Literacy Learning for Lifelong

Readers

BTS Family Literacy NightDecember 3, 2013

Hosted by Reading SpecialistsDonna TursoLucy Ragoza

Agenda

• Introduction

• What is Balanced Literacy?

• Balanced Literacy in Practice at BTS

• Supporting Balanced Literacy at Home

• Literacy Stations

What does it mean to be a literate person in the 21st century?

• Readily undertake the close, attentive reading that is at the heart of complex works of literature.

• Actively seek the wide, deep, and thoughtful engagement with high-quality literary and informational texts that builds knowledge, enlarges experience and broadens world view.

Source: CCSS June 2, 2010

Importance of Parent/Teacher Partnership

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How do we achieve 21st century literacy?

Balanced Literacy Instruction

What is Balanced Literacy Instruction?

Balanced because it’s not driven by any one particular educational philosophy or teaching style (phonics vs. whole language).

“Rather, we must recognize that the issue of balance is better described in terms of multiple dimensions of both content and context.”

Source: Pearson,D.L, & Raphael, T. (2003). Toward a More Complex View of Balance in the Literary Curriculum. Best Practices in Literacy Instruction, 2nd Edition, p. 34. New York, The Guilford Press.

What is Balanced Literacy Instruction?

Balanced because it incorporates all six areas of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts

1. Reading – Foundational Skills

2. Reading – Literature

3. Reading – Informational Text

4. Writing

5. Speaking and Listening

6. Language

Source: CCSS June 2, 2010

What is Balanced Literacy Instruction?

Balanced because it incorporates research based, essential elements of effective reading instruction

1. Phonemic Awareness

2. Phonics

3. Fluency

4. Vocabulary

5. Comprehension

Source: National Reading Panel Report 2000

What is Balanced Literacy Instruction?

Balanced because it moves students from dependence to independence through:

1. Explicit Instruction

2. Guided Practice

3. Independent Application

What is Balanced Literacy Instruction?

Balanced because it incorporates flexible grouping

1. Whole Class Instruction

2. Homogeneous Small Groups

3. Heterogeneous Small Groups

4. Partner Groups

5. Individual

Balance Literacy in Practice at BTS

Modeled Reading • CCSS: Speaking and Listening,

Language

Word Work – Fundations/Spelling Connections• CCSS: Foundational Skills

Shared Reading

Guided Reading

Independent Reading• CCSS: Reading Literature, Reading

Informational Text, Speaking and Listening, Language

Writing Workshop• CCSS: Language, Writing

Modeled Reading

Read Alouds• High-Quality Literature/Informational Text• Above Grade Level

Challenging, Complex Language• Models Fluency, Vocabulary and Deep

Thinking• Builds Background Knowledge• Whole Class• Teacher Has Copy

Modeled Reading

Read Aloud – A Bear for All Seasons

By Diane Marcial Fuchs

“Reading aloud to children has been called the single most important activity for building the knowledge required for success in reading.”

Source: Armruster, B., Lehr, F., & Osborn, J. (2006). A Child Becomes a Reader, Proven Ideas from Research for Parents, Kindergarten Through Grade 3, 3rd Editoin. p. 4. RMC Research Corporation,New Hampshire.

Modeled Reading

Read Aloud – A Bear for All Seasons

Challenging, Complex Language:

• Bear’s eyelids felt as heavy as iron skillets.

• Buds smile into delicate leaves.

• Leaves crunch underfoot. An earthy smell fills the air.

• The earth goes to bed under a pure white blanket of snow.

• The trees outside groaned. The winter winds moaned.

Word Work

Fundations Grades K to 2• Phonemic Awareness and Phonics• Fluency – “trick words”• Direct, Explicit Instruction • Students Segment, Spell and Blend Sounds

Spelling Connections Grades 3 and 4• Direct, Explicit Instruction• Word lists follow particular pattern • Independent practice• Spelling words integrated with variety of

language, reading, and writing activities • Assessment of spelling abilities for re-teaching

opportunities as well as for enrichment• Cross-curricular activities

Supporting Word Work at Home

• Encourage your child to use strategies to decode unfamiliar words (demonstration)

• Use alphabet books, magnetic letters, rhyming books, predictable stories

• Other strategies…look for word patterns, chunks, prefixes, suffixes

• Self-monitoring-does the sentence make sense?

Shared Reading

• High-Quality, Mentor Texts• Grade Level• Selected to Teach Specific Skills • Big Books or Teacher and Students

Have Copy• Whole Class• Shared Experience

Supporting Shared Reading at Home

• Read with your child everyday• Encourage your child to read to you• Choose books of interest to your child• For younger children, choose books

with pictures that match the story, and larger print with only a few words on the page

• Set aside a special place for your child to keep collections of books

Guided Reading

• Leveled Literature/Informational Text • Levels Range from A to Z• Fluency and Comprehension• Teacher Guides Students Through

Instructional Level Text• Small, Homogeneous Grouping• Each Student Has Copy

Independent Reading

• Fluency, Vocabulary, Comprehension• Independent Level Texts • Student Choice• Independent Application of Strategies

Supporting Guided Reading and Independent Reading at Home

• Set aside a time for reading at home• Model these Before, During, and After

reading strategies :• Before- take a “picture walk” through

the book and make predictions and inferences about the story

• During- monitor comprehension• After- for fiction, discuss characters,

problem, solution, and resolution, retell important events. For non-fiction summarize main idea and supporting details.

Writing Workshop

Mentor TextTeacher reads mentor text with exemplary writing selected to illustrate specific skill.

Modeled WritingTeacher thinks and writes aloud while students observe.

Shared WritingTeacher writes aloud with students participating.

Guided WritingStudents write their own product with input from teacher and peer conferences.

Independent WritingStudents enjoy free choice writing in journals.

Supporting Writing at Home

• Keep in mind that reading and writing are connected and are not taught in isolation

• Often the first thing a child reads is his/her own writing

• Write grocery lists, notes, letters to friends and relatives, keep journals, diaries

• When drawing, label pictures• Have various writing materials readily

available

Literacy Stations

1. Modeled Reading

2. Word Study – Fundations and Spelling Connections

3. Shared Reading and Listening

4. Guided Reading and Independent Reading

5. Writing Workshop