Balanced Balanced LiteracyLiteracy

Presented by Presented by The Weyanoke Literacy PLC TeamThe Weyanoke Literacy PLC Team

September 29, 2008September 29, 2008

AgendaAgenda• What is BALANCED LITERACY as it What is BALANCED LITERACY as it

pertains to reading and why is it pertains to reading and why is it important?important?

• The The ReadingReading Components of Balanced Components of Balanced Literacy:Literacy:

1) Read Aloud (the most support)1) Read Aloud (the most support)

2) Shared Reading2) Shared Reading

3) Guided Reading3) Guided Reading

4) Independent Reading (the least 4) Independent Reading (the least support)support)

• Final Words & QuestionsFinal Words & Questions

Balanced LiteracyBalanced LiteracyThe Comprehensive Balanced Literacy The Comprehensive Balanced Literacy

Framework is built upon the concept of: Framework is built upon the concept of:

• Reading Reading toto Children, Reading Children, Reading withwith Children, and Reading Children, and Reading byby Children Children

• Writing Writing toto Children, Writing Children, Writing withwith Children, and Writing Children, and Writing byby Children Children

The framework includes four aspects of The framework includes four aspects of reading and writing built upon four reading and writing built upon four levels of support (Gradual Release of levels of support (Gradual Release of Responsibility Model). Responsibility Model).

Read AloudRead AloudStudents get the most Students get the most

supportsupport

Reading Reading toto the the StudentsStudents

Read AloudRead Aloud• "Reading aloud is a commercial for "Reading aloud is a commercial for

reading. ...Think of it this way: McDonald's reading. ...Think of it this way: McDonald's doesn't stop advertising just because the doesn't stop advertising just because the vast majority of Americans know about its vast majority of Americans know about its restaurants. Each year it spends more restaurants. Each year it spends more money on ads to remind people how good its money on ads to remind people how good its products taste. Don't cut your reading products taste. Don't cut your reading advertising budget as children grow older." advertising budget as children grow older." States author Jim Trelease in his book States author Jim Trelease in his book The The Read Aloud Handbook.Read Aloud Handbook. “Since children “Since children listen on a higher level than they read, listen on a higher level than they read, listening to other readers stimulates growth listening to other readers stimulates growth and understanding of vocabulary and and understanding of vocabulary and language patterns.”language patterns.”

Reading Aloud…Reading Aloud…

• Familiarizes them with book language and story structure• Teaches an appreciation of literature.•Provides a model of fluent, oral reading•Expands children’s knowledge of various genre and motivates them to read on their own.•Expands and enriches children’s vocabularies and background knowledge•Stimulates discussion•Improves oral language•Models good reading behavior for students

Read AloudRead AloudStep-by-StepStep-by-Step

• Choose a book to read aloud for a specific Choose a book to read aloud for a specific purposepurpose

• Gather the class in an inviting spot.Gather the class in an inviting spot.• Before: Before: activate schema, make predictions, activate schema, make predictions,

summarize the plot (but don’t give it away)summarize the plot (but don’t give it away)• During: During: encourage discussion and ask encourage discussion and ask

thoughtful questionsthoughtful questions• After: After: make the book available to the make the book available to the

children during free time.children during free time.

Read AloudRead AloudConsider PoetryConsider Poetry

• Good for fluencyGood for fluency• K-1 – a lot of rhyme, short, chant-likeK-1 – a lot of rhyme, short, chant-like• Majority of poetry is free verseMajority of poetry is free verse• Have a special “poetry” pointer/stickHave a special “poetry” pointer/stick• Try 1 per week:Try 1 per week:

MondayMonday – Shared – Shared Tuesday Tuesday – Choral– Choral WednesdayWednesday – Individual copy with a buddy – Individual copy with a buddy ThursdayThursday – Divide class and read in parts (or – Divide class and read in parts (or

buddies)buddies) FridayFriday – Poetry performance and put in – Poetry performance and put in

poetry anthologypoetry anthology

Shared Shared ReadingReading

Reading Reading with with the Studentsthe Students

Shared ReadingShared Reading

Read each statement carefully Read each statement carefully and indicate whether you and indicate whether you

agree or disagree.agree or disagree.

3 minutes3 minutes

Shared ReadingShared Reading• Reading Reading withwith children. children.• Reading and rereading of enlarged texts Reading and rereading of enlarged texts

(big books, charts, or lifted text on an (big books, charts, or lifted text on an overhead)overhead)

• During shared reading, the teacher is able During shared reading, the teacher is able to point out text features, teach word to point out text features, teach word analysis, model reading comprehension analysis, model reading comprehension strategies, and encourage students to strategies, and encourage students to extend their thinking extend their thinking

• Allows all students to read texts beyond Allows all students to read texts beyond their current individual reading level.their current individual reading level.

• Supports fluency for all reading levels. Supports fluency for all reading levels. • For older students the emphasis is on For older students the emphasis is on

supporting comprehension.supporting comprehension.

Shared ReadingShared ReadingStep-by-StepStep-by-Step

Day 1Day 1• Gather so that Gather so that

everyone can seeeveryone can see• Introduce the text Introduce the text

(title, cover, (title, cover, predictions)predictions)

• Read aloud using a Read aloud using a pointerpointer

• Reread the text and Reread the text and have the children join have the children join inin

• Discuss the textDiscuss the text

Day 2Day 2• Pick an instructional Pick an instructional

focus for the textfocus for the text• Using a pointer, Using a pointer,

reread the text, reread the text, stopping as stopping as necessary to model necessary to model strategiesstrategies

• (Optional) Make the (Optional) Make the text available to text available to studentsstudents

• At your table, please work in At your table, please work in groups of two or three and each groups of two or three and each group will have one baggy and group will have one baggy and

one purple sheetone purple sheet

• Please sort the statements Please sort the statements according to the titlesaccording to the titles

3 minutes3 minutes

Guided Guided ReadingReading

ReadingReading withwith the the studentsstudents

Guided Reading is ……..Guided Reading is ……..

… … a teaching approach designed to a teaching approach designed to help individual students learn how help individual students learn how to process a variety of increasingly to process a variety of increasingly challenging texts with challenging texts with understanding and fluency.understanding and fluency.

Guiding Readers and Writes Grades 3-6(Fountas and Pinnell)Guiding Readers and Writes Grades 3-6(Fountas and Pinnell)

Why Guided Reading is Why Guided Reading is Important?Important?

• It gives children the opportunity to develop It gives children the opportunity to develop reading reading strategiesstrategies so they can read so they can read increasingly difficult texts increasingly difficult texts independentlyindependently..

• It gives teachers the opportunity to It gives teachers the opportunity to observeobserve individuals as they process new text.individuals as they process new text.

• It gives children the opportunity to develop as It gives children the opportunity to develop as individual readers in a socially individual readers in a socially supportivesupportive activityactivity

Guided Reading – Guided Reading – Good First Teaching for All ChildrenGood First Teaching for All Children (Fountas & Pinnell) (Fountas & Pinnell)

Components of Guided Components of Guided ReadingReading

• Small – group instructionSmall – group instruction• Students are grouped according to needStudents are grouped according to need• 15-20 minutes in duration15-20 minutes in duration• The teacher selects the textThe teacher selects the text• The lesson has a specific focusThe lesson has a specific focus• The text is introducedThe text is introduced• Each child reads the text independently in the Each child reads the text independently in the

groupgroup• Teacher/student discussion follows the readingTeacher/student discussion follows the reading• Relevant activities may follow the lessonRelevant activities may follow the lesson

Learning Media 2000Learning Media 2000

What You Do in Guided What You Do in Guided ReadingReading

• The teacher selects and introduces a new text.The teacher selects and introduces a new text.• The students are provided with individual The students are provided with individual

copies of text.copies of text.• The student reads the whole text to The student reads the whole text to

themselves.themselves.• The teacher supports the use of reading The teacher supports the use of reading

strategies.strategies.• The student problem-solves new text in a way The student problem-solves new text in a way

that is mostly independent .that is mostly independent .• The lesson may include optional components; The lesson may include optional components;

extending meaning and word work.extending meaning and word work.

Guided Reading: Good First Teaching for All Children (Fountas and Pinnell) & Systems for Change in Guided Reading: Good First Teaching for All Children (Fountas and Pinnell) & Systems for Change in Literacy EducationLiteracy Education

**

Guided Reading Guided Reading Challenges…..Challenges…..

• At your table, please write down one At your table, please write down one challenge you have experienced with challenge you have experienced with guided reading. You do not need to guided reading. You do not need to include your name. Please place the include your name. Please place the sticky notes on the parking lot.sticky notes on the parking lot.

3 minutes3 minutes

Independent Independent ReadingReading

ReadingReading byby the the studentsstudents

… … it is true that reading practice—just readingit is true that reading practice—just reading—is a powerful contributor to the development —is a powerful contributor to the development

of accurate, fluent, high-comprehension of accurate, fluent, high-comprehension reading. In fact, if I were required to select a reading. In fact, if I were required to select a single aspect of the instructional environment single aspect of the instructional environment to change, my first choice would be creating a to change, my first choice would be creating a

schedule that supported dramatically schedule that supported dramatically increased quantities of reading during the increased quantities of reading during the

school day.school day.

-Richard Allington, -Richard Allington, What Really Matters for What Really Matters for Struggling ReadersStruggling Readers

Independent Reading…Independent Reading…Please consider the following….Please consider the following….

Independent ReadingIndependent Readingis……is……

• A A quiet timequiet time when students when students independently read materials of their independently read materials of their choice while being encouraged to utilize choice while being encouraged to utilize learned reading/comprehension learned reading/comprehension strategies that will help them become strategies that will help them become stronger readers.stronger readers.

• The most The most independentindependent activity students activity students undertake during the language arts undertake during the language arts block.block.

Independent Reading…Independent Reading… Basic Ideas and Guidelines:Basic Ideas and Guidelines:

• Ample time should be allotted for Ample time should be allotted for Independent Reading—start with 10 min Independent Reading—start with 10 min per day and increase to 20 or 30 min.per day and increase to 20 or 30 min.

• Students should choose books to read Students should choose books to read (teacher can assist, if necessary) and (teacher can assist, if necessary) and document their own reading through document their own reading through reading logs.reading logs.

• Students should have easy access to a wide Students should have easy access to a wide variety of books (i.e. an extensive, well-variety of books (i.e. an extensive, well-organized, classroom library)organized, classroom library)

Independent Reading…Independent Reading… Basic Ideas and Guidelines (con’t):Basic Ideas and Guidelines (con’t):

• Students should be reading “just Students should be reading “just right” books—mainly instructional~ right” books—mainly instructional~ independent. (90% accuracy and independent. (90% accuracy and above)above)

• Teacher and student should set Teacher and student should set reading goals and use this time for reading goals and use this time for individual reading conferences. individual reading conferences.

• All teaching occurs during All teaching occurs during individual conferences.individual conferences.

Final Words & QuestionsFinal Words & Questions

• Parking Lot for questionsParking Lot for questions

• Resources at the back tableResources at the back table

ResourcesResourcesGuiding Readers and Writes Grades 3-6(Fountas Guiding Readers and Writes Grades 3-6(Fountas

and Pinnell)and Pinnell)

Guided Reading: Good First Teaching for All Guided Reading: Good First Teaching for All Children (Fountas and Pinnell)Children (Fountas and Pinnell)

Systems for Change in Literacy EducationSystems for Change in Literacy Education

Reading Essentials: The Specifics You Need to Reading Essentials: The Specifics You Need to Teach Reading Well (Regie Routman)Teach Reading Well (Regie Routman)

What Really Matters for Struggling Readers What Really Matters for Struggling Readers (Richard Allington)(Richard Allington)