Creating New Readers with Hoover Elementary’s Special Education Reading Clinic

by Savannah Lira, Program and Communications Associate

At the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year, PVF awarded Hoover Elementary School with a $500 Special Education Grant. This grant supported their Special Education Reading Clinic, a program serving students with low reading ability.

Steve Fitzgerald, the Reading Clinic’s Resource Specialist, coordinated the replacement of “old, tattered” materials they use to teach phonemics – the study of a particular set of sounds produced in a particular language. They were able to purchase new sets of blocks and large mouth pictures. These materials are “key components to the reading program and very helpful for the students”.

In addition, the Reading Clinic was able to add more S.P.I.R.E. Decodable Readers and Hi/Low chapter books. The readers address specific decoding patterns and “provide much needed practice to students who are working towards mastering this skill”. The chapter books allow students that have high interest in reading to enjoy more mature reading materials at a lower reading level they are comfortable at. Using these chapter books instills greater confidence and pride in their ability to demonstrate their reading.

Mr. Fitzgerald reported back to us that “all of the clinic’s reading instructors are able to share these new resources to use with all of the students, providing the opportunity for us to continue to serve our students effectively”.

PVF’s Special Education Resource Grant program is made possible with funding from Thomas J. Long Foundation.