Orlando, FL (May 5, 2003) -- Continuing to fulfill its mission of supporting the needs of developing readers at every age and stage, Scholastic, the global children's publishing and media company, is launching an array of new programs at the International Reading Association's (IRA) 48th annual conference in Orlando, FL from May 5-8. All aligned to the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the programs address teachers' need for targeted resources and solutions.
 
“With a continued national focus on building our children's reading skills and meeting the challenge of No Child Left Behind, Scholastic is expanding its support for teachers, introducing a range of new programs that address critical instructional needs. From the time children are pre-schoolers, learning the sounds of the alphabet, to high school, when teachers are helping students to read for academic achievement and enjoyment, Scholastic is the teacher's partner in instruction,” said Francie Alexander, Chief Academic Officer, Scholastic Education.
 
Scholastic will unveil the following new programs at IRA:
 
* Scholastic's Fluency Formula™ for grades 1-6, a research-based supplemental program that helps students bridge the gap between word recognition and comprehension. The program presents a three-part kit, providing a collection of instruction/intervention teaching plans, normed and validated assessment, and practice materials necessary to foster quick recognition of words, decoding accuracy and oral expressiveness - the foundation of fluent reading.
 
Based on the research by the National Reading Panel, which indicates that specific fluency instruction, practice and assessment are needed to comprehend grade-level text, Scholastic's Fluency Formula™ provides educators with a system to regularly monitor and measure student fluency levels with pinpoint accuracy, as well as the research-based instruction, intervention and practice resources to build fluency for all students.
 
Components are:

• Direct Fluency Instruction and Intervention Components: strategic instruction and intervention plans helping teachers to integrate 15 minutes a day focused on fluency, plus lots of independent student work including leveled passages, read-aloud anthologies, activity cards, and workbooks.
• Fluency Formula Assessment System: a normed and validated system that allows educators the ability to assess, diagnose and tailor instruction to individual needs.
• Fluency Formula Library: leveled high-interest fiction and non-fiction books and read-along audio CD's for independent student fluency-building practice.

 
Academic advisors/reviewers for the program include Maryanne Wolf, Director of the Center for Reading and Language Arts at Tufts University; Kevin Feldman, Director of Reading and Early Intervention at the Sonoma County Office of Education in California; Tim Rasinski, professor of education in the Department of Teaching, Leadership, and Curriculum Studies at Kent State University; and Phyllis Hunter, former teacher and special education curriculum specialist for the Houston Independent School District, now an executive board member of the Consortium for Policy Research in Education, among others.
 
* Scholastic ReadingLine™ Kits offer step-by-step instruction for grades preK-1 in three literacy cornerstones: sounds and letters, vocabulary and phonics. The program offers the “Best Little Books on Earth,” with playful text, stunning photographs, and beautiful illustrations that foster an early love of reading while targeting specific literacy skills. The ReadingLine Kits are flexible and can be adapted to all levels of primary learning, pre-K-1, for use in circle time, small-group instruction and intervention with below-level students and English Language Learners.
 
Components are:

• Vocabulary Kit: includes 21 patterned books featuring the work of award-winning authors and illustrators such as David McPhail, Daniel Moreton, Bob Barner, Melissa Sweet, Lynn Munsinger and Joe Cepeda that will help build students' sight word recognition and oral language skills.
• Phonics Kit: contains 21 decodable books with consonant-vowel-consonant pattern words that help develop early phonics skills.
• Sound and Letter Kit: contains 26 alphabet books that will help young children develop phonemic awareness and alphabet recognition skills. The repetitive text and clever illustrations highlight critical sound-letter relationships while fostering an early love of reading.

 
*Scholastic Sprint Reading^TM  is a research-based intervention program for grades 3 to 8 that uses high-interest, leveled book collections accompanied by systematic, direct instruction and ongoing formal and informal assessment to develop the five critical reading competencies identified by NCLB — phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension — as well as to strengthen students' writing skills.
 
The program includes 6 leveled book collections for grades 3 to 5 and for grades 6 to 8 respectively of award-winning fiction and nonfiction titles that below-level students can read and enjoy, drawn from a variety of genres such as biography, science non-fiction, fantasy, mystery/suspense, and adventure fiction. All titles have been specially selected to support content-area learning.
 
Components are:

• 8 titles with 6 copies of each.
• 6 Student Workbooks providing skills practice and reading support for each title.
• A Teacher's Guide with a systematic teaching plan for each title that reinforces the five NCLB critical competencies and provides intervention routines for extra support.
• A Placement Guide, providing a variety of assessment tools to accurately match students with Sprint books, and allow for ongoing evaluation of student progress.

 
* Scholastic Action^TM Book Collections offer independent reading practice for the struggling reader, combined with innovative support to build comprehension and language acquisition. Each collection includes high interest fiction and nonfiction titles in a variety of reading levels, and featuring multiple genres and text structures. The books give the struggling student a “scaffolded” experience through embedded reading strategies and targeted vocabulary that support the student every step of the way and promote reading success. Students also use interactive Reader's Notes as they read, answering questions and completing exercises that increase comprehension. A Teacher's Guide for each title equips educators with differentiated instruction and practical intervention ideas for each skill.
 
More information on Scholastic products is available at the Scholastic IRA Booth #1500, Orange County Convention Center, Halls B1-B4.
 
Scholastic Education publishes research-based core and supplementary instructional materials, holding a leadership position in reading improvement products and learning services. Among its programs helping schools nationwide to promote reading achievement are the proven-to-work, research-based intervention program READ 180®, professional development program SCHOLASTIC RED^TM, and the Scholastic Early Childhood Program Featuring Clifford for prekindergarten.
 
About Scholastic
Scholastic Corporation (NMS: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books. Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, textbooks, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, videos and toys. The Company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs, school-based book fairs, school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs; retail stores, schools, libraries, and television networks; and the Company's Internet Site, www.scholastic.com.

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