BALANCED LITERACY
• Guiding Principles • Goals • Elements •
What are the GUIDING PRINCIPLES of a BALANCED LITERACY PROGRAM?
A Balanced Literacy Program offers a multidimensional approach to reading instruction using texts that persuade, inform and entertain. A Balanced Literacy Program provides many different types of opportunities for practicing skills and strategies that create independent readers.
My classroom will provide a balanced literacy program where the Gradual Release Model is used to scaffold students through the process of mastering skills. The Gradual Release Model has an “I-We-You” format. The “I” begins with direct teacher instruction and modeling. Full responsibility is on the teacher to effectively explain the skill or strategy being taught and to set a clear purpose for instruction. The “We” step is a joint adventure between the students and myself. Communication and observation is part of this interactive phase of instruction. This is when I can tailor and differentiate instruction directed by a student’s strengths and weaknesses. Scaffolding is used during the “We” phase to provide support and assist students in completing a task they are not ready to do without coaching. Students may also collaborate with each other to share and process understanding. The final step in the gradual release model is the “You”. This is when students are ready to practice applying their knowledge by transferring their understanding onto other independent tasks.
What are the GOALS of BALANCED LITERACY PROGRAM?
The ultimate goal for my Balanced Literacy Program is to provide a supportive learning environment that meets the needs of every student. I will offer a variety of opportunities to practice skills and learn strategies that will develop fluent readers who find happiness and pride in reading independently.
A Balanced Literacy Program offers a multidimensional approach to reading instruction using texts that persuade, inform and entertain. A Balanced Literacy Program provides many different types of opportunities for practicing skills and strategies that create independent readers.
My classroom will provide a balanced literacy program where the Gradual Release Model is used to scaffold students through the process of mastering skills. The Gradual Release Model has an “I-We-You” format. The “I” begins with direct teacher instruction and modeling. Full responsibility is on the teacher to effectively explain the skill or strategy being taught and to set a clear purpose for instruction. The “We” step is a joint adventure between the students and myself. Communication and observation is part of this interactive phase of instruction. This is when I can tailor and differentiate instruction directed by a student’s strengths and weaknesses. Scaffolding is used during the “We” phase to provide support and assist students in completing a task they are not ready to do without coaching. Students may also collaborate with each other to share and process understanding. The final step in the gradual release model is the “You”. This is when students are ready to practice applying their knowledge by transferring their understanding onto other independent tasks.
What are the GOALS of BALANCED LITERACY PROGRAM?
The ultimate goal for my Balanced Literacy Program is to provide a supportive learning environment that meets the needs of every student. I will offer a variety of opportunities to practice skills and learn strategies that will develop fluent readers who find happiness and pride in reading independently.
Gradual Release of Responsibility Graphic found at http://www.literacyleader.com/?q=node/477
What are the ELEMENTS used to implement a BALANCED LITERACY PROGRAM?
THE “I” PHASE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mini Lessons – Mini lessons are short, laser focused lessons that introduce a specific procedure, behavior or strategy that will strengthen reading skills. I will design mini lessons based on the needs of my students and on grade level expectations. Instruction will be deliberate and specific to teach the mini lesson’s objective. Modeling and demonstrations will be used to ensure that all the students have established a clear understanding.
Modeling – Modeling provides opportunities for students to observe how to complete a task and how to perform a procedure. While modeling tasks and procedures, children will be able to observe the steps I take to complete a task, as well as hear the mental mechanics that go into problem solving. Naming and claiming throughout the modeling process will provide them with skills to take with them on their path to independence and mastery with new strategies and procedures.
Interactive Read Aloud – Interactive read alouds involve me reading a text aloud to the entire class. Planned teaching points are prewritten to stop to ask students questions that encourage critical thinking, listening to others and developing individual ideas. Interactive read aloud books are chosen according to students’ interests and age level. Choosing texts with engaging illustrations and colorful language help to captivate attention and interest. Interactive read alouds provide an opportunity to introduce and discuss books that are written to persuade, inform and entertain. They also offer a convenient way to discuss character development and plot, as well as making predictions and inferences. Read alouds also give children a model for what proficient reading looks and sounds like.
THE “WE” PHASE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shared Reading – Shared reading is completed as a whole class activity using an enlarged text that the class can view and read together. Shared reading gives readers an opportunity to hear effective oral reading and to see someone demonstrate how to problem solve and construct meaning as they read. Two strategies used for shared reading are echo reading and choral reading. When echo reading, the group of readers repeat after a more advanced reader, echoing their phrasing and expression. Choral reading is done when the class reads along with the teacher. Both of these strategies promote confidence when reading aloud by providing the comfort of community support.
Guided Reading – Guided reading is reading support that is given to small groups of students who are reading at similar levels. Students meet to independently read texts and work to employ the day’s reading purpose or strategy. During guided reading, students expand their knowledge by practicing and processing texts and strategies that were taught previously to the entire class. Guided reading allows the teacher to listen to children whisper read independently, observe student progress, coach when required and assist students in naming and claiming the tools, skills and strategies being used. Guided reading is also an opportunity for teachers to collect data on student growth and progress, to make decisions to improve lessons and identify needs for regrouping. Guided reading groups gather similar level readers together to read, discuss, think critically and problem solve while the teacher supports, assists and encourages the group’s efforts. Guided reading is an important element of a balanced literacy program because it allows a teacher to service the needs of each individual student.
THE “YOU” PHASE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Independent Reading – Independent reading is an activity that allows children to read materials of their choice. DEAR, Drop Everything and Read, will be a daily, scheduled event in my classroom. During DEAR, students read for pleasure and enjoyment while receiving the benefits of decoding practice, applying comprehension strategies and adding to their vocabulary. Independent reading is instrumental in building self-confidence in reading and fostering positive attitudes toward reading. Children will have their own reading boxes to store their reading selections within the classroom.
Literacy Stations – Students will travel through Literacy Stations within the classroom to practice reading and writing by completing tasks to strengthen skills. While I am engaged with a guided reading group, other class members will work independently, or with their peers, on purposeful tasks designed to expand and explore literacy skills. Literacy Stations are easily differentiated and provide a variety of choices for children to explore. Children are encouraged to pace themselves and to learn to develop responsibility for their own learning.
“The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, “The children are now working as if I did not exist.”
– Maria Montessori
References:
Graves, M., Juel, C., Graves, B., & Dewitz, P., Teaching Reading in the 21st Century, Pages 39, 168-169, 173, 299, 352, 419.
http://www.k12reader.com/shared-reading-–-a-critical-component-of-balanced-literacy-instruction/http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/4697
THE “I” PHASE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mini Lessons – Mini lessons are short, laser focused lessons that introduce a specific procedure, behavior or strategy that will strengthen reading skills. I will design mini lessons based on the needs of my students and on grade level expectations. Instruction will be deliberate and specific to teach the mini lesson’s objective. Modeling and demonstrations will be used to ensure that all the students have established a clear understanding.
Modeling – Modeling provides opportunities for students to observe how to complete a task and how to perform a procedure. While modeling tasks and procedures, children will be able to observe the steps I take to complete a task, as well as hear the mental mechanics that go into problem solving. Naming and claiming throughout the modeling process will provide them with skills to take with them on their path to independence and mastery with new strategies and procedures.
Interactive Read Aloud – Interactive read alouds involve me reading a text aloud to the entire class. Planned teaching points are prewritten to stop to ask students questions that encourage critical thinking, listening to others and developing individual ideas. Interactive read aloud books are chosen according to students’ interests and age level. Choosing texts with engaging illustrations and colorful language help to captivate attention and interest. Interactive read alouds provide an opportunity to introduce and discuss books that are written to persuade, inform and entertain. They also offer a convenient way to discuss character development and plot, as well as making predictions and inferences. Read alouds also give children a model for what proficient reading looks and sounds like.
THE “WE” PHASE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shared Reading – Shared reading is completed as a whole class activity using an enlarged text that the class can view and read together. Shared reading gives readers an opportunity to hear effective oral reading and to see someone demonstrate how to problem solve and construct meaning as they read. Two strategies used for shared reading are echo reading and choral reading. When echo reading, the group of readers repeat after a more advanced reader, echoing their phrasing and expression. Choral reading is done when the class reads along with the teacher. Both of these strategies promote confidence when reading aloud by providing the comfort of community support.
Guided Reading – Guided reading is reading support that is given to small groups of students who are reading at similar levels. Students meet to independently read texts and work to employ the day’s reading purpose or strategy. During guided reading, students expand their knowledge by practicing and processing texts and strategies that were taught previously to the entire class. Guided reading allows the teacher to listen to children whisper read independently, observe student progress, coach when required and assist students in naming and claiming the tools, skills and strategies being used. Guided reading is also an opportunity for teachers to collect data on student growth and progress, to make decisions to improve lessons and identify needs for regrouping. Guided reading groups gather similar level readers together to read, discuss, think critically and problem solve while the teacher supports, assists and encourages the group’s efforts. Guided reading is an important element of a balanced literacy program because it allows a teacher to service the needs of each individual student.
THE “YOU” PHASE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Independent Reading – Independent reading is an activity that allows children to read materials of their choice. DEAR, Drop Everything and Read, will be a daily, scheduled event in my classroom. During DEAR, students read for pleasure and enjoyment while receiving the benefits of decoding practice, applying comprehension strategies and adding to their vocabulary. Independent reading is instrumental in building self-confidence in reading and fostering positive attitudes toward reading. Children will have their own reading boxes to store their reading selections within the classroom.
Literacy Stations – Students will travel through Literacy Stations within the classroom to practice reading and writing by completing tasks to strengthen skills. While I am engaged with a guided reading group, other class members will work independently, or with their peers, on purposeful tasks designed to expand and explore literacy skills. Literacy Stations are easily differentiated and provide a variety of choices for children to explore. Children are encouraged to pace themselves and to learn to develop responsibility for their own learning.
“The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, “The children are now working as if I did not exist.”
– Maria Montessori
References:
Graves, M., Juel, C., Graves, B., & Dewitz, P., Teaching Reading in the 21st Century, Pages 39, 168-169, 173, 299, 352, 419.
http://www.k12reader.com/shared-reading-–-a-critical-component-of-balanced-literacy-instruction/http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/4697