Division Literacy Plan

 

Mission of the Hampton City Schools Language Arts Department 

Every student receives evidence-based literacy instruction with high quality instructional materials, every teacher and literacy leader analyzes student learning to inform scaffolded support and interventions, and every family has access to results and helpful practices.

---

Elementary language arts instruction aims to improve early literacy outcomes for Hampton’s young learners by providing methods and materials aligned with science-based reading research and provides evidenced-based literacy instruction to students in kindergarten through grade five.

 

The ELA instructional block includes all literacy components and is divided into whole group reading, whole group writing, and differentiated small group instruction.  

 

Elementary ELA Team Chart

 

A model is provided indicating the breakdown of minutes for each grade level:

• Kindergarten

• First Grade

• Second Grade

• Third Grade

• Fourth/Fifth Grade

Additional evidence-based literacy instruction and practice on a specific literacy skill (i.e., phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, writing) occurs in small groups based on individual student data.

 

VLA 1 pager

VLP family resource link

K-3 Literacy Resources

 

Secondary English Tier 1 Curriculum is based on the 2024 Standards of Learning and includes high quality instructional materials and evidence-based instructional strategies. English instruction emphasizes developing fluent reading, building comprehension, and using evidence to support claims and conclusions. Students build vocabulary through reading literary and informational texts. Literary text skills focus on themes, characterization, setting, plot, author’s craft and style, and how context is created based on the text’s historical, cultural, and/or social function. Informational text skills include author’s purpose, craft, and style, interpreting data and information in a variety of maps, charts, and graphs, and comparing and evaluating viewpoints of varying perspectives. Students write in a variety of forms including expository, analytical, persuasive, and argumentative. Some writing tasks require students to conduct research, analyze a variety of sources, and demonstrate ethical use of the internet. The writing process includes planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Students learn and use grammar and mechanics conventions of standard English. Activities and projects throughout the year develop effective oral communication, collaboration, and presentation skills.

 

English 12 Senior Capstone Project: During the 12th grade year, students reflect on the question “What impact do I want to make?” in regard to their chosen Academy or future career field. Students identify an industry problem and propose a possible solution. The project has five phases: 

• Phase 1: Generating Ideas: With the help of English teachers and Academy coaches, students will define “capstone” and explore an industry of interest and the potential impacts they could make in that field.

• Phase 2: Research: Students will use credible sources to determine the possible problems associated with their Academy and/or career field.

• Phase 3: Development/Implementation: Teachers will provide multiple learning frames to guide the development and implementation of the Capstone project. Each learning frame produces a different kind of project. For example, the “case study” learning frame guides students through a deep analysis of the industry problem and prompts students to determine recommended next steps. The “advocacy/awareness” campaign prompts students to create a media product that informs the audience of the problem and urges them to take action. The “service learning” learning frame guides students through creating a community service solution to a noticeable problem.

• Phase 4: Reflection: This stage of the project asks students to reflect on the process, honestly evaluate their work, and propose revisions.

• Phase 5: Demonstration: Students will create and deliver a multimodal presentation that includes their problem, research, learning frame, and reflection.

Reading Intervention

 

Middle School courses: 

Reading and Writing Exploration (RWE) is an elective for grades 6-8 that uses HMH’s Read 180 curriculum, which focuses on building students’ knowledge of comprehension strategies throughout each themed Workshop. Read 180 integrates researched-based instructional practices, adaptive technology, and scaffolded support for reading independently. Students actively participating in the learning process can raise their reading level by two grade levels in one school year.

Reading and Writing Discovery (RWD) is an elective for grades 6-8 that uses HMH’s Read 180 CODE curriculum. Students receive systematic, explicit instruction and practice of foundational literacy skills to develop their fluency, expand vocabulary and strengthen comprehension skills to become proficient, skillful readers. Read 180 integrates researched-based instructional practices, adaptive technology, and scaffolded support for reading independently. Students actively participating in the learning process can raise their reading level by two grade levels in one school year.

High School course: 

 

Literacy Acceleration

Literacy Acceleration uses HMH’s Read 180 curriculum, which is a program that focuses on spelling, writing, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. Each day students receive whole group instruction, participate in small group learning, apply their learning independently, and read independently. Students actively participating in the learning process can raise their reading level by two grade levels in one school year.

Assessements

Throughout the quarter, teachers administer unit assessments to determine student 

mastery of unit Standards of Learning. Students in grades 6-12 take an end-of-quarter 

benchmark assessment, the Critical Skills Assessment (CSA). 

VDOE English Standards of Learning (SOL) Tests

Grades 6-8 Reading SOL Test (May)

Grade 8 Integrated Reading and Writing SOL Test (April)

Grade 10 End-of-Course Writing SOL Test (March) 

Grade 11 End-of-Course Reading SOL Test (May)fa

Consult the Course Offerings site and your schools’ counseling department to find out which Advanced Placement, Dual Enrollment, and English elective courses are available at your school. 

Virginia Literacy Partnerships: To support your child’s needs at home, please visit Resources for Families.

 

• Provide core and supplemental instruction as well as intervention with scientifically based reading research and evidence-based literacy instruction.

• Provide online resources to support literacy development at home.

• Assess student learning using approved literacy screeners, use student-level data to inform instruction and intervention, and participate in pre-service preparation or training on evidence-based literacy instruction.

• Coordinate and oversee intervention for students not meeting literacy benchmarks, and will develop and monitor student progress on student reading plans, working closely with families and teachers.

• Develop a literacy plan, ensure the use of evidence-based literacy curriculum, staff enough reading specialists to support intervention needs, and provide professional development to support teachers, reading specialists, and principals.

• Monitor, evaluate, and support ELA programs, diagnostic assessments, and implementation throughout HCS to assess value to student achievement.

• Maintain a structured, data-driven, cohesive plan for all reading personnel through professional development.

• Support district initiatives to improve PSAT, SAT, and SOL performance through differentiated instruction in grades K-12.

• Provide instruction, practice, and feedback on the steps of the writing process as specified in state standards.

• Revise curriculum to the current standards with emphasis on rigor and differentiation to meet the needs of all students.

• Revise pacing guides consistent with the curriculum.

• Revise quarterly critical skills assessments in response to data, test blueprints, and curricula.

• Partner with the Special Education department for instructional strategies and intervention resources to improve student achievement.

• Partner with Title 1 to share instructional strategies to improve student achievement. 

• Train new teachers throughout HCS in language arts instruction.

• Train Early Reading Intervention Assistants for kindergarten through grade three intervention.