First Steps

FIRST STEPS is a literacy program from Australia that links student performance to instruction through developmental continua. It was developed in 1989 and has been the subject of numerous research and validation studies. Currently its effectiveness and implementation in the United States is being studied by Bank Street College in New York.

There are four developmental continua, one for each literacy strand--reading, writing, spelling and oral language (speaking and listening). Each continuum lists key observable student behaviors and divides the behaviors into phases. Linked to each phase of literacy development are matching teaching emphases--teacher behaviors that are designed to support students' literacy development and to encourage further growth and move students on to the next phase.

First Steps materials include two books for each literacy strand that provide valuable instructional ideas and activities. These books are not expected to be used in isolation. First Steps honors the experience of veteran teachers and acknowledges the wealth of good ideas and information in current professional literature. It provides the framework and direction for classroom literacy instruction. It also provides outstanding, comprehensive professional development workshops that are one of the keys to its success. [For more information on First Steps professional development courses refer to the Heinemann web page]

First Steps Implementation at CES

In the spring of 1995 Chenowith Elementary School drew up a four year vision plan for curriculum and development. The school decided to focus on one literacy strand per year and to use First Steps as the vehicle to meet the goals and vision.

In the fall of 1995 three teachers--Linda Gearin, Diane Walworth and Marolyn Wilks--were trained as First Steps tutors. They share the responsibility for training the rest of the staff in First Steps and for implementing the program.

In 1995 CES was trained in the writing component. 1996-97 reading was the focus. For the 1996-97 school year First Steps was funded in part by a Goals 2000 grant. As part of the grant, the staff engaged in action research connected with First Steps, and college credit was offered. Over 30 hours of inservice time was devoted to First Steps. In 1997-98 the staff explored oral language. Although they are not placing students on the oral language developmental continuum, the strategies outlined in the Resource Book are effective foundation pieces for the reading and writing components. In 1998-99 CES implemented the final literacy component--spelling. As part of the spelling implementation many classrooms in the building are using spelling journals as the basis for their instruction.

Teachers, instructional assistants, ESL and special education staff all participate in the First Steps training. This has provided a common language and common approach to teaching children in the building.

KEEPING IT ALIVE--THE CARE AND FEEDING OF FIRST STEPS!

One of the keys to the success of First Steps at CES has been collaborative planning. Teachers and small groups meet together on a regular basis to plan lessons and share strategies. They make four to six week plans based on the major teaching emphases and use activities from the developmental continua books and resource books. This has kept First Steps central and instruction focused.

The district has used frequent follow-up sessions to support teachers as they make instructional changes related to First Steps. A couple times a year time is set-aside for teachers to update continua. Other time is allowed for reflection and sharing of ideas. We met as a staff to have discussions about indicators, working out an interpretation and understanding of language that was troublesome to us. We also have a wall in the faculty lounge for sharing student work samples by phases.

All of these activities have been used to keep First Steps alive in the Chenowith District. Making major systemic changes requires time, on-going support and attention, and enormous energy but the payback is well worth the effort.