Waterford

Create young readers, mathematicians, and scientists.

CON

TEN

TSLaunch a lifetime of learning with individualized courseware for Pre K–2.

2 BenefitstoStudents,Teachers,Administrators,andFamilies

4 ClosingtheAchievementGap

5 HowCustomizationAidsTeachers

6 WhyItWorks

8 SupplementalInstruction

10 WaterfordEarlyReading

12 WaterfordEarlyMathandScience

“It’shugetosee4-year-oldsstartingtoprocessscienceconcepts.Iseethosemoments

happenmuchmoreoftenthesedays.”

Essential concepts in language arts, mathematics, and science

1

Truly digital, seriously engaging

Accountable and easy to manage

“Mykidsspeakthislanguage.They‘get’theideaofinteractingwithtechnology.Thelearningcomesverynaturally.”

“Ofcourse,Icanfeelitwhenastudentmakesprogress.ButWaterfordletsmeproveit.”

BEN

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Waterford accounts for exceptionalprogress in early learners.

Strong foundations—literacy, a grasp of basic

concepts, engagement in learning—are precursors

to academic success. Waterford Early Learning

Program delivers them all via explicit digital

instruction that individualizes learning from the

first Pre K lesson through Grade 2. Your youngest

learners benefit from a research-based curriculum

in language arts, mathematics, and science.

Aligned to current state and national standards,

Waterford complements your core program with

accountability functions that allow you to measure

the results.

Students discover the fun of learning.

A placement tool can assess each student to

determine the right starting point. Then the results

really begin. Waterford’s multimedia interface

engages their imaginations. Concepts are related to

the real world so they’re fun to explore and easier

to master.

Teachers get a new way to make a difference.

For educators, Waterford is like having an assistant

for every child, only no new staffing is required. The

program treats each learner as an individual. Those

who need intervention receive it automatically.

Teachers are freed to provide one-on-one attention

as needed, and to have an even bigger impact on

more students.

Accountable staff is armed with information.

Waterford provides real-time data on student

activity. Though students use the courseware

with no need for teacher involvement, it’s always

possible to get a snapshot of how an individual

learner is doing or to evaluate progress of the

class as a whole.

Families participate in learning.

Age-and learning-appropriate take-home materials

involve families in the overall Waterford experience.

The learning that begins in the classroom can

continue after the school day ends.

2

The face of scientific research.

The Waterford Institute invested more than 15 years in the not-for-profit

initiative to create the research-based Waterford curriculum. Together,

the Waterford Institute and Pearson continue the research, development,

and testing to provide the most innovative and effective instructional

technology for early learners.

CLO

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You can close the achievement gapwith just 30 minutes a day. According to research, achievement is

proportionally related to the number of hours

of preparation that a child receives prior to

kindergarten. Yet today, one in every three children

entering kindergarten is under-prepared to learn.

They’re at an immediate disadvantage that only

broadens throughout the course of their education.

Thirty minutes can make a difference.

If treated at the kindergarten level, 30 minutes

a day of intervention can close the gap between

an at-risk student and his or her peers. If that

intervention is delayed until age eight or nine, at

least two hours a day would be required to yield

the same results.*

Waterford helps you find the time.

The basic Waterford plan calls for as little as 15

minutes per student each day. You can allocate

time for this important instruction with minimal

impact on your current classroom schedule.

Leverage your current technology.

To let you get maximum use from your existing

equipment, Waterford is compatible with both PC and

Mac® computers; it works equally well in systems with

a mixture of both platforms. Programs can be installed

directly onto an individual client machine or onto

multiple client machines through a server delivery.

* Begley, S. 1996. “Your Child’s Brain.” Newsweek. Feb. 19, 1996, 55-61.

5

Waterford does the heavy lifting to tailorinstruction to each student.

Waterford saves teachers from the nearly

impossible task of individualizing lessons for

every student in the classroom. Regardless of the

beginning level of preparedness, Waterford allows

every child to begin learning from the very first

lesson. Customized learning enables students

to progress at their own rate, receiving more

instruction in challenging areas and less where

they immediately excel.

Waterford is the truly digital choice.

The comprehensive Waterford curriculum is fully

electronic. All lessons happen at the computer

with no need to switch back and forth to texts.

To extend learning to the home environment,

teachers can also provide students with a rich

library of printed materials that enhance

the lessons.

The technology is dynamic data sequencing.

A built-in dynamic sequencer enables Waterford

to respond to students’ individual needs every

time they use it. When a learner demonstrates

understanding of a concept, the coursework

moves more quickly; when problem areas are

encountered, the student receives a greater depth

of instruction.

Intervention is automatic.

With its ability to identify trouble spots and

trends in a student’s learning path, Waterford

launches remediation strategies the moment

they’re indicated. If those attempts aren’t

successful, the teacher is alerted. There’s no delay

in providing all the help a learner needs in order

to master objectives.

WH

Y IT

WO

RKS

6

Learning happens faster when studentsare on-task, engaged, and in control.

Waterford instruction is based on the insights

gained from decades of research into the early

learning process. The resulting design helps you

teach children in the natural way they’re prepared

to learn.

Begin with explicit instruction.

Waterford gives students initial exposure

to fundamental reading, math, and science

skills, introducing the concepts from multiple

perspectives. Then they practice with the concept

and conclude with an activity that assesses each

student’s level of mastery.

Hang onto their attention with

interactive activities.

Today, many children arrive in your classrooms

as already experienced consumers of multimedia

content. Waterford uses that visual vocabulary to

connect with media-savvy learners and focus their

attention on the task at hand.

Encourage students to participate in learning.

With Waterford, students are full-time participants

in their learning, never just receptors. The program

empowers them intuitively with tools like tutorials,

roll-over text that models word pronunciation,

practice opportunities, and much more.

Waterford takes a hands-on approach to learning

within a digital environment. Activities like this electricity

experiment allow learners to apply their skills and test

hypotheses safely.

7

Stay in close alignment with standards.

Your students will be well-prepared to meet testing

requirements. Waterford curriculum is aligned to

the most current state and federal standards, as

well as those put forth by:

• National Reading Panel

• National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)

• Project 2061’s Benchmarks for Science Literacy

• National Science Education Standards (NSES)

Report on progress frequently and accurately.

Waterford provides you with on-demand

reports you can use to meet your accountability

requirements. The up-to-the-minute output allows

you to analyze and report on measurable results at

both class and student levels.

Empowering student tools, such as the vocabulary box

shown above, are available on demand and provide

self-guided assistance.

SUPP

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8

Teach supplemental skills that have valuefar beyond English, math, and science.

Waterford is a natural teaching ground for

related skills that improve program use and

create capabilities that students can use in many

other ways. Offered as standard elements of the

program, these supplemental courses bolster

literacy skills through extended writing practice and

keyboarding.

Mouse and More

For students who may be less familiar with computer

navigation, Waterford offers this instructional segment

on how to manipulate the cursor and use the navigation

bar. It is launched automatically, but can be unassigned for

students who have basic computer skills.

Keyboarding to Read and Write

This supplemental course teaches students how to

keyboard by touch. It also supports language arts

instruction by having students keyboard high-priority

words and some literature.

Writing

This supplemental course consists of a menu of writing

activities, illustration programs, and a word processor, all of

which allow more classroom time to be devoted to writing

when appropriate.

“Waterford…makessurethatnooneisleftbehind.Thisprogramhelpseverychildbethebestheorshecanbe!”

-MichelleHendersonWaterfordLabManager

DunbarElementarySt.Louis,MO

EARL

Y R

EAD

ING

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Waterford Early Reading goes beyondthe fundamentals of Reading First.

The National Reading Panel has identified five critical components for highly effective reading

instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency. Waterford

aligns with those five strands, integrating instructional activities, guided practice, and embedded

assessment. The Language Concepts strand goes further to include print awareness, language

conventions, grammar, and language structure.

Asstudentsmovethroughthisexrastrand,theydevelopskillsthroughbothdirectandindirectinstruction.Explicitinstructionrangesfromunderstandingprintdirectionalitytobasiclanguageandgrammarconventionssuchaspunctuationmarks,plurals,andmore.

Waterfordoffersexplicitinstructionincriticalphonologicalskills,suchasidentifyingsounds,blending,segmenting,phonemerecognition,andrhyming.

Phonics-basedactivitiesincludeinstruction,songs,books,andgames.Instructioncoversdecodingstrategiesusinglettersoundsandpatterns,consonantblends,longandshortvowelpatterns,voweldigraphs,andwordfamilies.

Waterfordweavesvocabularythroughoutthesoftwareanditsrichliteraturebaseofstories,nurseryrhymes,andmeaningfultext,aswellasprovidingextensivemodelingandempoweringtoolslikeroll-overtextglossestoensurethatlearnersbuildanextensivevocabulary.

Learnerslistentoandsingsongs,readnarrative,andbeginusingcomprehensionstrategiessuchasconceptandstorymaps,generatingandansweringquestions,summarizing,buildingbackgroundknowledge,predicting,andconnectingtothestory.

Ateverylevel,Waterfordusesmodeling,richlanguage,andprintexperiencestoengagestudents.Theyareexposedtodecodableandexpositorytextandcanrecordthemselvesreadingaloud,thenlistentotheirownrecordings.Teachersmayusetheserecordingstoassesseachstudent’sprogress.

Components ofReading First

Phonemic Awarenes

Phonics

Vocabulary

Comprehension

Fluency

Language Concepts

The Waterford Match

Beyond Reading First

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Letter recognition activities help

build knowledge of the relationship

between written letters and their

corresponding sounds.

Songs in the program increase

learners’ abilities to hear and

manipulate individual sounds, and

build knowledge about how to

combine letter sounds.

“Me” and other books featured in

the courseware invite learners to

build decoding skills and improve

reading fluency and text and

vocabulary comprehension.

EARL

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CIEN

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Turn natural curiosity intoserious math and science gains.

The research is clear: early learners master

mathematics and science concepts more easily

when they are taught in combination. Math gives

science structure. Science gives math application.

Waterford Early Math and Science offers your

students and teachers a balanced approach

that reinforces both conceptual and skill-based

understanding.

Inspire students with discovery-based

learning.

Waterford combines music, art, stories, and

interactive experiences to engage students while

they learn about their world. Self-paced, hands-

on lessons use multimedia to take on real life and

build on learners’ natural interests.

Enrichment activities include virtual experiments.

Beginning in Level Two, Waterford invites children to apply

their new skills by conducting virtual experiments. Students

question, gather data, make a hypothesis, experiment, and

draw a conclusion, all within the controlled safety of the

digital environment.

Collaboration happens with Team Science.

Students work together online to solve a problem using

virtual tools such as thermometers, microscopes, scales, and

hand lenses. After selecting a way to solve the problem,

students gather and record data and observe the results.

“EachWaterfordcomputerislikehavinganotherteacherintheclassroomworkingoneononewiththesestudents.”

-Dr.BarbaraWrightPrincipal

CommonsLaneElementaryFlorissant,MO

PC-WF-0807

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