learning & literacy
From Grade 1 book clubs to Grade 5 genre studies, Ensworth Lower School students enjoy many opportunities to read and listen to stories every day. Beginning in Kindergarten, our teachers utilize the curriculum, resources, and other tools required to effectively teach our students to read. One of the newest resources available to teachers is the Lower School Resource Library.
This cozy and colorful room is full of books, educational games, and reading-related activities designed for the Resource Library. This space provides teachers with everything they need to implement the curriculum and allows them to focus on what matters most—ensuring reading success for all students.
Located in the lower school building, the Lower School Resource Library serves as a physical space for teachers to enhance the literacy curriculum.
In Grades K-2, the foundation of Ensworth's literacy curriculum is a systematic and explicit approach to teaching young students how to read.
"The new resource library has proven invaluable for our kindergarten, first, and second-grade classrooms," said Grade 2 teacher Abbie Cowden. "It offers a convenient and efficient way to select engaging and age-appropriate books that cater to the diverse interests of our students."
The Resource Library was designed by reading specialists Liz Atwood and Camy Sanchez. When deciding what to include in the room, Atwood and Sanchez knew they wanted teachers to have access to a variety of materials for classroom use
Using the latest research on the science of reading, Ensworth teachers focus on teaching students to “crack the code” using a combination of the Institute for Multi Sensory Education’s (IMSE) Orton-Gillingham-based phonics program, Heggerty phonemic awareness, decodable readers, and a multisensory approach to reading acquisition.
so they feel supported. The Resource Library is the new home for instructional resources, book club novels, and anchor texts that support reading comprehension.
"When leadership approached Camy and I about building a Resource Library for our colleagues, we started planning and dreaming almost immediately," Atwood said. "We are both passionate about offering our faculty and students the most impactful support. We spent over two weeks last summer envisioning the best ways to create a physical space to support learning, share ideas and knowledge, and provide a dedicated area for collaboration."
Before the Resource Library was created, teachers gathered and developed their own support materials. Now, teachers can use the Resource Library to grab a basket of manipulatives, books, or activities specifically designed for each grade level and reading lesson.
"The library is laid out to follow the scope and sequence of the Institute for Multi Sensory Education’s (IMSE) reading curriculum, making it very user-friendly," Grade 1 teacher
Katie Peck said. "Every week, we teach a new concept, and it’s wonderful having the resources and materials available to teach the concept and support the weekly learning targets."
The room will continue to serve as a resource for teachers to use as students progress through their reading journey.
"We look forward to continuing to grow and enhance the library as the lower school literacy program continues to evolve," Atwood said. "Providing a wealth of resources, best practice strategies, and latest literature gives our teachers more time to engage with students and provides consistency across our curriculum." ■
We are grateful to the families who generously funded the creation of the Resource Library. The philanthropic support of our school community enables our teachers to deliver an exceptional and distinctive educational experience to each and every one of our students.
ABOUT IMSE
For over 30 years, IMSE has provided science-based, teacher-driven literacy instruction in the classroom. A structured literacy model helps all children learn to read; not just those who are struggling. Ensworth’s literacy program gives teachers the knowledge and skills to make all children effective readers, writers, and spellers.
Ensworth’s innovative approach to literacy combines a strong research-based foundation along with a joy of reading.
