The Word Queen is a reading program which meets the needs of all students in the primary school age range (K-2). The Word Queen program can include all teachers (K-2) as well as support staff, administrators, principals, and anyone else who might come in contact with the Word Queen.
I have witnessed this program being especially advantageous for at-risk students due to the engaging nature of the hands-on, kinesthetic activities and the way it challenges the students in a fun and age-appropriate manner. Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) mandates that primary aged children be approached in a way that engages them on their level.
Word Queen does exactly that.
Ideally (although by no means a requirement) the Word Queen process should begin in kindergarten. However, if a school is just beginning with Word Queen activities, they will probably want to include first grade and possibly second grade.
Once the Word Queen has interacted with the kindergartners, her relationship with them will gradually transform and change so that by the end of the school year, she becomes their friend, thus creating a whole new rapport with them when they enter first grade.
In first and second grades, the Word Queen’s relationship changes further (if a teacher so chooses) as she can bring enrichment to each aspect of the curriculum.