Breakthrough to Literacy Newsletter
Our Newsletter extends our partnership with schools by providing timely and useful information from the Breakthrough team and Breakthrough classrooms around the country. Features include profiles of our school partners, lesson ideas, answers to questions, tips from fellow teachers and administrators, and more.
Following are synopses of Newsletters from the past few years. Newsletters that are available for viewing on line as PDFs are identified with underlined links. Other links will be added as they become available.
To view PDFs of recent newsletters, click the links below:
Volume 13, Number 2, April 2007 [PDF document]
This April issue contains summer calendars with reading, writing, and conversational activities, in both English and Spanish, to promote family participation and reinforce literacy skills throughout the summer months. Year-End procedures and the Principals' Corner provide information for readying the computers and classrooms for the new school year. For teachers who prefer the calendar format used in the past, we've provided this summer's calendars as well.
Volume 13, Number 1, January 2007 [PDF document]
The newsletter spotlight focuses on Marguerite L. Mulvey and Cordello Avenue Elementary Schools on Long Island in Central Islip, New York. In just their second year of using Breakthrough to Literacy, these Reading First schools have successfully implemented BTL as a supplement to their core reading series. Dedicated teachers, supportive building and district administrators, sound instruction, and strong, ongoing professional development are components to this exceptional partnership. New ideas and informative pieces continue in our regular features "You Asked for It," "Teachers' Corner," "Principals' Corner," and "Student Submissions."
Volume 12, Number 3, October 2006 [PDF document]
The brand-new Breakthrough to Literacy 6.2 version for prekindergarten through grade 2 is showcased. Network capabilities with a LAN version, enhanced report navigation and graphic display, new Professional Development Series video CD-ROMs and guides, and enhanced Featured Book Teacher Guides incorporates best practices to support teachers. Also, read about Spanish Connections, a new supplement to Breakthrough. The feature article, "Small-Group Instruction: The Breakthrough Approach", provides an overview of Breakthrough's small-group instructional components by grade level.
Volume 12, Number 2, April 2006 [PDF document]
Our spring issue contains suggestions for year-end celebrations of students' progress, a summer calendar in English and in Spanish to help motivate students during the summer vacation, and year-end procedures for readying the classrooms computers for new data bases at the start of the new school year.
Volume 12, Number 1, January 2006 [PDF document]
This issue focuses on the tools and processes that Breakthrough gives teachers to provide differentiated instruction at the individual and the group level. It also includes a spotlight article on Wingate Elementary in Wingate, North Carolina.
Volume 11, Number 3, October 2005 [PDF document]
Comprehension is the featured item in this issue. In addition, the Bertha Ronzone Elementary in Las Vegas, Nevada is highlighted. An invitation is issued to student readers to write to us about their favorite book for possible publication in the Newsletter. The regular features of "You Asked for It" and the "Teacher's Corner" continue.
Volume 11, Number 2, April 2005 [PDF document]
The grade-three version of Breakthrough to Literacy is announced in this issue. Also included are the usual suggestions for celebrating the year's accomplishments, letters to parents in English and Spanish, and the summer calendar, again in English and Spanish, for recording the children's activities in reading, writing and speaking.
Volume 11, Number 1, January 2005 [PDF document]
Strategies for teaching English language learners (ELLs) is the focus of this issue, spotlighting Fulton County schools in Georgia. In addition we feature La Union, a school in Rio Grande City, Texas. All of these schools have outstanding programs for English language learners. We also remind our users of our very effective customer support team.
Volume 10, Number 3, October 2004 [PDF document]
This issue continues to feature strategies for teaching vocabulary, plus an article on the Brandywine School District in Claymore, Delaware. The Principals' Corner is introduced, a feature that continues with each subsequent issue.
Volume 10, Number 2, April 2004 [PDF document]
Strategies for teaching vocabulary are featured in this issue. Also included are suggestions for celebrating the year's accomplishments, a suggested letter to parents in both English and Spanish, and the summer calendar, again in English and Spanish--to record the child's activities in speaking, writing and reading.
Volume 10, Number 1, January 2004 [PDF document]
The third Newsletter Spotlight focuses on the Massillon, Ohio, School District. The release of Breakthrough to Literacy prekindergarten 6.0 and Kindergarten Version 6.0 is announced.
Volume 9, Number 3, October 2003 [PDF document]
The issue includes a section on the developmental stages in learning to write with graphic examples from the writings of 3-5 year-olds, 5-7 year-olds, and 7-9 year olds. There is also a unit on supporting English language learners.
Volume 9, Number 2, April 2003 [PDF document]
This issue is devoted to end-of-year activities. The letters to the parents and the summer calendar are presented both in English and Spanish. It also contains a section on closing out computer records for the year.
Volume 8, Number 1, January 2002 [PDF document]
The recommendations of the National Reading Panel are compared to the practices included in the Breakthrough program. A new feature is introduced: the selection of a school to spotlight for its exemplary program for teaching reading. The Jane Addams Elementary School in Lawndale, California was chosen.
Volume 7, Number 1, January 2001 [PDF document]
"You Asked for It" is introduced as a Newsletter feature with a discussion of questions frequently asked by the classroom teachers. Also introduced is the Graphic Organizer with two examples: A Monster Sandwich and Time for Bed, Little Bear.
Volume 6, Number 3, October 2000 [PDF document]
This issue contains a discussion of ways in which the Breakthrough team effectively partners with Breakthrough teachers and staff.
Volume 6, Number 2, April 2000 [PDF document]
This issue is devoted to examples of activities and materials for closing out the school year. It includes materials the children can take home to help parents carry on the language activities of the school year.
Volume 6, Number 1, January 2000 [PDF document]
Seven teachers discuss how they introduce their children to language, and what place the Breakthrough program has in that introduction.
*Adobe Acrobat Reader must be installed in order to view these PDF newsletters. Click here to download a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader if you do not already have it installed. Adobe Acrobat Reader is also bundled with many Adobe product purchases.
