The Heron Basics Reading Program™ that covers reading for grades 4 through 9 is a literature-based program. Its goal (and routine result) is a student who truly enjoys reading and who reads widely and well. In an hour of daily, supervised reading, students have the opportunity to build their vocabulary and overall literacy. Children choose from a wide selection of fiction and non-fiction books selected for high-quality writing, significant subject matter and positive values. Over a thousand such books have been sorted into a series of twelve reading levels according to vocabulary, general reading level and complexity of ideas. Reading many books from each level a student progresses gradually from reading elementary books to reading at an adult level. Along the way, each student is exposed to a wide spectrum of world geography and cultures, historical events and human experiences. A student completing this program has a strong foundation for reading widely in the world of literature.
Students have many books which can be selected according to interest, but the backbone of the program is a series of required books. Thought provoking writing assignments that accompany these help to ensure a full understanding of what the author was trying to convey.
This independent reading program is flanked by literature seminars that allow students to discuss what they have read and to share their ideas with their teacher and class-mates. This further broadens the student’s ability to interpret writing and to express ideas about what was read.
