Team Read at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary is expanding to serve 4th graders. The curriculum being piloted for this new program has been in development for the past year. Like our program for 2nd and 3rd graders, it is focused on helping students who are reading below grade level gain reading skills and confidence, and foster the development of leadership skills. Readers will meet twice a week for a one hour session with their teen coaches where they will be immersed in a variety of reading experiences.
Each session will begin with team building activities and a read aloud, followed by reading of chapter books one-on-one with a reading coach where they will learn strategies for increasing both their amount of reading and their comprehension. Sessions will conclude with time to practice their reading skills with a book of their choice, to be shared with 2nd and 3rd grade Team Read readers. Janine King, former Seattle Public Schools Reading Specialist and Team Read program designer has developed this new program and we know these extra two hours a week spent reading in a positive and supportive environment will certainly help build strong, confident readers.