Resources. Teacher survey respondents rated the following LitCamp resources very favorably for their utility: Leader’s Guide (92%), book selections (86%), and lessons (86%). In focus groups, teachers made positive comments about the structure and ease of use of the Leader’s Guide , the selection of books, and the variety of activities and writing assignments. Activities. Overall, teachers rated the Read Aloud, Bring the Text to Life, and Bunk Time LitCamp activities as “the most appealing” and believed that their students would agree (see Appendix A for a description of LitCamp activities). This was corroborated by classroom observations that described students as seeming especially engaged during Read Aloud activities and when working independently, as well as appearing excited and responsive when they had opportunities to share their thinking throughout LitCamp. Professional Learning. Overall, teachers felt that the LitCamp professional learning prepared them to implement the program. Implementation. Teachers modified LitCamp activities or altered the schedule of lessons as needed to fit the diverse needs of their students and adapt to the overall Summer Enrichment Program schedule. Discussion A primary goal of Schenectady City School District’s integration of LitCamp into its Summer Enrichment Program was to sustain students’ literacy skills over the summer. The district’s decision to provide two hours of LitCamp instruction daily to students was associated with promising trends for students’ Oral Reading Fluency subtest scores (AIMSweb), in particular for EL LitCamp students (Grades 1–5), who displayed slightly greater gains than the EL students in the comparison group. Most importantly, LitCamp favorably influenced students’ reading behaviors, their attitudes toward reading, and their social-emotional learning as evidenced by both student self-reports and teacher reports, with the majority of teachers reporting that LitCamp was effective at cultivating students’ reading abilities and social-emotional skills. Additionally, teachers indicated confidence in LitCamp through their positive reviews of the LitCamp approach, program materials, and supports. This evaluation aimed to assess how exposure to LitCamp influenced students’ reading behaviors, attitudes toward reading, social-emotional skills, and reading achievement. Examining data from multiple sources, this report highlights and provides context for how LitCamp positively influenced each of these outcomes.
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SCHOLASTIC RESEARCH & VALIDATION
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