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Appendix T: Complete Literacy

The National Education Association Task Force on Reading and the International Reading Association agreed on ten key elements that should comprise a complete reading program. After noting that the teacher was the key factor in reading success, the ten components of a complete reading program were outlined. The are summarized below.

• Development of language and thinking skills, phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, word recognition, comprehension, positive reading habits and attitudes, vocabulary, and a sense of the organization of texts such as articles, reports and stories are all essential to address the early stages of literacy learning.
• A complete reading program addresses reading as one of several aspects of literacy. Other aspects include listening, speaking, writing, using information from text, and responding critically and thoughtfully to text.
• A complete reading program builds on the linguistic and cultural diversity that students bring to the classroom. It enables all students to understand and appreciate cultural diversity.
• A complete reading program provides for the reading success of all students, including those with special needs. Materials and instruction are adapted to accommodate all students.
• A complete reading program involves all of the child's teachers, including parents/guardians and community resources in the development of the child's understanding that reading is important.
• A complete reading program provides teachers with the instructional and assessment tools to plan and deliver to each student the instructional activities that best support a high level of reading proficiency for every child.
• A complete reading program aims to raise the achievement of all students. Therefore, it must be flexible in meeting the needs of all students.
• A complete reading program acknowledges that reading, like all cognitive skills, is linked to the physical well-being of children.
• A complete reading program is built on a wide range of significant research and evaluation, related both to the theory and practice of reading instruction.
• A complete reading program incorporates findings of research related to several factors in reading, not just a limited set of skills. Beginning readers, for example, need to learn about the structure of stories and sentences as well as word structure.

In addition, the goal of a complete reading program is to encourage an instructional setting that provides the following:

• reading achievement for all students
• guidance in selecting and developing programs and materials
• time, resources and professional development for planning instruction
• policies that promote complete reading programs.

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