Teachers use latest techniques to promote literacy

Tracy Olsen and Bridget Rigg-Anderson

Literacy Coordinators



Tracy Olsen and Bridget Rigg-Anderson became Literacy Coordinators last year after receiving five weeks of training at the Comprehensive Early Literacy Learning (CELL) and Extended Literacy Learning (ExLL) Foundation in Redlands, Calif.

Their training included visiting multiple schools in the Los Angeles area that use the CELL/ExLL framework. Olsen and Rigg-Anderson work with teachers at West End, coaching and training teachers in literacy strategies across the curriculum. They also serve as resources to help teachers plan units, implement the CELL/ExLL framework and provide support for their teaching. Currently Olsen, Rigg-Anderson, and their principal Kimi Smith, train more than 60 teachers across the district in best practices using CELL/ExLL.

The CELL/ExLL framework consists of seven components that allow literacy to be taught throughout all subject/content areas.

"The framework is a way of teaching, not a program," said Olsen. "We teach students the importance of thinking while reading. Our second grade students have learned how to predict, question, clarify and summarize while reading independently and within a reading group."

Rigg-Anderson has built on those same skills with her fourth grade students and has added another component of the CELL/ExLL framework, Reciprocal Teaching.

"My students enjoy taking turns being the teacher in a small group during Reciprocal Teaching. Students not only use their reading strategies during Reciprocal Teaching, but model them to their peers as well."

Olsen has taught for eight years in Churchill County School District in grades kindergarten through fourth grade. In her spare time, Olsen and her family enjoy 4H/FFA activities, high school rodeo, and participate in church activities.

Rigg-Anderson has taught fourth and fifth grade for nine years for Churchill County School District. Rigg-Anderson and her family are involved in various community activities including WNCC musicals and Fallon Daily Bread.



Becky Malone, Instructional Aide

West End Elementary School

Becky Malone has been at West End Elementary School for the past six months as an instructional aide coming from Lamont, Okla. She enjoys scrapbooking, reading, music, and spending time with her husband and kids. Malone has been active by being baseball, football, and soccer team mom and volunteering in classrooms and Sunday school.

She goes above and beyond by staying late to help students with class work or one-on-one study time. She states that it is well worth it when they are successful.

"The students always want to tell me how good they did on the assignment," she said

Becky works with a number of students and teachers and enjoys coming to work everyday!