Digital Children's Reading Initiative (DCRI)

  • The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Office of Early Learning has developed and released “Literacy at Home” to support our youngest readers. This digital resource provides literacy activities at each grade level, pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Families and communities can access this resource for activities that specifically target the literacy skills of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and oral language. When children grow in each of these foundational areas, they are well on their way to becoming proficient readers.

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About Literacy at Home

  • WHAT
    is the DCRI?

    The NCDPI Office of Early Learning created Literacy at Home: Digital Children's Reading Initiative (DCRI). This digital bank of literacy activities is intended for families and the community in accordance with state law (SB 387 Part VIII). It is organized by grade level, pre­ kindergarten through fifth grade, and skill. The resources are aligned with the science of reading and the NC Standard Course of Study for each grade level.

    WHO
    should use the DCRI?

    The DCRI allows families and communities to easily access free tools and resources for their Prek-5th grade students. All resources can be incorporated into everyday life, and none require sign-in or passwords. (Many teachers have also enjoyed reviewing the suggested activities as they continue their journey with the science of reading.)

    WHERE
    is the DCRI?

    The DCRI can be found on the DPI website. Go to: www.nc.dpi.gov

    Select: Students & Families Select: Parent's Corner Select: Literacy at Home

    HOW
    is the DCRI organized?

    The DCRI is organized first by grade level, PreK-Sth grade. Then it is organized by literacy skills; phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and oral language. Each skill page is then organized by a definition of the skill, a video of what the skill looks like, practice activities that require no materials, printable practice activities, and online activities. There is also an Online Libraries section and a section on SB 387 Part VIII.

    WHEN
    to share the DCRI?

    Each district is required to post the DCRI resources directly on a prominently displayed area of the district's home webpage no later than July 1, 2022. In addition, districts may compile and add additional high-quality resources to the DCRI. Hard copies of the printable activities must be provided to students who do not have digital access at home and may be provided to all students as a supplement to digital resources.

    WHY
    was the DCRI created?

    DCRI was developed according to the guidelines set forth by state law (SB 387 Part VIII) to increase the percentage of NC school children who are reading proficiently by the end of third grade. It is designed to assist families in cultivating

    confident, proficient, lifelong readers by providing free tools and resources that can be easily incorporated into everyday life.