Literacy Centres in the Middle Years (4 to 7 )

Literacy Centres in the Middle Years (4 to 7 )

Adapted from

A. Independent Reading Centre

1. Establishing a Reading Centre

PurposePurpose : to expose students to a wide variety of reading material and to develop attitudes in students that reading is not only an enjoyable experience but is also a means of locating information

Independent Reading Centre

Establishing a Reading Centre

OverviewOverview : to be accessed during the day by the whole class at silent reading time, by a small group during LDT to research a topic or by a small group during LDT for some other purpose


Establishing a Reading Centre

MaterialsMaterials : a wide selection of reading material that encourages students to spend time there such as good quality fiction and non-fiction books, magazines, newspapers, school newsletters, photo albums, catalogues, comic strips, program guides, student/class-made books etc


2 . Reading Journals PurposePurpose : students will be able to evaluate and assess their own reading progress

OverviewOverview : students use the journal to reflect on books they have read

MaterialsMaterials : a small note book or exercise book

B. Writing Centre

1. Establishing a Writing Centre

PurposePurpose : to provide students with an opportunity to practise and consolidate their writing skills and understandings for a range of purposes and audiences

Writing Centre

Establishing a Writing Centre

OverviewOverview : students use the centre to plan, edit, consolidate and publish writing in a variety of forms using a variety of mediums

(Some common genres that are usually taught in middle and upper primary are procedures, reports, explanations, expositions, narratives, visual texts such as comic strips /cartoons/web pages/emails )

Writing Centre

Establishing a Writing Centre

MaterialsMaterials : paper, card, computer, utility box with stapler, scissors, rubbers, post- its etc, dictionaries and thesauruses, editing and proofreading guides, punctuation and grammar guides and most importantly guides and examples of the range of genres that the students have been exposed to, other writing support charts

Writing Centre

2. Mind Maps

PurposePurpose : to enable students to comprehend and remember new information through organizing and recording in unique and creative ways

Writing Centre

Mind Maps

OverviewOverview : students use mind maps to organize the content of a text that has been read , heard or viewed

(Other graphic organizers can also be taught and used for this same purpose )

Writing Centre

Mind Maps

MaterialsMaterials : laminated or paper copies of all the graphic organizers, writing materials of different colours, copies of some completed examples of graphic organizers

Writing Centre

3. Writing the Walls

PurposePurpose : to help students locate words that are displayed in the classroom

OverviewOverview : the students can then use the words located as a reference during independent writing

Writing Centre

Writing the Walls

MaterialsMaterials : high frequency word charts, word family charts, phonogram charts, 100 most frequently misspelt words chart, charts of examples of a variety of different genres and students own published work

Writing Centre

4. Independent Writing

PurposePurpose : to promote writing as a rewarding, enjoyable and creative activity

OverviewOverview : students are to write independently and cooperatively using a wide variety of genres

Writing Centre

Independent Writing

MaterialsMaterials : different types of paper, a variety of writing materials, computer for publishing, dictionaries and thesauruses, scrap paper for having a go at spelling, plastic pockets for students to keep their drafts, writing support charts eg punctuation, grammar, genre guides

C. Computer Centre

Computer Centre

1. Fact versus Opinion

PurposePurpose : to provide students with the opportunities to identify the difference between fact and opinion through information found on the internet

Overview Overview : use the interests of the students to research info and then discuss and justify whether the info collected is fact or opinion

Computer Centre

Fact versus Opinion

MaterialsMaterials : computer with internet access, highlighters of different colours

Computer Centre

2. Editing and Proofreading PurposePurpose : to focus the students’ attention on the importance of spelling as a functional aspect of writing OverviewOverview : students are provided with practice editing and proofreading without the distraction of the mechanics of writing

Computer Centre

Editing and Proofreading

MaterialsMaterials : teacher –prepared message accessed by computer

Computer Centre

3. Information and Research

PurposePurpose : to give students the skills to analyze, sort and use information gained through computer access

Overview Overview : students will develop the skills to set purposes, self and peer questioning and comprehending

Computer Centre

Information and Research

MaterialsMaterials : information that is related to a class topic either from newspapers or the internet

D. Responding to Text Centre

1 . Book Quiz

PurposePurpose: to encourage students to recall and discuss texts that they have previously read

Overview Overview : the aim is for the group to guess the title by looking at the poster that displays aspects of a text by using a set procedure for questioning the person who has chosen the text

Responding to Text Centre

Book Quiz

MaterialsMaterials : titles of books that the majority of students have read on cards and a poster displaying aspects of texts that will support the group in forming questions


2. Changing Text Form

PurposePurpose : to demonstrate understanding of text through representing it in a different form

OverviewOverview : by changing the text into another format students use higher order thinking to identify main ideas


Changing Text Form

MaterialsMaterials : will vary depending on form chosen but have on hand a selection of clothes and other material for drama activities, blank comic strip format, art materials


3. Character DiaryPurpose Purpose : to encourage students to respond to text using the genre of diary writing OverviewOverview : during the reading of a chapter book, students take on the role of a character and make diary entries about events and feelings of the character


Character Diary

MaterialsMaterials : examples of diaries or entries from diaries and genre sheet showing layout and construction of a diary entry


4. Character Web Purpose Purpose : to provide opportunities to interpret and evaluate information at literal, inferential and critical levels to build a picture of a chosen character from a text either chosen by the student or teacher determined


Character Web

OverviewOverview : this assists students to see relationships between different characters and situations and make judgments about these, make inferences about characters and the part they play in the story, put themselves in the character’s situation and consider each character’s point of view


Character Web

MaterialsMaterials : familiar narrative text, auto- or biography or factual text containing characters and writing materials


5. Sensory WheelPurposePurpose : to provide an excellent strategy that can be used to respond to any visual textOverviewOverview : students respond to a visual text using a circle divided into five sections which relates to each of the five senses


Sensory Wheel

MaterialsMaterials : a large interesting picture with lots of details, copies of poems, songs, creative writing stories or oral discussions


6. Visualization and Mental Imagery

PurposePurpose : to provide students with a simple structure which enhances responses to any text in a creative manner

OverviewOverview : students learn to use visualisation techniques to think about what they have read

MaterialsMaterials : a text that has been read by the whole class or a small group


7. Compare and Contrast

PurposePurpose : to encourage students to respond to a text where the author is expressing how things are different or alike

Overview Overview : students will learn to recognise and use cue words such as “different”, “in contrast”, “same as” or “on the other hand”and will experience using a graphic organizer to support their responses to text


Compare and Contrast

MaterialsMaterials : several A4 laminated cards with a Venn diagram on each, overhead pens and multiple copies of a text that expresses how things are different


8. Reading Circles

PurposePurpose : to heighten the comprehension skills of students through sharing different aspects of text

OverviewOverview : each student is given a different role to carry out during the reading of a text


Reading Circles

MaterialsMaterials : a variety of cards with a role description written on each, multiple copies of the text


9. Reading Journal Response PurposePurpose : to encourage students to reflect critically on what they have read using higher levels of comprehension skills OverviewOverview : during or after the reading, the students write comments or predictions about the text MaterialsMaterials : examples of formats that can be used when responding to a text and a journal book

E. Critical Literacy Centre

1. Analyzing Newspaper Photographs

PurposePurpose : to assist students to consolidate their understanding of photos as constructions, to analyze and interpret meaning from newspaper photos and to draw conclusions about the intent of the photos

Critical Literacy Centre

Analyzing Newspaper Photographs

OverviewOverview : students will have prior experience in considering how their experiences, culture and context as viewers influences their interpretations of photos and as well will draw on prior knowledge and understanding of photographic techniques which can influence interpretations (size, camera angle, position, direction, body language, clothing and focus )


Analyzing Newspaper Photographs

Overview( cont)Overview( cont) : students will consolidate their understanding of issues related to gender, stereotypes, emotive intent, impact on the reader and intended and unintended messages

Materials Materials : newspaper photos (laminated ), accompanying headlines, additional info on how, when, why and where the photo was used


2. Point of View PurposePurpose : to develop an understanding of characters and justify a view taken of them OverviewOverview : students choose a character and discuss and justify their opinion about the character then create a representation of them


Point of View

MaterialsMaterials : will vary according to form of character representation chosen by teacher or student


3. Responding Critically to Advertisements

PurposePurpose : to encourage students to extend their critical literacy skills through the genre of advertising

OverviewOverview : students critically analyze advertisements, identifying values, attitudes and cultural messages which may be intended or unintended


Responding Critically to Advertisements

MaterialsMaterials : a selection of newspaper, magazine or television advertisements on a particular theme such as Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day etc to be read or viewed


4. Sociograms

PurposePurpose : to critically analyze relationships between characters from a read, heard or seen text, to represent character relationships in a form of a graphic organizer and to explore literal and implied relationships between characters


Sociograms

OverviewOverview : students identify and represent in diagrammatical format the relationship between identified characters

MaterialsMaterials : a variety of writing materials


5. Structured ControversyPurposePurpose : to encourage students to work collaboratively and to reach consensus about a text that has been read, heard or viewed OverviewOverview : students take turns at looking at different sides of a statement or opinion


Structured Controversy

MaterialsMaterials : cards with two statements or opinions written on them


6. Key PointsPurpose Purpose : to encourage students to read for the purpose of identifying the main ideas and points in written text that may either be read, viewed or heard OverviewOverview : students demonstrate their comprehension of text by identifying the key points , the main idea or ideas, the major concepts and generalizations within the text (three levels of comprehension used here )


Key Points

Materials Materials : writing materials, overhead transparencies and markers, individual cards marked one to ten, multiple copies of the text


7. Character Report

PurposePurpose : to assist students to develop the ability to define and write a report on the attributes of a character

OverviewOverview : students choose or teacher selects a character from a recently read book and they interpret, evaluate and justify opinions about this character orally before they do a written report


Character ReportMaterialsMaterials : depends on whether this is an individual or group effort – large paper if a group effort ( Graphic organizers are a good visual tool to assist with sorting and classifying aspects of a characters before the written report eg Character Web )

F. Genre Centre

1. Matching Text Forms PurposePurpose : to assist students with their understanding of the structure and features or a variety of text forms OverviewOverview : students discuss a variety of photocopied text forms and then label each form appropriately justifying their choice

Genre Centre

Matching Text Forms

MaterialsMaterials : text form labels and a box containing different examples of text forms such as letter, recipe, narrative, description, recount, report, an explanation, an invitation and a persuasive text

Genre Centre

2. Report Puzzles

Purpose Purpose : to consolidate understanding of the organizational structure of a report

(This can be adapted to any genre structure)

OverviewOverview : students reconstruct a text and name the components of the genre

Genre Centre

Report Puzzles

MaterialsMaterials : examples of written reports (or other genres ) cut into clusters of information and cards with headings relating to the information contained in the text

Genre Centre

3. Storytelling

Purpose Purpose : to develop oral language skills through shared storytelling

OverviewOverview : students will become familiar and confident with aspects of storytelling

MaterialsMaterials : cards with titles of well-known stories

Genre Centre

4. Text ReconstructionPurposePurpose : to enable students to recognize the elements which make up a variety of genres OverviewOverview : students recreate the correct components under each genre heading from cards with components from 3 or 4 different genres

Genre Centre

Text Reconstruction

MaterialsMaterials : cards with the components of genres written on them and heading cards with the name of the genre written on them

G. Sequencing and Retelling Centre

1. Comic Sequencing PurposePurpose : students practise the skills of sequencing and reading for meaning OverviewOverview : students reconstruct comic story texts into their correct sequence MaterialsMaterials : laminated comic strips or comic pages cut into individual frames and plastic snap lock bags for storage

Sequencing and Retelling Centre

2. Paint and Write Purpose Purpose : to encourage students to express their ideas through the media of paint as a rehearsal for writing OverviewOverview : students are given the opportunity to paint before writing MaterialsMaterials : paint,colourful art materials, paper or other material to work on


3. Reconstructing a Narrative

PurposePurpose : to demonstrate to students that language is flexible and can be manipulated to link to illustrations in a meaningful way

OverviewOverview : students will arrange in correct order a series of their own artwork pictures from a known text along with the actual text itself


Reconstructing a Narrative

MaterialsMaterials : chunks of text typed onto individual cards containing the sequence of the story, cards that contain the textual features of the narrative eg orientation, complication, problem and resolution and artwork from students depicting certain parts of the story


4. Story Ladders

PurposePurpose : to encourage students to summarize information sequentially to complete a retell

OverviewOverview : students demonstrate their knowledge of sentence structure to make meaning by completing each other’s sentences

MaterialsMaterials : writing materials


5. Story Maps

PurposePurpose : to assist students to develop their understanding of a story structure, setting and sequencing time

OverviewOverview : students will develop mapping concepts, be able to identify major features of texts and recall texts in sequence

MaterialsMaterials : writing and drawing materials


6. Written to Written Retell PurposePurpose : to enhance comprehension at word, sentence and whole text level OverviewOverview : students predict, recall, organize and summarize information MaterialsMaterials : multiple copies of a short text that can be read in about 10 minutes and writing materials

H. Test Structure Centre

1. Jumbled Text PurposePurpose : to assist students in analysing pieces of text and identify the genre in which it is written OverviewOverview : students manipulate pieces of text to demonstrate understanding of the impact of text structure and sequence on text cohesion

Test Structure Centre

Jumbled Text

MaterialsMaterials : a variety of texts written by students or from a book cut into sentences or paragraphs, a complete copy of the text and writing materials

( Use one colour per text for ease of identification – how you cut up text will be determined by text difficulty and ability of the students )


2. Semantic Grid Purpose Purpose : students will learn how to match a set of attributes to a particular concept OverviewOverview : students use a graphic organizer to develop the skills of identifying details and comparing properties or concepts from informational texts Material Material : an information text and a grid with the concepts listed in the left hand column and the descriptors along the top row


3. Sentence Manipulation

PurposePurpose : to demonstrate to students that language is flexible and can be manipulated in a variety of ways and still make sense

OverviewOverview : students are given different sentence structures and are required to change, improve, complete or transform them in some way


Sentence Manipulation

MaterialsMaterials : sentence strips, word cards, scissors, sentence maker or holding strip, photocopied sections of text on cards and a white board


4. Text Grammar

PurposePurpose : to assist students to identify and organize grammatical information from a text

OverviewOverview : students use a text to identify parts of grammar within a text and record their answers on a proforma

MaterialsMaterials : Text, text grammar proforma and writing materials


5. Text Bingo

PurposePurpose : to develop the skill of identifying, naming and understanding specific parts of text

OverviewOverview : students learn to identify/ recognize the component parts of text by using the format of the game Bingo


Text Bingo

MaterialsMaterials : Bingo board for each group member, a series of cards with a word or phrase that represents part of text eg the name of or information about the author, the title of the book, the name of a character, information about a character, blurbs about a text and a container of small coloured counters


6. Who? What ? Where? When?

Purpose Purpose : to identify and comprehend components of text at a sentence level

OverviewOverview : students arrange the parts of a sentence from a familiar text under each of the headings who, what, where, when and why


Who? What ? Where? When?

MaterialsMaterials : laminated chart divided into four columns with the headings who, what, where, when /why, sentences from a familiar text cut into components of sentence structure (who, what, where, when /why) and OHT markers


7. Semantic Overviews

PurposePurpose : to develop the skill of linking new information to prior knowledge and to extract the main ideas from a text structure using narrative or non-narrative story structures

OverviewOverview : students discuss, locate and record the main idea, supporting ideas and other relevant information


Semantic Overviews

MaterialsMaterials : multiple copies of a narrative or non- narrative text, large piece of paper to record group findings or appropriate graphic organizers – laminated or not depending

I. Word Study Centre

1. Word Building

Purpose Purpose : to encourage students to extend their knowledge of words

OverviewOverview : students make lists of words and word families by manipulating letters and clusters of letters

Word Study Centre

Word BuildingMaterialsMaterials : cards with small words written on

them such as “at” , “no” and “in”, cards with single letters and two and three letter blends written on them

( Use different coloured paper for each set of cards )

Word Study Centre

2. Matching a Prefix or a Suffix

PurposePurpose : to match words with appropriate prefix or suffix

OverviewOverview : students become familiar with prefixes and suffixes and word building strategies by manipulating words with suitable prefixes and suffixes

Word Study Centre

Matching a Prefix or a Suffix

MaterialsMaterials : cards with prefixes and suffixes written down the side and word cards

(Use different coloured card for words and prefixes and suffixes )

Word Study Centre

3. Phonograms

PurposePurpose : to assist students to understand the importance of phonograms (a letter blend that begins with a vowel ) in helping them to decode and spell a wide variety of words eg –ake, -ight

OverviewOverview : students will manipulate letter blends and phonograms to make lists of word families and words that rhyme

Word Study Centre

Phonograms

MaterialsMaterials : a sentence holder (optional), a selection of phonograms on cards and a selection of cards with single letters or two and three letter blends

( Use different coloured card for the phonograms and the letter blends )

Word Study Centre

4. Word Puzzles

Purpose Purpose : to provide opportunities for students to explore language by playing with words, engaging in problem-solving activities, analyzing and monitoring language as they develop their understandings about spelling and of how language works

Word Study Centre

Word Puzzles OverviewOverview : students build words from prepared cards that give clues to which letters are required to make a word (Focus can change from individual letters to syllables to phonograms to whatever you want to focus on at the time)Materials : writing materials and word building cards

Word Study Centre

5. Small Words from Big Words PurposePurpose : to enable students to locate small words contained in larger words (which is a necessary skill in both reading and writing )OverviewOverview : students identify as many small words as they can from these larger words MaterialsMaterials : laminated cards with large words written on them , dictionaries and OHT markers

Word Study Centre

6. Word Webs Purpose Purpose : to assist students to make different kinds of word associations OverviewOverview : students make words that rhyme , have common sounds, have similar letter patterns, end with the same suffix, begin with the same prefix, mean the same, have the same origin or compound words

Word Study Centre

Word Webs

MaterialsMaterials : OHT coloured markers, whiteboards and markers, chalk and chalkboards, paper and laminated sheets of paper

Documents

Literacy Centres in the Middle Years (4 to 7 )