FAME Reading Program
by Barb Zapata
Eleven students, grade 4 through 7 have had the opportunity to take part in the FAME reading program for the first time at 1-R school. The program is a research based program that has proven to be successful in improving reading achievement as much as two grade levels within a school year. The publisher of the program is The Boys Town Institute.
The program consists of four levels; Foundations, Adventures, Mastery, and Explorations. At the Elementary and Middle School level the students may go through the Foundations and Adventures level of the program. The program is very structured with a daily routine that consists of four to five activities. Students are first presented with a phonic rule or vocabulary words depending on the level of the program they are participating in. Students then work with a partner for 10 minutes practicing the concept taught with a computer game, (there is a different computer game for each day of the week). Next, there is a group word game to practice the weekly skill taught. Each day the group meets for approximately 20 minutes doing collaborative oral reading. Each Friday the student and teacher meet to have an individual grade conference.
It has been exciting to see all resource students succeed. Even though the school year is not complete we have some students who are already showing large improvements. It has been very exciting to see students find the joy in reading!
