Self Development Academy (SDA) is thrilled to announce the launch of a new exciting reading initiative, the Take Home Reading Program, for kindergarten and first-grade children this fall. The program is designed to ignite a child’s love of reading and learning and add books to their permanent home library.
The Majeed Foundation (in the process of being established) will fund the initiative as the Foundation will focus on promoting literacy. SDA will launch the program in October 2023.
Through the Take Home Reading Program, kindergarten and first-grade SDA students will be introduced to early literature by reading selected stories as a class. Classroom activities will enhance the story elements, reading comprehension, and story lessons.
The goal will be for each student to be able to read the story independently with fluency and expression.
Once the student is able to achieve this goal, he or she will be able to take the book home to read to their family members and friends and add it to their home library. How exciting for children to share the stories with their family members and friends while developing positive memories of reading.
Reading at home has always been promoted at SDA through voluntary programs. Parents as Partners and the Classics Reading Program are two examples. Parents as Partners encourages family members to read with their children several nights a week. The Classics Reading Program begins in second grade. Throughout the year, students read a certain number of classics such as The Call of the Wild and Black Beauty, and give presentations on the books to their class. As opposed to these two programs being voluntary, the Take Home Reading Program will be a part of the curriculum and links school to home.
The Take Home Reading Program enhances the strong English Language Arts curriculum that begins with Self Development Preschool (SDP). The SDP curriculum focuses on the cognitive, physical, emotional, and social development of toddlers. Reading time is a part of the daily activities. A focus on letter recognition and phonics begins in the classroom of children aged 2. By the time the SDP children are entering kindergarten, many are already reading and ready for the accelerated curriculum offered by SDA.
Following in the footsteps of the SDP program, SDA offers students an accelerated curriculum. Beginning with the kindergarten year, SDA students learn a minimum of one year ahead of the Arizona Department of Education Academic Standards in Mathematics and English Language Arts. At SDA, early education — kindergarten through second grade — emphasizes mastering phonics, memorizing sight words, reading fluency, and reading comprehension.
Being able to read fluently with comprehension prepares students for the more independent reading and learning that is required as the educational years progress.
Learning to read is the first step towards reading to learn.
More importantly, reading fluently and with comprehension fosters a love for reading and learning. The Take Home Reading Program will further enhance the already strong English Language Arts program at SDA.
For more information, please call Self Development Preschool at (480) 396-3522 or Self Development Academy at (480) 641-2640.