Please Note: If this order needs to be processed with a tax exempt number, please email skill@usu.edu for further processing.
The most recent SKILL Manual is the REVISED 4th Edition. The 5th Edition is contracted to be published by the Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company later in 2025.
In the meantime, Brookes has agreed to let USU continue selling the REVISED 4th Edition. It contains virtually the same material as the 5th edition, apart from the upgraded formatting and presentation. Both editions of the manual are provided in physical form, with supplemental digital materials.
Thank you for your patience in this time of transition! Please feel free to reach out to SKILL@USU.edu with any questions.
Supporting Knowledge in Language and Literacy (SKILL) is an instructional program designed to improve critical language skills that are aligned with the core curricular standards.
Instructional lessons target knowledge necessary for meeting anchor standards related to Speaking and Listening, English Language Arts, and Reading Standards for Literature and Informational Texts K-5.
The program addresses the following anchor standards:
-identify main ideas and characters
-ask and answer factual and inferential questions about key details
-ask and answer questions about unknown words and words that highlight "feeling"
-retell and summarize stories with detail
-identify narrator, story elements (eg., character, setting, major events), character's goals and perspective
-compare and contrast stories
-understand and use questions words, prepositions, adjectives, adverbs, coordinated and subordinated conjunctions, determiners, and elaborated noun phrases
-identify real-life connections between words and their use
The program has been used to improve language skills for children who are developing typically, who are at-risk for language problems, children with language impairments and/or who are learning English as a Second Language (ELL). Results of early stage clinical trials indicate that the program yields significant results when implemented in whole classroom, small group and/or one-one individual instructional contexts.
The program is well-specified and may be implemented by special educators, speech language pathologists, classroom teachers and ELL specialists.