Early Literacy Support

The SSRCE Early Literacy Support Framework provides support to students in grades Primary, 1 and 2 who need assistance with oral language, reading, and/or writing development, as well as development of strategies that are transferable to support students in Grade 3 and beyond.

The SSRCE Early Literacy Support Framework involves layers of support for students at risk in their literacy development, beginning with good first wave teaching followed by small group support through the early literacy teacher and/or trained resource teacher. Classroom instruction is guided by the SSRCE reading workshop, writing workshop and time to teach lesson plan frameworks.

Criteria set by SELL protocols are used to determine who receives support, with a focus on those students achieving the lowest scores. Board level benchmarks have been set to assist schools in determining when students can transition from support.

Grade Primary:
The early literacy teacher/trained resource teacher works with primary students in groups of 1-3 for 30 minutes daily. Support is organized into two, nine-week blocks from February to June. In June, grade Primary teachers use SELL data to complete an alternate ranking process to identify students who may require more intensive literacy instruction in their grade one year.

Grade 1:
The early literacy teacher works with Grade 1 students in groups of one to three for 30 minutes daily. Start and finish dates for each cycle will be provided at the beginning of each school year. In June, Grade 1 teachers use SELL data to identify students who may require more intensive literacy instruction in their Grade 2 year.

Grade 2:
Students who did not meet expectations on the SELL assessments in the Grade 1 year will be considered for early literacy support. The early literacy teacher/trained resource teacher will work with Grade 2 students in groups of one to three for 30 minutes daily.  The support is organized into two, nine-week blocks from September to January.

Grade 3:
Students who did not meet expectations on the SELL assessments in the Grade 2 year will be considered for early literacy support. The early literacy teacher/trained resource teacher will work with grade three students in groups of one to three for 30 minutes daily. The support is organized into two, nine-week blocks from September to January.

For more information on Early Literacy Support, please contact:

Sheila Walters, Reading Recovery Teacher Leader
Phone: 902-523-0339
Email: ggerhardt@ssrsb.ca