One of the most essential elements in the early years of education is instruction regarding the English Language. The ability to read and write well is of great importance as the student advances through the grade levels. Reading makes a whole world of knowledge accessible to students as they transition from “learning to read” to “reading to lean” in the upper elementary grades. Writing encourages them to engage with the knowledge they are receiving, expressing opinions and making arguments about texts and ideas.
The Literacy Essentials curriculum used in Hillsdale classical schools gives students the foundation necessary to flourish as great readers and writers throughout their educational career and in life. The program is phonics-based, allowing students to unlock the English code at its most basic level. As they move through the different levels of the program, students learn phonemic awareness, the alphabetic code which includes 72 common English spelling patterns or phonograms, orthography, vocabulary, writing and grammar, reading from accuracy to automaticity, and reading comprehension. Literacy Essentials features a comprehensive day by day organization of information. The grade level Teacher Guides are clear and easy to use, functioning as the go-to guide on planning and instruction.
We understand the importance of teaching literacy and seek to support lower school teachers in this instruction. There are remote development opportunities for Hillsdale Member School teachers throughout the academic year as well as numerous sessions on Literacy Essentials at our annual K-12 Summer Conference held here on the Hillsdale College campus. The most comprehensive training on this program occurs when a new Hillsdale Member School opens. The K-12 Teacher Support Team visits the school in July or August, spending three full days devoted to Literacy Essentials instruction.
Interest and demand for this program has been increasing, and we have considered ways to respond. We want educators in our network to be well equipped in teaching the English Language whether the school is new or more established. We have been filming a version of the three-day Literacy Essentials sequence offered during new school trainings. This course will be available internally to the Member School network teachers, but we hope to have a wider distribution in the coming years. Check out some behind-the-scenes photos above!
