Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't believe that the Virginia Literacy Act states that FCPS must use Lexia. Yes, the act is great in attempting to improve the literacy of students. FCPS choose to do this via computer learning and not teachers teaching.
That is not even close to true, and if you'd take your blinders off, you would recognize that.
In elementary school, teachers are required to use Lexia and Benchmark. They are teaching a huge amount during Benchmark lessons. They are teaching vocabulary, reading strategies, grammar, and writing. It might be quite scripted, but it is still rich instruction.
In middle school, teachers are required to use Lexia, No Red Ink, and HMH. Teachers are teaching both grammar and writing to prepare students to
practice in No Red Ink, and they're teaching vocabulary, reading comprehension strategies, and writing through the HMH units.
My children have had an outstanding ELA education, especially in middle school. My youngest is currently in seventh grade, and it seems that almost all her ELA work is on paper (other than Lexia and No Red Ink). In her English binder, I see evidence of guided notes, interactive notebook-type notes, annotations on articles and stories, and feedback from her ELA teacher. I very seriously doubt there would be such evidence if there was no instruction occurring.
In high school, our experience has been that ELA is primarily lecture-style instruction, but there is definitely a lot of instruction occurring. While notes are usually taken on the computer, that doesn't mean the computer is teaching instead of humans teaching.
There are plenty of things that need to improve in education, but FCPS ELA is generally not one of them. It's very strong, and that includes use of Lexia.