Read This: Our Teachers are Empowered!
Empowering our Lower School teachers with knowledge is what Hamden Hall Literacy Consultant Christine Cohen says will best ensure that students become proficient, lifelong readers.
“I give teachers strategies so that they are well-versed in reading instruction,” said Cohen during a recent presentation to parents of students in Grades 2 and 3.
Cohen is a mentor with Literacy How, an organization that provides professional development and coaching on the science of teaching reading. Established in 2009, Literacy How continues the work of Yale University’s Haskins Literacy Initiative, which Hamden Hall began implementing in 2005.
“You are getting a crash course today in the strands of literature,” she told parents.
As Hamden Hall’s reading consultant for the past three years, Cohen is familiar with our faculty, students, and the overall curriculum. She also acknowledged the ongoing work of both the teachers and our reading support staff.
“By second and third grade, our students are reading words and content accurately and automatically,” she said. “Then the question becomes, ‘do they have the vocabulary to go along with it’? Do they understand and do they have the background knowledge to understand the text.”
According to Cohen, “all of those pieces need to come together to make meaning.”
Parents learned that they can help the process at home by using sophisticated language with their children.
“Give them lots of exposure to language and encourage them to use that language as well,” she explained.
One parent on hand for the informational session inquired about texting and the fact that in “text-speak,” children use abbreviations and even misspellings for certain words. While Cohen noted that teachers are just beginning to “grapple” with this issue, Lower School Director Lorri Carroll maintained that we can’t ignore it and that it’s time to start the conversation about text-speak.
Other topics within the presentation included syllable patterns, phonics instruction and its importance, and the origins of the English language.
Hamden Hall Country Day School
1108 Whitney Avenue
Hamden, Connecticut 06517
Phone: 203-752-2600
Fax: 203-752-2651
admissions@hamdenhall.org
Hamden, Connecticut 06517
Phone: 203-752-2600
Fax: 203-752-2651
admissions@hamdenhall.org
About Us
Hamden Hall Country Day School, located less than two miles from Yale University, is one of the best private schools in Connecticut to enroll elementary, middle, and high school students. Our nurturing and inclusive community provides a dynamic learning environment that promotes academic excellence by understanding each child and fostering their individual growth.
