Integrating Reading Foundations: A Tool for College Instructors of Pre-service Teachers

Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Southeast has developed a tool for college instructors of pre-service teachers to supplement the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) practice guide Foundational Skills to Support Reading for Understanding in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade. This resource complements and extends the practice guide by providing lessons to assist college instructors in building pre-service teachers' knowledge of evidence-based strategies for helping students in kindergarten through grade 3 acquire the language and literacy skills to succeed academically.

Each lesson includes the following:

• A recommendation reminder that provides a snapshot of the WWC practice guide recommendation and how-to steps for pre-service teachers.
• Guidance to support college instructors as they teach pre-service teachers about a specific skill, why it is important in learning to read, and how to support that skill in the classroom.
• Videos that explain foundational reading skills and demonstrate the use of activities intended to improve foundational reading skills among students in grades K-3. Pre-service teachers are asked to complete a video reflection worksheet for each video.
• Activities for pre-service teachers to complete with peers in the college setting that reinforce foundational skills taught to students in grades K-3.
• Observation forms to be used in the practicum setting that include guiding questions related to each recommendation to help pre-service teachers compare newly learned strategies to observed practices.