The overarching purposes of Bridging a Gap are to assist teachers as they construct a clearer understanding of the process of reading, and to help teachers develop strategies for helping students become fluent readers who want to read. The course is designed on a constructivist approach in which the teacher will be asked to build knowledge by reflecting on experience, by reading, by talking to other people, by engaging in activities, and by actually trying strategies with students. The course is for teachers of students who are becoming fluent readers. Teachers will need access to a class or a couple of students with whom to practice strategies. This course is appropriate for grades 1-6.
Strategies are appropriate for middle school by substituting selections of literature.