Program Information

Developer and contact

Doors to Discovery™ was developed and is distributed by Wright Group/McGraw-Hill. Address: 220 East Danieldale Road, DeSoto, TX 75115. Web: www.wrightgroup.com. Telephone: (800) 648-2970. Fax: (800) 593-4418.

Scope of use

According to the developer, the curriculum is used in various early childhood settings, including Head Start, private child care, public schools, and Early Reading First Centers of Excellence. Information is not available on the number or demographics of children or centers using this program.

Teaching

Doors to Discovery™, an early childhood curriculum, uses thematic units of literacy activities to encourage children’s development in a number of areas identified by research as the foundation for early literacy success: oral language, phonological awareness, concepts of print, alphabet knowledge, writing, and comprehension. Doors to Discovery™ includes eight thematic units: Backyard Detectives; Build it Big!; Discovery Street; Healthy Me!; New Places, New Faces; Our Water Wonderland; Tabby Tiger’s Diner; and Vroom! Vroom!. Each unit is available as a kit that includes various teacher resources. Children are taught using specific teacher techniques (such as cloze techniques, student retelling, think aloud activities, and scaffolding to build oral language skills) within literacy-enriched learning centers. Family literacy activities are available to encourage partnerships between the school and the home. The focus of the curriculum is the development of children’s vocabulary and expressive and receptive language through a learning process called “shared literacy” (where adults and children work together to develop literacy related skills). Teachers are trained during professional development activities and with other resources like the Discovery Guide (a built-in professional development resource).

Cost

The complete Doors to Discovery™ set is available to education professionals for $2,348.40. Alternatively, each theme kit can be purchased separately for $327.45. Teacher resources, such as alphabet posters and an assessment handbook, are also available for purchase. Additional pricing information for other materials (e.g., teacher resources and children’s books) is available on the website. The prices listed on the website are for education professionals only. Information about the cost of professional development is not available.