Special needs students at Washington Central Primary School in Washington, Illinois will soon have access to a comprehensive literacy program.
Special needs teacher Allison Malcom will use funds from a THF grant to provide her kindergarten through second grade students with the Literacy Footprints system. The system provides 130 titles as well as online resources including professional development opportunities with skilled literacy consultants, video tutorials, printable resources and a student tracking system to facilitate instruction.
"The Literacy Footprints system has proven techniques for teaching reading, writing and reading sight words to ensure students develop visual memory and automaticity with important commonly used words," Malcom wrote in her grant application. "Each lesson provides teachers with engaging leveled books and systematic, fast-paced lesson plans that follow the reading framework. Our small reading groups of struggling readers would be turned into successful, confident readers with a system that is designed to support teachers."
Malcom is in her first year at Washington Central Primary School, but has taught for 19 years. She used the Literacy Footprints curriculum in her previous school, where she saw its success.
"The Literacy Footprints curriculum was created by teachers for teachers," she added. "The creators and I share the same goal, 'We want all students to become proficient readers who can’t wait to read another book!'"
Malcom plans to implement this system in August 2023. It will be available to the school's entire special education department, which currently serves 130 students.