“Literacy Lift Off”, also known as “Power Hour” is an intensive programme of reading and writing. It allows children ample opportunities to read books at their own level of competency and gradually lift the complexity of what they can do in both reading and writing by equipping them with the necessary problem-solving skills.
The aim of Literacy Lift-Off is to make pupils constructive learners. It teaches them ‘how’ to problem solve independently.
It is implemented in blocks of 6/8weeks in the Junior and Middle classes in Primary School. Diverse activities are essential for extending literacy processing power. Hence, the pupils work in ‘stations’ to carry out a number of activities in reading and writing, under the guidance of their teachers and Special Needs Assistants. The programme uses specially graded “PM+” readers. Pupils are assessed and grouped according to their reading ability prior to the commencement of the programme.
Our Stations/Activities work as follows:
Station 1: Familiar Reading
Pupils read previously seen PM+ Readers.
Purpose: Development of enjoyment, fluency, comprehension and speed.
Station 2: Word Work/Phonics
They use magnetic letters on the whiteboard to make and break words. They also work on their phonics and phonological awareness in this station
Purpose: To show children how words work, so that they can make a fast visual analysis of their reading.
Station 3: Writing
Pupils write sentences based on their own experiences, using words that they encounter in their readers.
Purpose: That they will learn how they can write their own messages by hearing and recording sounds in words, using analogy and learning unusual words.
Station 4: New Reading
Encountering new texts each day challenges the pupils to discover new ways to go beyond their current operating ability and lift their literacy processing.
Purpose: Pupils learn to use strategic activities to read new texts
We have found this programme to be very successful, and beneficial to pupils of all reading abilities in the Junior and Middle Classes. We believe that Early Intervention is the key to successful reading and writing.
Follow this link to find out more about Literacy Lift-Off
