Balanced Literacy

Program By: Lizzie Pope

“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” --Emilie Buchwald

Children become real readers by reading high-quality texts,

hearing others read fluently, and by authentically interacting with

texts.

Balanced Literacy Consists of…

Read AloudShared ReadingGuided ReadingLiterature CirclesIndependent ReadingModeled WritingInteractive WritingGuided WritingIndependent Writing Spelling and Word Study

Fitting it all in…Time Subject Balanced Literacy Element

8:40 – 9:00

Morning Procedures

Independent Writing – Journaling Independent Reading Book Selection

9:00 – 10:00

Writer’s Workshop

Modeled Writing, Interactive Writing, Independent Writing, Guided Writing, & Read Aloud

10:00 – 11:30 Reading Block

Shared Reading, Guided Reading, Literature Circles, Work Stations, Independent Reading, Read Aloud & Word Study

11:30 – 12:15

Lunch/Recess

12:15 – 12:45 Word Study Spelling & Word Study

12:45 – 1:05

Independent Reading

Self-Selected Reading & Reading Conferences

1:05 – 1:35

Special Area Class

Shared Reading, Read Aloud & Word Study

1:20 – 1:50

Intervention Groups

Reading Interventions & Enrichment

1:50 – 2:50 Math Shared Reading & Independent Writing

2:50 – 3:20 Content Area Dependent upon the lesson

Benefits of Read Alouds

Students are introduced to a variety of texts

Students hear fluent reading

Teacher shares her thinking (Think Alouds)

Students are provided with quality writing models

Creates a sense of community

Shared Reading

Shared reading creates a safe

environment for students to read

aloud a text.

Big books, charts, individual copies or

an overhead transparency of a text may be used

for shared reading.

Guided

Reading

“In guided reading, the teacher guides small groups of students in the reading of texts that offer a bit, but not too much of a challenge for them.” (Graves, 256)

Independent Reading

Students read texts that they have chosen.

Books should be “Good Fits” Meet their need (to

inform, entertain, or persuade them)

Match their interests At an appropriate

reading level Students are given

time to actually read. Students are

encouraged to get comfortable.

Modeled Writing

The teacher writes in front of the students.

Teacher often shares her thinking as she goes through the writing process.

Interactive Writing

Guided WritingIn guided writing, the teacher works

with small groups of students and teaches them a writing strategy.

These groups are formed based on a similar need.

During interactive writing, the teacher and the students may “share the pen.” The class may share ideas and write a piece together. Or, the students and teacher may write back and forth with one another, possibly in journals, on charts or sticky notes.

Independent Writing

Students are expected to choose their own topics.

Students go through the writing process at their own pace.

Published pieces are assessed using a rubric.

Spelling and Word Study

Students are given weekly spelling tests. Each child is expected to learn five new words each week.

Students student vocabulary in context and explore word parts, Greek & Latin roots, and make words during word study time.

AssessmentsInformal Assessments

Listening In

Turn and Talk

Running Records

Hand Signals

Journals

Self-Evaluations

Formal Assessments

DIBELS

SRI (Scholastic Reading Inventory)

Acuity

ISTEP+

Comprehension Tests

Published Writing

Presentations

Rubrics

Rubrics are often used to evaluate students’ academic achievement and growth.

Flexible Whole Group

Small GroupAbility

Needs-Based

Types of Grouping

HeterogeneousInterest

How You Can Help

Literary Websites

Check out the following websites to learn more ways in which you can help your child:www.readingrockets.org

Reading Rockets provides many resources for children that are struggling with reading.

www.rif.orgReading is Fundamental contains a lot of research-

based strategies on how you can help your child.

www.colorincolorado.org A great website aimed at helping English Language Learners become literate.

Works Cited

Graves, M.F., Juel, C., & Graves, B.B. (2007). Teaching reading in the 21st century. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Trelease, J. (2008). Jim trelease's home page. Retrieved from http://www.trelease-on-reading.com