Students learn to read through stories of triumph over adversity.
The challenge
Eastover, South Carolina, is a small historic town with a population of 831. In this community, students have to travel 30-45 miles from their homes to attend its only school, Webber Elementary School.
All 177 students served by Webber Elementary live in poverty, and more than 50% started the school year in intervention and urgent intervention groups. These statistics match what we know about socioeconomic reading gaps – studies show that children who live in poverty come to school knowing half as many vocabulary words as children who don’t. In fact, it’s estimated that children from lower-income homes may hear 30 million fewer words by age 3 than children who live above the poverty line.
The faculty of Webber Elementary have always understood the importance of equipping all students with the proper literacy and foundational skills. Reading is not reserved for children of specific socioeconomic backgrounds – it is a universal right that should be accessible to all. They see these figures as a call to action, one that they take seriously and approach with tenacity and creativity.
The solution
Exposing students to new words, concepts and stories requires access to diversified reading content. So the educators at Webber Elementary set out to purchase three books for each student. Using funds raised through Coaching for Literacy’s #Fight4Literacy Game presented by International Paper at the University of South Carolina, students were able to choose books covering their specific interests. These books were then incorporated into their teachers’ libraries. By allowing students autonomy over the books selected, the libraries were stocked with materials that spoke to a range of topics and featured people of all backgrounds. This created a robust catalog that serves students in the classroom today and will continue to serve students who use these libraries in the future.
Image provided by Webber Elementary School.
Many of the books selected highlight people, specifically people of color, who overcame challenges. Titles like “Hidden Figures” by Margot Lee Shetterly, “I am Malala” by Malala Yousafzai, and “Ellray Jakes is a Rock Star” by Sally Warner filled student backpacks. As students read these stories, they are encouraged to pursue life passionately, regardless of the challenges and barriers they face, as the protagonists in the stories do.
This lesson came to life when author Don Tate visited the school and spoke to the students. Don’s stories prominently feature Black and brown characters who resemble students at Webber Elementary, an intentional effort as part of his #WeNeedDiverseBooks initiative. As a Black author, he is also an example of someone who looks like them and found success in reading and writing. His visit was an enormous confidence boost for burgeoning writers at the school.
“Our students were able to see someone of their ethnicity share about their experiences and how they became an author,” said Webber Elementary School principal Summer Jones.
To help address language gaps and strengthen intervention programs, teachers at Webber committed to professional development lessons in Balanced Literacy, a practice that emphasizes a multipronged approach to language development. They acknowledged that their students needed help mentally, physically and personally – not just academically. The incorporation of Balanced Literacy diversified reading instruction to include lessons in phonics, listening, writing and other practices. As students and teachers navigated these lessons together, students were able to find areas in which they excelled, which built confidence while also enhancing language competency.
The testimony
Image provided by Webber Elementary School.
At the end of last year, Webber Elementary School students increased their reading growth by 8.9%. They also had a 5.8% increase in Early Literacy, according to the school’s STAR universal screener.
“With these extra books and materials in hand, Coaching for Literacy has given our students the ability to visualize who they can become,” said Jones. “Our students now believe they can become authors, doctors, presidents and teachers.”
