surrounds us.

This year, we have begun using the highly recommended Orton-Gillingham during reading remediation. Among the multisensory approach is a strategy for encoding (spelling) words phonetically as well as "touching" letters. The experience requires students to have some sort of tactile involvement with letters, but some of my students have sensory issues. The requested Boogie Boards will be used for students to practice encoding and writing sounds in a way that is tactile and interactive for the students. Students will learn to spell and decode words quickly, thus increasing their accuracy and fluency rates. Not only will the students be working on decoding words, but they will be improving comprehension skills. The requested nonfiction folder activities align with current reading standards that increase nonfiction reading in elementary schools.

The product of low literacy rates can be seen in the increasing levels of unemployment among those with a G.E.D or high school diploma. Your donation will help turn the tide and produce quality readers who are equipped to become productive citizens. When students learn to read, they have a lifelong skill that will serve them well.

Back Up Plan