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Additionally, ELC Support Coach Megan
Smith says: “The verbiage and repetition
used throughout the entire sequence of
the lessons is really big for the instructors.
And without having that language right in
front of them in the Lesson Plan Kit, that
might be lost. Also, the exibility of the
program allows the instructors to have
ownership of the lessons, but at the same
time they are still hitting on those key
components that are important for their
students to succeed.”
Beth Severson also reported that students
are acquiring a variety of literacy skills
with increased condence, explaining:
“From print knowledge and phonological
awareness to language production, the
variety of tasks with repetition is enhancing
students’ literacy achievement.”
ELC Instructional Support Coach Danielle
Destefano explained: “I think having the
support of the coaches makes a big
difference. Sometimes just to have a
different face in the classroom helps, or
to be able to help the teachers and say,
‘What can we do for you? We’ll come in,
we’ll model for you in whatever way you
need us.’” Manatee County is currently
the only county in the state of Florida that
uses coaches not only to train instructors,
but to offer continued support through
observation and guidance in implementing
the program instruction to ensure that it is
being executed with delity.
The ELC of Manatee County also offers
additional support to NRBS! instructors
through a Facebook Group page where
instructors can share ideas and strategies,
and through “Community of Practice”
meetings where the ELC coaches and
NRBS! classroom instructors come
together to share ideas about what’s
working.
The Instructional Support Coaches at
the ELC also believe that working with
the students in small groups offers the
teachers much-needed time for individual
attention with the students. They have
observed that this this individual or
small group time helps teachers to
identify possible learning concerns, visual
impairments, and behavioral issues with
students. Janet Hamstra of Sunshine
Academy explains: “Communication is so
important. Behavior skills are important,
social skills are important – but if the
language isn’t there, that’s usually when
the behavioral issues come.”
Yvonne Albritton, a VPK instructor
at Sunshine Academy and Daycare,
summarizes the benets of NRBS!: “The
program works because it teaches with
consistency in activities, has multisensory
activities to reinforce lessons with
children, and appeals to different learning
styles through visual, auditory, tactile,
and kinesthetic applications. These
approaches benet my students because
they all learn differently. It allows them to
experience the lesson rather than just sit
through it, and their retention is higher.”
NRBS! INSTRUCTOR QUOTES
Sunshine Academy & Daycare:
This sets the students up for success in kindergarten. Learning their letters and their syllables and their sounds right
now is setting them up for success in the future.
s a teacher its helped my selfesteem. eeing the students grow and learn its boosted me up. The rst year
struggled a little bit but this is my fourth year with the program and dont see myself teaching without it.
atching the students grow and learn has denitely been a success for me.
love having a coach and someone to help me who says f you need anything m here. nd having other teachers
here who are in the program who can ask about their kids. The support system is really helpful.
Our ELC contacts are an excellent source of encouragement, cheering us and the children on to success. We can
discuss any concerns, successes, and needs with them and have support.
School District of Manatee County:
Students are recognizing personal and friends’ names and identifying more letters in the alphabet.
have seen an increase in focus and attentiveness which is increasing students’ acuisition of foundational literacy
skills. Several students are recognizing and naming letters much more uickly
t provides ageappropriate lessons while using various learning modalities that keep students engaged and learning.
am currently using more kinesthetic methods when introducing new material to LL of my students.