Literacy Skills Progression in a PYP Transdisciplinary Context

@djojic

It’s great to see how you and Melody are refining your approach to literacy progression within a PYP transdisciplinary context. The shift towards a more generalized framework that supports grade-level planning is a smart move—it keeps the work manageable, relevant, and actionable rather than becoming an overwhelming documentation exercise. Your realization that you already have many pieces in place is a nice insight!

Below are some strategies, resources, and next steps that might help you move forward efficiently, even with time constraints.

1️⃣ Streamlining Your Framework: Moving from “Pieces” to a Clear Structure

Since you’ve already identified existing materials, the next step is structuring them into a cohesive progression. Here’s a possible framework to consider:

✅ Whole-School Literacy Vision (Generalized Framework)
• Defines key skills and competencies across JK-6.
• Aligns with the PYP transdisciplinary approach and Ontario Curriculum.
• Acts as a “big picture” guide for literacy development.

✅ Grade-Specific Literacy Maps
• Teachers collaboratively build out details relevant to their grade level.
• Identifies core literacy strategies, assessments, and key progress indicators.
• Helps ensure consistent and coherent literacy instruction across grades.

Reflection Question:
Would it be helpful to create a simple visual structure (e.g., a Google Doc or slide deck) where teachers can see the overall progression at a glance and then dig deeper into grade-specific expectations?

📌 Resource:
The PYP’s approach to transdisciplinary literacy (https://www.ibo.org/programmes/primary-years-programme/)

2️⃣ Finding Existing Literacy Frameworks: Learning from Other Schools

Since you mentioned wanting to see examples of literacy frameworks from other schools, here are some potential places to look:

🔍 International PYP Schools:
• International School of Geneva has a strong PYP literacy progression framework.
• Their focus on concept-based literacy instruction aligns well with what you’re aiming to do.
• Website: https://www.ecolint.ch/

🔍 Science of Reading Literacy Progressions:
• Schools implementing structured literacy (aligned with the Right to Read report) have well-mapped progressions.
• Example from The Reading League Canada: https://www.thereadingleague.org/
• Free phonemic awareness and structured literacy progressions: https://www.readingrockets.org/

🔍 CAIS Schools Literacy Scope & Sequence:
• Many CAIS schools are working on refining their structured literacy practices.
• Reaching out to literacy leads in CAIS schools could give insight into best practices.

📌 Action Step:
Would it be useful to connect with other PYP and CAIS schools to benchmark their literacy progression models and adapt what fits best for your context?

3️⃣ Leveraging AI to Build and Refine Your Framework

You mentioned being curious about how AI might help with literacy progression. Here’s how you could use AI tools to accelerate your work:

🤖 Using AI for Literacy Mapping
• AI can synthesize curriculum documents and identify gaps in your progression.
• You can feed AI the Ontario Language Curriculum, PYP guidelines, and Science of Reading research, and ask it to generate a scope and sequence draft.
• AI can help reorganize and refine based on specific skill areas (e.g., phonemic awareness, comprehension, fluency).

💡 Example AI Prompt:
“Analyze the Ontario Curriculum, PYP Language Scope & Sequence, and the Science of Reading framework to generate a literacy progression for Grades JK-6. Break it into major skill areas (phonemic awareness, decoding, fluency, comprehension, writing). Highlight grade-specific benchmarks and how they connect across levels.”

📌 Resource:
AI in Education – Practical ways to use AI for curriculum development (https://aiedu.org/)

📌 Next Step:
Would it help to try an AI-generated draft and edit collaboratively with your team rather than starting from scratch?

4️⃣ Capturing Writing Instruction in Your Literacy Framework

Your question about how writing fits into literacy instruction is an important one. Writing is often taught alongside reading but needs explicit structuring within a literacy progression.

📝 Ways to Integrate Writing in Your Literacy Framework:
• Parallel Skill Development: Ensure writing is mapped alongside reading at each grade level.
• Writing Genres & Text Types: Document the types of writing expected at each stage (e.g., narrative, expository, opinion writing).
• Writing Continuum: Track writing skills progression (sentence-level, paragraph development, organization, style).

📌 Resource:
The Institute for Excellence in Writing provides structured writing progressions – https://iew.com/

📌 Reflection Question:
Would it help to dedicate a section in your literacy progression framework specifically to writing, showing how it evolves alongside reading?

Diane, it’s inspiring to see how you and Melody are navigating this work with a strategic, thoughtful approach. Your commitment to ensuring this remains a useful tool rather than a “make work” project will be key to its success.

The challenge now is moving from vision to first prototype. Would it help to create a low-fidelity version first (perhaps just mapping out major skill areas at each grade) and iterating with teacher feedback before adding more detail?

Looking forward to seeing you at the 3rd face-to-face session at Montcrest School, where we can refine and iterate further!

Best,
Justin