Literacy Lab Focuses on Phonics-Based Small Group Instruction

Reading instruction at Bloomfield Hills Schools is highly individualized. Teachers identify student goals through one-on-one reading and also through assessments like i-Ready, and regularly work with small groups of students to support those goals. In early December, teachers in DK through grade 2 honed their small-group teaching skills in a Literacy Lab.

The lab included hands-on lessons in the classroom with four or five students at a time. Some focused on “silent e” words, where the preceding vowel becomes a long sound (e.g., save, ate, made). Others tackled “CVC” words (e.g., cat, mat, sat). Regardless of the content, coaches demonstrated a repeatable pattern that teachers can use in any small-group lesson: sit down with a few students, start with phonemic awareness like “chopping up” a word into letter sounds, and then do two different “try it” activities - one with reading words in isolation and the next with decoding in a connected text. Lastly, teachers link back to the phonics rule as a reminder. 

In the lessons, teachers used decodable books that BHS acquired over the last two years as part of a federal grant. With their striking illustrations and interesting storylines, the books are intended to be highly engaging and cover all phonics levels.

The lab also emphasized coaching methods that families can use at home. When you hear your child make a mistake, don’t jump in to help right away. Instead, try something like, “I think something wasn’t right. Can you try that again?” If your child can’t find the mistake, then point out the individual word, and only help sound it out as a last resort. BHS teachers use these strategies at school to foster independence and problem-solving skills, which become useful as students tackle more challenging texts.

BHS provides Literacy Labs twice per year to all DK through grade 5 teachers. Each one focuses on a unique instructional method, to ensure our educators are equipped with a wide range of tools to support reading and writing.