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Creative Learning Systems
Early Literacy Programs
Children are usually ready to begin reading instruction at the age of four. Reading is a complex skill that is learned over time. Children who master reading skills early have a learning advantage. Research suggests that early readers maintain that advantage through high school.
Creative Learning Systems offers three dynamic literacy programs for children. Our curriculum is based on state standards to ensure that students master skills that prepare them for a successful academic experience in school.
Children master skills in reading, writing, speaking, and spelling.
We use:
MyToddlerUniversity
(Children ages 4 to 6)
A program for parents who want to learn how to begin successful reading instruction in the home.
The literacy war is best won when parents and teachers team together. Parents who know how to begin literacy early in the home and how to support instruction greatly increase successful literacy outcomes for children. MTU is an accelerated reading program that
trains parents to create a rich literacy environment in the home. Our program works directly with children and parents. Parents attend workshops to learn how to introduce skills and reinforce learning. MTU Empowers parents to teach their children so that children will have a more successful school experience.
Teaching a child to read can be very frustrating without the guidance of a skilled consultant who will be with you every step of the way. When parents are trained, they make great teachers for their children.
Our consultants teach both parents and children. Consultants lead instruction by teaching skills to students. Once children demonstrate that they understand a skill, Parents are given direct instruction on how to reinforce learning in the home using the powerful curriculum tools we have designed for that purpose. Our materials employ logical, linguistic, musical, and kinesthetic intelligence to stimulate learning. Teaching and learning is made fun and simple.
More than just reading, children master skills in:
Reading
Writing
Speaking
Spelling
MTU is assessable to families wherever you are. We have both in person and online courses. In both cases, you receive the personal attention of a consultant who will provide excellent instruction.
The complete MyToddlerUniversity program is taught in four 12-week courses. Each course teaches a unique set of skills. Students who complete the four courses learn to read, write, and spell at and above the 2nd grade level of expectancy.
Students can complete the four courses in one calendar year. However, the program is individualized instruction. Children learn at their pace without pressure.
Children who begin the program in preschool and complete all four quarters generally finish the program to leave kindergarten reading at or above the 2nd grade expectancy. The early start gives children the needed time to grow into accelerated learning at their own pace without pressure.
Children are pretested and post tested to measure success and to determine placement.
ELA-Kindergarten-Standards.pdf
Quarter One
The beginning of reading instruction
Quarter Two
Students master reading
closed syllable words with fluency.
Reading short stories. Master story retelling. Begin writing independent complete sentences using sentence writing skills.
Quarter Three
Students learn skills successful for reading at and above the 1st grade level of expectancy.
Quarter Four
Students master skills for reading at and above the 2nd grade level of expectancy.
WordTalk
(Children ages 6 to 8)
Because of the complexity of learning to read, children can complete kindergarten without having mastered skills to successfully transition into reading. When children leave kindergarten without having mastered skills needed for the first grade curriculum, they risk struggling to catch up. Creative Learning Systems’ WordTalk is a reading program that provides remedial instruction for students who have begun learning to read (first, second, and third grade)but need remedial instruction to get on grade level. Our program pretests students to determine their academic needs. A program is designed to meet those needs. Programs are available for private instruction and small group instruction. The preassessment can determine which program is best for your student. Both private and group instruction will give children individualized instruction and the personal attention of a consultant.
ItTakesAVillage
(Children ages 7 to 9)
ItTakesAVillage is an afterschool club for second and third grade students. The program offers a remedial reading course for members. In addition to being remedial reading for students, the program trains its members to tutor children in preschool and kindergarten.
ItTakesAVillage is a program that matches second and third graders with preschool/kindergarten students for the purpose of remediating and accelerating learning. Working together, students receive support to improve and accelerate academic success. Second and third graders become trained experts and can
successfully teach younger students. In the training to become experts, the second and third graders learn to read.
The major objectives of ItTakesAVillage are to:
provide a remedial academic program for second and third grade students
provide academic support for preschool/kindergarten students which in turn support their parents and teachers. We work together to ensure reading achievements
Mastery in reading would make academic achievement in other core curriculum subjects (social studies, science, and math) more probable. Failure to read is in direct correlation to the failure to achieve in school.
What students master as tutors is the information needed to master higher level reading skills for themselves. Failure to read for most students is in the unfortunate lack of essential knowledge or reading foundation that makes reading sensible. Most of that foundation is set early in the combination of home and early school experience.
Students know some things but not enough to be successful
readers. In second and third grade, it can be embarrassing for the student to go back to the basics and do “baby work” to improve reading skills….and who has time to take them back. Such an experience can happen outside of school, but it is expensive and usually not affordable for children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Student as tutor learns reading skills (baby work) for the purpose of teaching it. The mastery of these essential skills is reading success.
Preschool/kindergarten students get that one-on-one instruction needed for their access to reading. This translates to better curriculum outcomes for teachers and schools. Families receive the benefit of their children successfully learning to read.
ItTakesAVillage has embedded many other program benefits for the second and third grade students participating in the program:
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Leadership
Students experience the role of headship as they make decisions and take responsibility for their work with a younger student.
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Confidence Building
Students see what comes from their work. They play an importantl role in the success of teaching reading to a younger student.
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Cooperation/Team Work
Students are team mates with the other third graders in the program and they are a team with the younger student being tutored. Each student learns the importance of cooperative learning and what it means to be a team player.
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Communication Skills
Students learn how to communicate what they are doing. They learn the vocabulary to explain their work and to give instruction in a meaningful way to the tutee.
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Social Skills
Developing social skills that make the exchange between the tutors and the tutees is taught and practiced. Learning social skills that are appropriate for student interaction with the staff and fellow students is an essential part of instruction.
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Goal Setting
Students learn to set goals for the group, their tutees and for themselves. They learn that the greatest reward for achieving a goal is that: achieving a goal. We celebrate goal achievement.
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Mentorship
Students learn stategies for talking appropriately to younger students and they learn how to encourage younger children to do their best. They learn the power of positive language. The program is designed to give students opportunities for fellowship and bonding.
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Pride
Students gain pride in themselves as they see the outcomes of their instruction and fellowship with younger students. Third graders feel a greatsense of pride in what they see themselves achieve academically.
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Responsibility
Students are taught to record their tutoring experiences. This data is an important part of documenting their success with their tutee. Thestudents learns the importance of this responsibility and their responsibilities as a tutor.
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Accountability
The documentation of their experiences with tutees gives
third graders an accountability for the progress they are making.
ItTakesAVillage:
A Program That Works
The vision for ItTakesAVillage is to change literacy instruction for children in this country to give all children access to literacy. When a child is not learning to read, it should be a documented disability account that explains why reading achievement is delayed or not possible. Otherwise, what is the reason for not learning. We believe that children who have no documented disability can learn to read at and above grade level expectancy. We understand what is lost when we fail to teach children to be literate.
ItTakesAVillage works by using the village approach to solve the literacy problem. The village consists of the school administration, the teachers, the parents, the community, and our students. Our students take great pride in the vital role they play in successful outcomes. By working together, as a village, we can change the academic footprint of the schools we service.
Creative Learning Systems will provide more information about ItTakesAVillage upon request. ItTakesAVillage is a great innovative solution to an ongoing problem in our schools.
