Maine Literacy Partnership

Center for Early Literacy

University of Maine

College of Education and

Human Development

Overview

What is the Maine Literacy Partnership?

The Maine Literacy Partnership is a school-wide literacy program designed to increase the literacy achievement of all students in grades K-3. Maine Literacy Partnership provides a dynamic framework for literacy learning that connects reading and writing. It also develops local capacity by training a building-level Literacy Coach.

What is a Maine Literacy Partnership school?

A Maine Literacy Partnership school is a place where the principal, faculty, and staff have made a long term commitment to school change and the improvement of literacy learning. Through professional development and school-based leadership, teachers and administrators work toward the goal of early literacy success for all children. Maine Literacy Partnership schools also engage in reflective assessment to inform instruction and use systematic assessment to monitor student progress and analyze trends over time.

Framework

Teachers implementing Maine Literacy Partnership use an integrated approach to teaching the language arts. The framework provides many opportunities for reading and writing with a wide range of teacher support – from high teacher support to student independence.

Four Contexts for READING

Reading Aloud
Shared Reading
Guided Reading
Independent Reading

Four Contexts for WRITING

Shared Writing
Interactive Writing
Writing Workshop
Independent Writing

The Framework Includes:

Attention to letters, words, and how they work
Integration through themes and extensions
Assessment through documentation of progress
Link to families through home and community involvement

Professional Development

The Maine Literacy Partnership professional development model builds local capacity by training an in-school Literacy Coach who supports teachers as they teach the Maine Literacy Partnership framework.

Literacy Coach

Year One – Training

Literacy Coaches are trained at the University of Maine at Orono. During this year, the Literacy Coach:

Attends seven weeks of training spaced throughout the year
Teaches the framework in a K-3 classroom at least one half day
Participates in local guided meetings
Analyzes video tapes of their own teaching
Gathers baseline data
Provides awareness sessions

Year Two - Implementation

In this year, the Literacy Coach:

Provides year-long professional development for primary teachers
Demonstrates and coaches
Teaches framework at least one-half day, at least 3 days a week
Attends a literacy conference
Gathers and analyzes data

Year Three - Continuation

During subsequent years, the Literacy Coach:

Provides continued professional development and support
Teaches framework at least one-half day, at least 3 days a week
Trains teachers new to the school
Gathers and analyzes data

Classroom Teachers

Classroom Teachers are trained by the building Literacy Coach. Classroom teachers:

Join a year-long study group
Videotape and reflect on their teaching
Work with the Literacy Coach to refine their teaching
Collect, analyze, and use data to inform teaching

For further Information contact:

Ellen Almquist

The University of Maine

5766 Shibles Hall

Orono, ME 04469-5766

207-581-3689

Reading First Information