Teaching all children to read requires that every child receive excellent reading instruction and that children who are struggling with reading receive additional instruction. The reading specialist at the Hebrew Academy works closely with the classroom teachers to provide instructional support, and supplements and extends the reading program to meet the needs of students. The program provides one-on-one or small group instruction with attention to both comprehension and word recognition processes. Individualized assessment assists in instructional planning.

In Kindergarten the focus is on early intervention and building emergent readers. Our goal in the primary grades is to facilitate a curiosity for reading and writing and to build strategies to become an independent reader through a balanced approach to teaching reading. The program recognizes the importance of comprehension and enjoyment as much as discrete language skills. In third and fourth grade a collaborative effort is made between the classroom teacher and the reading specialist to review and reinforce the skills required to master the NYS assessments and to guide the students to a more independent level of reading and writing. In the intermediate grades and middle school,the reading specialist also helps students to build study skills necessary for academic success.

The reading specialist helps with assessment, and with developing, implementing and evaluating the school literacy program. The reading specialist also provides information to classroom teachers and parents in order to better provide an effective reading program.