Audio Books

River Road Elementary School/El Camino del Rio

Our school's current reading program for K-3 (Reading Mastery) and the 4th-5th grade program (McGraw-Hill) provides research-based instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency and literal comprehension. A vital component of instruction for struggling learners is the ability to receive information in a variety of modes, as well as the need for multiple opportunities to practice and apply new information.

Aside from general circulation library books and some classroom materials, the school is in need of multi-sensory materials, such as audio books that expose struggling students to grade level literature.
This grant will be used to purchase a series of literature audio books. Our intention is to have students take the audio books home to preview a literature book that will be read in class. The audio books might also be used to help students catch up in cases of absences or move-ins. With such a high mobility rate at River Road, new students often need the opportunity to Ïcatch up.

Why is this project important?

River Road/El Camino del Rio Elementary School is a neighborhood school with approximately 326 students. We are a school-wide Title One school (grades K through 5) with 85% of our students living in poverty and a 50% mobility rate. Our current Oregon State Assessment scores reflect a significant achievement gap for many of our students.

A critical component of any reading program that targets struggling learners is the ability to present the information in a variety of modes. While the current reading program used in the school provides some extensions for struggling students at the upper grades (4th-5th), there are no listening opportunities. The school has a critical need to extend the curriculum providing more exposure to grade level content and practice. Best-practice research suggests that presentations that utilize multi-sensory approaches directly correlate to increased student progress. We also find that struggling learners find it difficult to gain access to age-appropriate literature and content. We believe the addition of computerized learning opportunities provide another component in closing the achievement gap. We sincerely hope the audio books will help students to develop a love of literature which will encourage further elective reading, a love many struggling readers do not have.

Who and how many will be served?

The literature series of books-on-tape will target struggling learners in grades 4th -5th. We currently have approximately fifty-four 5th grade students and approximately the same number of 4th graders.

How will you evaluate the success of the program?

Student success will be evaluated in two ways: (1) increased fluency scores on district math and reading screeners given in the spring; and (2) evaluation curriculum-based teacher assessments.

Does this proposal build upon existing programs at your school?

The purchase of this program will augment the existing literature series in the classrooms. The proposed program will provide additional supports struggling readers.

How will the funds be spent?

Literature books in an audio format such as: Maniac Magee, Tuck Everlasting, Midnight for Charlie Stone, Winn-Dixie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Hatchet, Holes.