Building Reading Proficiency at the Secondary Level: A Guide to Resources

What is it? How does it work?

Background:
A diagnostic framework guides teachers in linking reading, writing, spelling, and oral language strategies to instruction across the curriculum. It was developed in the Education Department of Western Australia under the direction of Alison Dewsbury and is made available in the United States through Heinemann Publishers.

Overview:
First Steps is a school-wide professional development program in reading, writing, spelling, and oral language for teachers of students grades K through 10. It is not a curriculum, but instead, provides teachers with the knowledge and support they need to implement effective reading strategies. About half of the more than 250 districts have implemented the program at the middle school level.

First Steps was developed in the Education Department of Western Australia under the direction of Alison Dewsbury. The development resulted from a collaboration with classroom teachers and local universities to translate research in literacy development into practice. First Steps has been available in the United States since 1995 from Heinemann USA Publishers.

The program stresses "across the curriculum" literacy strategies for all classrooms. The strategies represent what the program has found to be the most effective in developing reading, writing, spelling and oral language.
Teachers are taught to adapt instruction to students with special needs who are included in regular education classes.

Teachers are taught to assess students using the Developmental Continua, a diagnostic framework that maps out the stages of language and literacy development throughout the lifespan. From the framework, teachers select teaching strategies and activities that are developmentally appropriate for their students. Rather than evaluative instruments, the continua are a means of informing and guiding instruction. This is the major emphasis of the program - the linking of assessment to instruction.