Literacy Leap, Literacy Bridge & Language Lab
Literacy Instruction Overview
Sunshine Virtual Academy’s ELA program is thoughtfully designed around Scarborough’s Reading Rope, ensuring a comprehensive, research-based approach to literacy development. The Language Lab program for Grades K–5 focuses on the top strand of the rope, emphasizing language comprehension through the development of background knowledge, vocabulary, language structures, verbal reasoning, and literacy knowledge. For younger students in Grades K–2, the Literacy Leap program strengthens the bottom strand by building essential word recognition skills, including phonological awareness, decoding, and sight recognition. As students progress into Grades 3–5, the Literacy Bridge program continues to reinforce word recognition while expanding support for fluency and comprehension. Together, these programs create a strong foundation for reading proficiency by systematically integrating both strands of Scarborough’s Reading Rope.
At Sunshine Virtual Academy, writing instruction is seamlessly woven into each literacy program. In Language Lab, students explore a variety of literary genres while learning about different writing styles, helping them develop versatile and effective writing skills.
In Literacy Leap/Literacy Bridge, students focus on foundational writing abilities by learning to construct words and sentences, building confidence and fluency as emerging writers. Through these programs, students strengthen the essential connection between reading and writing, supporting their overall literacy growth and academic success.
Targeted Instruction – No guesswork
The literacy curriculum at SVA is grounded in the Science of Reading, ensuring that students receive instruction based on the latest research in how the brain learns to read. This evidence-based approach prioritizes the explicit and systematic teaching of essential foundational skills, such as phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. By focusing on these core areas, the curriculum provides a structured pathway that removes the guesswork from literacy instruction, making it easier for both students and educators to understand the steps involved in developing strong reading skills. The use of proven strategies and a consistent approach helps students build a solid foundation in reading, ensuring no critical skills are overlooked.
At SVA, the goal is to help every child grow into a skilled reader with minimal learning gaps. By following the Science of Reading methodology, the curriculum ensures that all students receive targeted instruction that addresses their individual needs, preventing struggles from escalating into long-term challenges. This focus on systematic instruction helps students master the key elements of reading, fostering confidence and competence along the way. With this evidence-based framework, SVA is committed to helping students become proficient readers who are equipped with the skills they need for academic success and beyond.
Individualized Learning Pathways
The literacy program at Sunshine Virtual Academy is designed to be customizable to your child's exact learning needs. Skills and strategies taught in Language Lab can be applied flexibly at whichever level your child may be, while Literacy Leap/Literacy Bridge follows individualized learning pathways tailored specifically to your child’s strengths and growth areas.
Together, we will create an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) that outlines your child’s literacy program, specific literacy goals, a progress monitoring timeline, and how often results will be communicated. You will remain fully in control of your child's learning plan and will continually be informed about how your child is responding to the program, ensuring a truly collaborative and transparent learning experience.
