Engage Literacy

Engage Literacy Program Overview

Engage Literacy is a flexible program from Capstone that can meet a wide range of your literacy needs. The complete reading program can serve as an alternative resource for your balanced literacy block by providing teachers resources for developing individualized instruction for each student. Engage Literacy is a comprehensive literacy program (K–5) that can be used with an individual, small-group, and/or whole-class focus. The core elements of a balanced literacy program have been covered, i.e. written language (reading and writing) and oral language (speaking and listening). The program covers reading levels 1 to 30 (GRL A-V) and includes both fiction and nonfiction texts. Texts are curriculum-linked, and the Levels 2 to 30 fiction texts link thematically to corresponding nonfiction titles. Engage Literacy brings enjoyment and humor to reading while providing teachers and children with carefully graded and leveled texts that are designed to increase reading fluency. Through engaging and high-interest fiction and nonfiction texts, rhymes, poems, songs, and chants, children will become active participants in their own learning and in the reading process while developing better reading comprehension.

Program Components

• 364 Precisely Leveled readers
• Thematically linked Fiction and Nonfiction pairs (C-P)
• Guided Reading Levels A-V, Early Intervention Levels 1-30, Reading Recovery Levels 1-20+
• Comprehensive teacher support
• Text-dependent and inferential questions for every page in every book of the program
• Recurring characters include Min the Monkey, Lea, Baby Dinosaur, Little Sea Horse, Mr. Lee, and Kate and her dog Max

The Engage Literacy components provide both digital (K-3) and non-digital (K-5) teaching and learning materials that promote differentiated learning so all children can learn effectively, regardless of differences in ability levels. All components of the program are built on a comprehension strategy and scope document that covers literacy skills and knowledge essential to children from K–5, i.e. oral language, phonological awareness, text conventions, graphophonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and writing. This scope and sequence document underpins all the components of Engage Literacy. Teachers can be assured that, by implementing Engage Literacy in their classrooms, their children’s individual learning needs will be met effectively.

What makes Engage Literacy Special?

All grade-level texts, both fiction and nonfiction, have been developed using carefully graded vocabulary lists, e.g. the word ‘go’ is introduced at Level 1 and ‘going’ is introduced at Level 4. Therefore, children build up a bank of high-frequency words, providing them with a smoother transition as they are introduced to higher-level texts. The texts enable children to build on their prior knowledge and make new connections based on these previous understandings. Engage Literacy also includes a progressive academic vocabulary list of words, such as ‘draw’, ‘make’, and ‘write’, which are essential for early readers to successfully understand and complete academic tasks independently. Engage Literacy ensures that children are exposed to texts that match their developmental reading level, enabling greater potential for reading success and enhancing fluency. As they move through the levels in Engage Literacy, children will encounter words they have met in texts and characters from the previous levels. The earlier leveled texts have a ratio of introduced words to known words of 1:20.