- Video shows one Green Bay school bringing a new learning method into classrooms aimed at improving early literacy instruction.
- At Chappell Elementary School, literacy education has shifted towards more oral language development rather than visual cues.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
In 2023, Wisconsin lawmakers passed Act 20, causing a shift in the way reading and writing is taught at public schools.
Addressing state and local lawmakers Monday, the Green Bay Area Public School District elaborated on a key learning element to this new focus.
"A component of each literacy lesson allows our students to work with an engaging student-friendly, student-centered computer program called Lexia Core 5," said Associate Superintendent of Continuous Improvement David Johns.
"Through a very sophisticated artificial intelligence component, it takes students where they are individually and gives them the next best challenge based on their skill level."
Act 20 also banned what's known as 'three-cueing,' a system that relies on visual cues to teach reading.
The new method focuses more on phonics and oral language development, which Chappell Elementary Principal Kris Worden says doesn't just help the students, it also benefits the teachers.
"It saves some time on the teacher part too because all those different skills that are missing, there's no way a teacher can get to them individually through a year," said Worden.
"So now this is allowing some of that skill gap to be closed in a somewhat efficient manner."
However, Worden adds that it's important for teachers to help translate the lessons learned on a computer to other aspects of their education.
"Kids can go through a computer program, but are they actually taking that knowledge now and utilizing it? Just because they're closing gaps on Lexia, are they closing gaps when they're performing in all other areas," said Worden.
Worden says the school's goal is for all students to progress at a minimum of one year of growth using Lexia, with about 70% of students already reaching that benchmark this year.
