Project Read/Write

Project Read/Write employs a comprehensive, highly focused and individualized approach to technology-enhanced instruction for at-risk learners. The approach utilizes instructional management software and a variety of reading and writing software packages installed on designated computers in each participating classroom. Low achieving students in these classrooms have access to reading or writing activities on the computer everyday. Ample staff development, ongoing support, and data collection efforts are included. To date, nineteen of twenty-one impacted elementary schools have received Project Read/Write for their 3rd grade students.

Project Read/Write places a computerized Reading Center in each third grade classroom of the targeted schools. Each Reading Center consists of the following components:

1. One desktop computer per 5-6 students

2. One networked inkjet color printer

3. Appropriate furniture for the computers

4. Two headsets/computer and cables as needed

5. Collection of award winning books: chosen by teachers and media specialists

6. Teacher Selected Software that addresses student achievement in reading and writing:

• The Ribbit Collection from Little Planet
• Reading Blaster Ages 6-9 from Knowledge Adventure
• Reading Galaxy from Broderbund
• Spell It Deluxe from Davidson

The Reading Centers become an integral part of the third grade curriculum and classroom. The computers are placed in an area accessible to students during the entire school day. Students use all the computers. One computer is equipped with video-out capabilities so that it can be connected to a television in the classroom. This feature provides the teacher the ability to deliver instruction to the entire class.

Each third grade teacher receives on-going training and on-site technical support throughout the school year. The third grade teachers develop a classroom management system during one of their training sessions to ensure equitable access for each child.

Students in these classrooms are provided opportunities to use the technology provided by Project READ/WRITE approximately 20 minutes each day. Each school receives the help of student tutors from partnering local colleges to provide additional assistance to any student reading below grade level.

Project READ/WRITE contains a collection of language arts software and curriculum tools that support the four pathways of language learning - reading, writing, speaking and listening - to provide a multisensory learning environment for students. To help meet the diverse learning needs of the at-risk third grade students, each reading center accommodates a variety of teaching strategies by using phonics instruction and literature-based learning.

This project is a collaborative effort of the Guilford County Schools' teachers, principals, Instructional Technology Specialists, college/university tutors and business technical support. Children at our low-performing schools need help beyond the second grade. Project Read/Write, funded by the ABC Innovative Challenge Grant and the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund Grant, is essential to providing these children with an excellent opportunity to acquire and improve the reading and writing skills needed to continue learning for a lifetime.

Data from the third grade end-of-year reading data in 1999-2000 school year documents the success of Project Read/Write. Students from Project Read/Write schools showed an average growth of 6.60% of students scoring a Level III/IV on EOG reading test. Students from non-Project Read/Write schools had an average growth of 1.67% of students scoring a Level III/IV on the EOG reading test.

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