The change idea is building comprehension through loose parts. While educators can test this change idea with all students, we are mainly focusing on emerging multilingual or emerging verbal students.
Students will use loose parts during a read-aloud experience to support literacy and improve student engagement.
Our change plan is to ensure Black, Brown, and Indigenous students have access to literacy resources outside of school by providing free and low-cost tutoring services, ensuring parents are equipped to advocate for their children, and training white educators to see the beautiful diversity in each of our children.
We offered a few “storylines” with geographic backgrounds for students to vote on, and they ultimately chose the African Savanna. We purchased materials for students to feel immersed in the chosen storyline (e.g., vests, hats, badges, binoculars). Students learned about the geographic region and selected a role to explore within the storyline. They wrote stories about themselves in their roles.
We tried increasing purposeful conversation during literacy in a variety of ways based on developmental stage and grade level.
