In early Spring of 2024, Krysta Hankee Memorial Fund representatives approached Northwestern Lehigh District officials to discuss ways to increase the number of students reading on grade level by third grade. A partnership was formed, and positive results soon followed.
In late Spring, four hundred Northwestern first and second graders were introduced
to a new, fun-filled system called Foam Phonics that supports the building of better
reading skills, purchased with funding from the Krysta Hankee Memorial Fund.
The system allows students to manipulate magnetic tiles to form words and sentences.
Foam Phonics magnetic tiles provide a hands-on, concrete way for students to visualize
the relationship between sounds and letters. Manipulatives are an engaging and
effective tool for teachers to reinforce phonics concepts and promote literacy
development. Word building using the Foam Phonics magnetic tiles, will help students
with phonological awareness, word recognition, and reading and spelling skills. Using
foam tiles during phonics instruction, students develop a strong foundation in
orthographic mapping, which will help them become successful readers and spellers.
Reading is one of the most critical processes in a child’s life. From first to fourth grade,
students learn to read, and from fifth grade and beyond, students read to learn. During
this critical time, parents, grandparents, and guardians play a crucial role in creating a
love of reading, as this enhances the child’s reading skills and fosters a lifelong passion
for learning.
This collaborative effort between the Northwestern Lehigh School District and the Krysta
Hankee Memorial Fund has already shown promising results, setting the stage for
exciting future opportunities. It demonstrates the power of partnerships in education
and the potential for positive change in student reading skills child’s reading skills
and fosters a lifelong passion for learning.