by Jen Myers

Strong reading and comprehension skills are critical to academic success in all subjects. Nailing down those skills early and reading at or above grade level is not only key to academic success, but to social emotional learning as well.

This spring, the McAuliffe and Lincoln Elementary schools partnered with Ignite Reading on a pilot program, providing 15 minute daily online tutoring sessions for first and second graders who needed extra support to boost their skills.

The growth, even in a short time, has been impressive.

At the end of May, representatives from Ignite Reading held a showcase event at the McAuliffe Elementary School to demonstrate how the program work and share early data with Superintendent of Schools Liam Skinner and other Central Office staff.

The participating group of students includes 17 first graders and four second graders whose reading skills were at a kindergarten or first-grade level. Forty-three precent of the students are multilingual learners.

“As a teacher, it is really hard when you have a student who is still working at basic alphabet knowledge – a kindergarten skill level – when a second-grade teacher needs to be focusing on comprehension, fluency work, writing skills,” said Alexandra Gottlieb, Ignite’s Director of Partnerships, who presented data to the group.

Ignite Reading pairs students who need extra support with expert tutors who deliver daily, 15-minute Science of Reading-based instruction to help them master key foundational skills needed to become fluent readers. The online, one-to-one literacy tutoring program is integrated into the school day, and a professional literacy specialist oversees growth data to ensure students are making expected progress.

“Witnessing the tangible literacy growth our students are experiencing through our partnership has been incredibly rewarding,” said McAuliffe Elementary School Literacy Specialist Kristin Wade. “The focused support provided is clearly unlocking their potential and building a stronger foundation for future academic success.”

Ignite’s curriculum reinforces Governor Healey’s ‘Literacy Launch: Reading Success from Age 3 through Grade 3’ literacy plan, which ensures Massachusetts schools, educators, and students have access to high-quality, evidence-based reading instruction through literacy materials, technical support, coaching, and professional development for educators.

When the program started in March, the baseline of 13 of the students was at the kindergarten level and 8 were at the first-grade level.

When the students were tested after having 14 lessons, 76 percent of them passed the first time.

“Every time they pass, it is a quarter of a school year’s skills growth,” Gottlieb said, attributing the growth to the combination of the work of the Ignite tutors along with instruction by classroom teachers and school-based interventionists. “It really does take a village. We are doubling down on the work you were already doing.”

After only about a total of 9 hours of tutoring, 38 percent of those students whose skills were at a kindergarten level had transitioned to a first-grade level.

“Now they are done with all of those kindergarten skills,” he said. “They know their basic alphabet knowledge, basic letter sounds and patterns, and are applying this knowledge to sounding and blending words with blends and diagraphs.”

Students who started at the first-grade level have reached the end of first grade skill level.

“It is incredible to see that now students are at the end of first-grade skills,” Gottlieb said. “They are ready for second grade and multi-syllabic coding.  Students are making 2.6 weeks’ worth of progress in one week of instruction and its consistent across the board.”

“The significant gains in literacy we are observing within Lowell Public Schools underscore the positive impact of our partnership with Ignite Reading,” said McAuliffe School Principal David Anderson. “Witnessing our students develop stronger reading skills through their targeted, one-on-one support reaffirms our commitment to providing innovative solutions that yield tangible academic growth in reading.”

In addition to Massachusetts, Ignite Reading is partnering with schools and districts to serve thousands of students across 18 states this year. For more information about Ignite Reading, visit https://ignite-reading.com/