"READ" all About It!
From our Connors Reading Specialist
A Note From Kelly Cofrancesco, our Connors Reading Specialist
I am extremely excited to be the first full year Connors Reading Specialist for this school year! Of the four years teaching in the Hoboken School District, I have spent the past two years teaching at Connors. I am even more excited to start this school year having the opportunity to work with students in kindergarten to fifth grade on reading and writing.
I have a Masters in Reading from Montclair State University with a Reading Specialist Certificate. In addition, I have my Orton Gillingham Certification.
I have my Bachelors Degree from Montclair State University with an Elementary Teaching Certificate and a Middle School Math Certificate
Happy Reading,
Ms. Cofrancesco
What is a Reading Specialist
A Reading Specialist is a teacher with special training on how to teach reading. Reading Specialists work with students in small groups to provide instruction that best fits each students’ literacy needs. A Reading Specialist works with students on phonics, phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, decoding, fluency, comprehension, spelling, vocabulary, and writing.
As Connors Reading Specialist, I will be working with students who identify as struggling readers in kindergarten through fifth grade. A struggling reader is identified from the students’ DRA2 score along with LinkIt Language Arts (3rd grade and up). I will be reading and writing with the students five days a week during their ILP (Individualized Learning Pathways) period. The goal of my time working with the students is to improve their reading. During my time with the students, I will be using Orton Gillingham, which is the multisensory phonics technique for reading instruction. While I am working with my students, each grade level period will look different. For example a kindergarten period may focus on letters and sounds, while a fifth grade class may focus on comprehension questions and vocabulary development.
Connors Family Literacy Resource-Fall 2021
This resource gives families ideas of how to help their child develop literacy skills at home. Plus it shares online literacy platforms for parents to use.
Understanding your Child's DRA Level
Please click on the link below to access an abundance of information on the DRA!
Coffee and Connect
Coffee and Connect Session 1 (September 2021):
Helping Your Child Read At Home This presentation gives parents ways to read with their child at home; which includes shared reading and independent reading strategies. Furthermore, the presentation shares ideas of how to motivate and help their child develop a love of reading by giving fun reading ideas to use at home.
Coffee and Connect Session 2 (October 2021):
DRA2 This presentation explains what the Development Reading Assessment (DRA) is, the four components of the DRA, helps parents interpret their child’s DRA score, and learn how to support their child at home.
- Recording of DRA2 Coffee and Connect
- Hoboken DRA Level Descriptors website : This website is explained in the video above. The website is a great resource for families to use at home to help their child grow as a reader. This resource has the DRA levels with a description of each of the four components; concepts about print, accuracy, fluency, and comprehension. In addition, it shows what each DRA level looks like and how families can provide reading support at home for their child to grow as a reader to the next DRA Level.
- Scholastic Book Finder This website helps their child find a book on their just right reading level.
Raz Kids This presentation explains what Raz Kids is, how to navigate Raz Kids and how to use Raz Kids at home. Additionally, parents learn the difference between the Reading Room and the Level Up Room on their child’s account.
- Video Recording of the Coffee and Connect #3 November-Raz Kids
- Raz Kids Student login page