By: Sharday Taylor

Walden University

A literate environment is a print-rich environment that reinforces student’s awareness of text. Literacy is the competence of a student that acquires in both writing and reading (Tompkins, 2010).

Administrating pre and post assessments

Selecting appropriate and interesting texts

Learning students interests

Creating effective lesson plans

Encourage classroom participation

Giving opportunity to allow students to express themselves

Learning students interest and planning accordingly creates an atmosphere full of intriguing students yearning to gain knowledge.

Ways to get to know students include: Conversations

Observations

Parent Surveys

Collaborating with former teachers

Assessments

Literacy Autobiographies

Getting to know my students cont.

I used different routes to learn my students interest. Teaching pre-kindergarten I found that the best atmosphere to truly learn students is when they are in there natural character, such places as lunch, recess, and center time. I provided parents with a survey before school starts so I can began to learn about my students. “Me Stew” is another way I can get to know my students. It requires students to bring in items that fit into a brown lunch paper bag that represent who they are and what they like(Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).

Parent survey *Describe your child's strength. (Do not limit to

academic ability, please include physical and

social strengths too.)

*What does your child enjoy doing?

*What do you want your child to achieve pre-

kindergarten?

*Describe any concerns you would like addressed

this school year?

*Please list any additional information about your

child, which would be helpful for me to know (Pro

Teacher, 2007).

SELECTING TEXTS Effective teachers systematically and carefully plan for productive use of

instructional time. While planning teachers take into considerations what their students may enjoy learning and still meeting the grade standards. Finding texts that fit the needs of my students takes time and dedication. I have to find texts that are developmentally appropriate, aligned with the curriculum and interesting. Choosing developmentally appropriate text is vital. If texts were too difficult it could cause student’s self esteem to decrease and it will build an ineffective reader. Choosing texts that address students background, culture, and family traditions will help develop diverse readers.

Selecting Text Cont. The texts selected were

The Solar System by Alexander Gordon Smith (non-fiction)

Our Nine Planets by Franklyn D. Branley

Narrative

Online Text (Article)

The Solar System by B. Reigot

Interactive Perspective

The goal of the interactive perspective is to help develop strategic readers and writers(Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). Creating and implementing lesson plans that incorporate interactive perspectives helps merge students from learning to read to reading to learn (Laureate Education, Inc 2010). The lesson plan subject was “Our Solar System”, a subject that students found interesting.

Interactive Perspective OUR SOLAR SYSTEM

To open the lesson I played a space action song where students pretended to be astronauts exploring the classroom as if it was space. Following the song we created a Know, Wants to Know, and Learned (KWL) chart. Students shared what they already knew about our solar system, anything they may have wanted to know about our solar system, and once the lesson was completed we reviewed the lesson and added what we have learned. We explored the book, The Planets in Our Solar System, taking a picture walk to help add to the KWL chart. Students who are emergent readers were encouraged to notice any words they may recognize to help reinforce sight words they have been learning. We explored a non-fiction book The Solar System in order to compare and contrast. I read facts from the non-fiction story to the students and asked students if the previous book stated different or similar facts. Following the comparison and contrast students were directed to share what they have learned and asked to draw a corresponding picture. Some students wrote words using invented spelling to describe their pictures, some students wrote the beginning sounds of their picture, and other students had their picture dictated.

Critical and Response Perspectives The critical perspective teaches

students how to examine a text, think critically about it and judge that text (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). This course has shown me the importance of activating students ability to think critically. As a pre-kindergarten teacher I tend to stay focus on the basics, identifying and writing letters, letter-sound relationships, and etc. Promoting critical thinking is just as important because it helps embrace students individuality. They examine text from different perspectives, as the author and various characters.

Critical and Response Perspectives Cont.

The response perspective gives students space to experience the text, and to respond to the text (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010b).

Initially, I thought that critical and response perspectives were the same which was wrong. I have learned that they coincide with each other and are equally important. I learned that critical perspectives is viewing a text from other points of view and response perspectives is viewing text from within. Comprehension is better developed when students are exposed to viewing perspectives. Including critical and response perspectives in literacy will help develop confidence within themselves and learn about their own abilities, interests, and needs (Burke, 2001).

Methods used to implement critical and responsive perspectives

Interactive read aloud

provide students with enough support to construct their own meaning and transact with the text in a way that made sense and gave purpose to them individually (Durand, Howell, & Schumacher)

Q & A Session

I asked students questions that requires them to think critically. Such questions as

What do you think the author wanted the reader to know

How would you feel if…

Literacy develops over time as students progress from emerging to skilled readers who can comprehend and analyze complex text. Strategies for increasing literacy development focus not only on improving reading skills, but also on developing the higher-order thinking skills that enable students to comprehend, analyze, and communicate about ideas (Focus on Effectiveness, 2005). Developing critical and response perspective will help mold students into strong readers.

References Burke S.J., (2001). A national curriculum defines what children learn

schools. Seychelles National Curriculum. Retrieved from: http://www.education.gov.sc/menu_files/CurriFramework.PDF

Focus on effectiveness. (2005). Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. Retrieved from: http://www.netc.org/focus/challenges/literacy.php

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). The Beginning Reader [Video webcast]. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=6071936&Survey=1&47=

7099940&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Tompkins, G. (2010). Literacy for the 21st century: A balanced approach. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon