Scores validate PWCA's innovative reading program
By KRISTEN M. WHITE
The Pueblo West View
A new reading, spelling and comprehension program implemented during the 2008-2009 school year at Pueblo West Christian Academy is a huge success, evidenced by test results and general word of mouth at the school.
Dr. Robert Nash’s program Pure Complete Phonics was implemented with the elementary school students at the beginning of the school year, and with children in the Kinderkirk Preschool program in January. Teachers and parents have seen improvements in all students, thanks to the new teaching ideas.
“I had students at the beginning of the year that were ahead, and some were struggling, but this program worked across the board,” said third grade teacher Katy Plutt. “There were gains for everybody.”
The reading and spelling program is phonics-based, but unlike other teaching methods, there aren’t “tricky words” that don’t fit any of the rules. Instead, sounds and spelling rules are based on frequency - how often the letter ‘c’ makes a hard sound versus a soft sound, etc.
“This goes beyond phonetic awareness,” said Rebecca Kaspari, director of program development. “The focus is on frequency. So when spelling a word a child would start with the most common possibility for a sound, and if that isn’t right, try something else.”
Teachers see the benefits of the teaching method because it works for any age, from early readers to grown-ups, and for any ability. Therefore, students in any given classroom, whether advanced or remedial, can learn together and the same way.
Kaspari said such a system helps remove the “stigma” of being remedial because a student isn’t removed from the class for extra help. Additionally, there is less need for extra teacher assistants - something important with budget cuts eliminating jobs these days.
“You have frustration levels in the beginning when they’re learning (the basics),” said kindergarten teacher Kerry Taylor. “But with repetition and showing them different ideas, pretty soon you don’t have a struggling child. Then they can read and they’re so excited.”
Taylor and Plutt both said watching children improve their confidence levels through the program because they were better able to read and spell has been fantastic.
“I have the kindergartners and if you can give them that confidence from the beginning É that’s huge,” Taylor said. “It’s been quite a journey, seeing this cycle through the kids and thinking ‘wow!’ ”
Joy Cress, director of PWCA and Kinderkirk Preschool, said watching the transformation of students was priceless as an educator and parent. Some students who started with their heads down, avoiding eye contact because they couldn’t read well and knew they were struggling are now happy and eager about learning.
Scores from the Kindergarten Stanford Achievement Test showed students at PWCA ranked 98.9-percent in the nation, and 91.8-percent internationally among 1,400 ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) accredited schools.
“I was delighted with the scores, but I wasn’t that surprised,” Cress said. “I’d been in the classrooms every week and I saw it happening.”
The educators shared stories of students checking out advanced books on scientific topics from the library and reading them, thanks to what they’d learned through the Pure Complete Phonics program.
The kindergarten class was ranked at a 2.2 median grade equivalent for reading, meaning the PWCA kindergartners were reading at a level comparable to the second month of second grade.
Likewise, in mathematics, the kindergarten class scored a 3.5 median grade equivalent. Overall, first graders scored 2.7 combined for reading, mathematics and environment, while second graders scored at a 3.6 level.
Third graders at PWCA scored, overall, a 6.5 in reading, math, science, social science and thinking skills, meaning that sixth graders in their fifth month of class are capable of performing at the level the Pueblo West third graders did.
“The foundation we’re laying is great,” Cress said. “And it can be used with any curriculum and applied to all subjects.”
Because students in the Kinderkirk Preschool began learning a few basics this year, when they enter kindergarten in the fall they’ll already have a leg up on learning the complete program and be well on their way to reading and learning even more quickly.
Kaspari said the next step, beginning in the fall, will be to incorporate students who come to the school for tutoring or local home-schooled students who come in for additional teaching. The school will also begin training other educators in the program.
Email
Print