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S.M.I.L.E. Title I Reading Program At Forest City Elementary. What does S.M.I.L.E. stand for?. Small Group Multi- sensory Interactive Literacy E. Experience.
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S.M.I.L.E Title I Reading Program At Forest City Elementary
What does S.M.I.L.E. stand for? • Small Group • Multi- sensory • Interactive • Literacy • E. Experience
The SMILE program utilizes the best practices in reading instruction. The students are actively learning throughout the SMILE lessons. The lessons focus on a grade level appropriate book each week. We use a variety of books including fiction and non-fiction. The week of plans incorporates building comprehension, fluency, phonics skills, word study and building, vocabulary development, thinking maps (graphic organizers) and writing! The students receive instruction in a heterogeneous small group setting. This program is not the sole reading program for our school. It is the Title I program and is designed to be the second dose of literacy instruction. Classroom teachers are still providing reading instruction in their classrooms at a different time and Title I teachers are still working with at- risk readers later in the school day.
Frequently asked questions about the SMILE program… Why aren’t the students ability grouped? • 1. Students learn from each other. So higher level readers are acting as models for the lower level readers. • Also, the SMILE teacher can really focus in on that one lower level student and offer more assistance and instruction that he/she needs. This kind of individual attention is difficult to give with a group of 6 lower level students. • The expectation level is much higher for the lower level students because they are expected to read a grade level appropriate book. • The lower level readers are experiencing success and the higher level readers are benefiting as well.
How did the SMILE program come to be at Forest City Elementary? Our School Improvement team was looking at ways to improve reading instruction at our school. We were looking at ways to improve our Title I program as well. After some Four Block training we began to have small guided reading groups in some of our 1st grade classes using (our Title I teachers and staff.) We felt like this was more effective and helpful to all students. Later at a reading conference our 1st grade teachers saw a presentation about the SMILE program. We liked the way the program was planned and organized so we shared what we saw with the School Improvement Team. Later we scheduled a visit to Emma Elementary to see the program in action. Then we had the program’s creator (Ginny Barrett) come to our school for an overview training session. Since then Ginny has come back for a follow-up training and more of our staff has gone back to Emma to see the program again.
Aren’t the higher readers bored? No, the SMILE time is so interactive the children love it. The high students are improving comprehension skills and writing skills. And remember they are reading at their level at a different time during classroom instruction and independent reading time. Is this program supported by research? Yes, there is a body of research called Best Practices in K-2Reading Instruction that supports all the activities and instruction that make up the SMILE program. Also, the school that began the SMILE program (Emma Elementary in Asheville, NC) is in their 9th year of SMILE. They have achieved great success and have test scores that show this growth and success each year. They are a nationally recognized Blue Ribbon School and a School of Excellence!
What kind of success has FCES experienced with the SMILE program? We are just in our 2nd year of the SMILE program but we are monitoring the programs effectiveness. Last year we completed student, teacher and parent surveys that revealed overwhelming support from everyone. Those results are as follows: When asked if students were benefiting from the SMILE program 100% of the surveys responded yes. When asked if given a choice of how to use Title I staff and resources would you choose to use them in the SMILE program 100% of the surveys answered yes.
The surveys included an area for the teachers, administrators and assistants to rate the various aspects of the SMILE program. Here are those results:
S.M.I.L.E. Scrapbook 1st Grade 2nd Grade Kindergarten
Monday SMILE Plans • On Monday’s SMILE teachers introduce the weeks new book. The SMILE teacher introduces the book by building background knowledge, introducing vocabulary words, setting a purpose for reading and reading aloud the story while the students follow along (shared reading). During this 1st shared reading the SMILE teacher thinks aloud for students revealing strategies that good readers utilize. After reading the teacher discusses the story using the comprehension questions (as a guide) on the lesson plan. The children then engage in a vocabulary activity or follow up with a comprehension activity.
This photo shows a student using white boards to write the vocabulary words. This is part of Monday’s lesson when the words are introduced initially.
This picture shows children working with vocabulary words that have been introduced in a Monday’s lesson.
This picture shows students using a beach ball to retell a story that has been read. This activity is interactive and helps children improve comprehension.
This picture shows an example of a reading manipulative that might be used to help a child track print during the first reading of a book. These types of manipulatives are especially good for beginning readers who need help with tracking.
Tuesday’s SMILE Plans • On Tuesdays the SMILE teacher reviews the vocabulary words quickly with the students. Next the teacher sets a new purpose for reading the story. The children then re-read the week’s book in a different way and share. After reading the story and sharing the teacher begins an activity called “Making Words” with the students. During the making words activity the students manipulate letter cards to create words and at the end of the lesson they create a secret word using all the cards. Next the children sort the words that have been made. This gives them a chance to look at patterns and parts of words more closely. Children also think of other words that fit the patterns in the word sort.
This photo shows a Making Words lesson. The students manipulate the letter cards to create words.
This photo shows the end of a Making Words lesson where students sort the words and look for patterns in spelling.
In this photo the students are partner reading which is one of the many ways we read throughout the week in SMILE. Often a high level student is paired with a lower level student.
Wednesday’s SMILE Plan • On Wednesday the SMILE teacher will again review vocabulary words and set a new purpose for reading. The children will re-read the story in a different way and share. Following this reading the children will focus on a specific comprehension skill. The lessons will often utilize graphic organizers to help students with comprehension.
In this photo a child is using a graphic organizer (Tree Map) to sort the story’s events.
In this photo the student is using a Story-O-Gram to retell the story elements (character, setting, plot, problem and solution.)
Thursday’s SMILE Plan • On Thursdays the SMILE teacher again reviews vocabulary and sets a purpose for reading. The children then re-read the story and share. After reading they respond to the story through writing. They also get a chance to take an AR test on the SMILE book.
Often students are asked to read independently. We use whisper phones for our students during independent reading times!
This photo shows some students using the computers to take an AR test on the SMILE book they have read throughout the week.
Even More Activities • Throughout the week the students are involved in a variety of instructional practices that are utilized by SMILE teachers during the SMILE time. These extra activities are in the SMILE plans or are sometimes added to the plans by creative SMILE teachers!
The SMILE Program… Involves a lot of hard work, planning, collaboration, & integration!
