Leaning Into Literacy

Literacy is the bedrock of communication. Being able to read makes an impact on so many aspects of a child’s life, and helps them build independence and self-confidence. Not being able to read, on the other hand, can make life significantly harder for an individual.

The East Ramapo Central School District has recently confronted some hard truths about where we are as a nation, and as a district, in regards to childhood literacy. Culling through the evidence and taking all cultural and community conditions into account, the District has realized  the unfortunate reality that it is not where it needs to be, yet it is determined to revamp and revise how it should approach teaching the children to read. This is where we are and in our East Ramapo schools, educators are embracing the science of reading to confront this nationwide crisis. 

Throughout the 2023-24 school year, East Ramapo Central School District has adopted the overarching theme of “This is Me, Leaning Into Literacy”. Dr. Ogechi Iwuoha, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction explains that “‘Leaning into Literacy’ means eliminating what is not working.

"‘Leaning into Literacy’ means leaning into the evidence about reading and writing. ‘Leaning into Literacy’ means understanding what makes a skilled reader.”

The District has been introducing teachers to a variety of print and digital resources designed to assist in pinpointing and tracking students’ essential reading development skills. By focusing on the five main components of reading - phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency comprehension and vocabulary, our teachers, reading teachers and reading interventionists are helping the students become fluid and comprehensive readers. 

The ‘Leaning into Literacy’ initiative is making an impact on all students, including students with disabilities. East Ramapo has established multiple scaffolds and differentiation that occur in the classrooms, allowing for students in self-contained classes or in general classes to receive specific reading support. 

The end game of ‘’Leaning into Literacy’ is getting students the tools they need to learn to read, read well, and comprehend what they are reading.