Karen Brenneke
K-8 Curriculum Coordinator - Humanities
Email: brennekek@wiltonps.org
Phone: 203-762-3381 ext.8325

Eric Mendelson
9-12 Instructional Leader - English
Email: mendelsone@wiltonps.org
Phone: 203-762-0381 ext.6090

Literacy Program Goals (adapted from the Common Core State Standards, 2010)

As students advance through the grades and make individual progress toward mastery of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language use, they are able to exhibit with increasing breadth and depth these capacities of the literate individual:

They demonstrate independence.
They build strong content knowledge.
They respond to the varying demands of audience, task, purpose, and discipline.
They comprehend.
They critique.
They use technology and digital media strategically and capably.
They come to understand other perspectives and cultures.

Literacy Program Core Principals

1. Literacy instruction must be grounded in the Science of Reading, utilizing a Structured Literacy framework to ensure all students master the sub-skills of reading.
2. Oral language development, including vocabulary, syntax, and verbal reasoning, is the primary engine for building the background knowledge necessary for students to comprehend and evaluate complex texts.
3. The teacher’s understanding of literacy, and his/her ability to make insightful instructional decisions, are the most influential factors in student literacy achievement. Teachers must be listeners, speakers, readers and writers themselves and mentor students to do the same.
4. Student engagement, ownership and empowerment are the keys to developing a life-long passion for reading and writing. Students’ independent reading choices should result from their curiosities about topics and engaging high quality texts containing clear and precise language, authentic voice, and strong structures, effectively serving their goals.
5. High quality instruction is critical for students’ success in literacy. Teachers must consistently use evidence-based teaching strategies for literacy learning, and learners must frequently practice literacy skills through daily opportunities to listen, speak, read and write in a safe and nurturing environment.
6. Possessing an expansive, precise, and domain-specific vocabulary is essential to clear and effective communication.
7. Grammar knowledge, both declarative and procedural, is an essential communication tool for any reader and writer. In order to demonstrate a command of the conventions of standard English when writing or speaking, students must possess both knowledge of how sentences work as well as an ability to use correct grammar while writing and speaking.
8. Individualized, intensive instructional support and enhanced opportunities to read and write must be provided to students who are struggling to develop literacy skills.
9. Instructional practices in literacy must be informed by on-going assessment of student performance. Formative and summative literacy assessments should be clear, relevant, and designed for student success.
10. A productive partnership between home and school positively affects student achievement in literacy. Teachers and families need frequent opportunities for dialogue and inquiry around student performance and instructional needs.

CT Core Standards
CT Common Core Standards 9-12

Coming Soon