Longfellow coaches explain the 'science of reading,' phonics adoption and 3rd-grade test stakes

Eric Johnson, host of the Lake Ridge New Tech Schools public affairs program, asked Longfellow New Tech Elementary instructional coach Holly Plowman and literacy coach Diane Anderson how schools teach reading at the elementary level. The coaches said effective early literacy instruction depends on five foundational components — phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension — and that teaching those elements consistently is what makes reading instruction look like a science.

Holly Plowman, instructional coach at Longfellow New Tech Elementary School, described phonics as central to decoding. "Phonics is the key," she said, and noted the school adopted the Fundations phonics program this year to teach the seven syllable types that help students "crack the code." Diane Anderson, the school's literacy coach, said building oral language and background knowledge at home and in school supports later reading comprehension.

The coaches framed classroom practice as a mix of early screening, targeted interventions and consistent practice. Anderson described the district's use of formative checks and diagnostic tools in early grades — including DIBELS, iLearn checkpoints and NWEA assessments — to track progress and identify students who need tutoring or targeted support. "The iRead test assesses foundational reading skills ... it is crucial that students in the third grade demonstrate proficiency in their reading, so they have to pass the test," Anderson said, adding that students get two chances (spring and summer) to meet the standard before retention is considered.

Plowman and Anderson credited several school-level strategies for recent gains at Longfellow. "We had those targeted interventions. We had tutoring that we offered. Just consistent practice, consistent support," Plowman said when asked about a nine-point jump in reading scores the host referenced. They said collaboration among teachers, literacy coaches and aides helped align instruction and select appropriate materials.

The coaches also described classroom techniques to build comprehension: read-alouds with open-ended questioning, visualization exercises, and use of picture books and chapter books to help students form mental images and infer meaning from text. Anderson recommended that parents read to children from infancy and provide a print-rich environment: "Early exposure to those books ... does foster language development, a love for reading," she said.

Both coaches acknowledged the emotional and practical pressures tied to early testing. They said the screening and checkpoint system is meant to show growth as well as proficiency: "If they show a modicum of improvement by the next time, that's growth," the host noted; coaches agreed that measuring growth across checkpoints is part of the process and that supports should follow when students lag.

On logistics, the guests outlined the testing calendar parents should expect: NWEA winter administration (beginning, middle, end model), iLearn checkpoint windows (checkpoint 2 due by February), and the iRead spring window (with a summer retest available). They encouraged families to engage over the winter break and through January–April to prepare students for the spring assessment.

The session closed with contact information for the program and an invitation for the coaches to return in the spring with updated results. "You can email me at ejohnson@chsnewtech.com," Johnson said, and thanked Holly Plowman and Diane Anderson for appearing on Speaking of Lake Ridge New Tech Schools.