Essential+Components


 * [[file:Literacy Components.doc]]What elements are essential components for literacy teaching and learning?**

Collective thoughts..

Kate - I am only talking primary and leaving the intermediate to you experts! Essential Components of a Balanced Literacy Primary Classroom
 * Word Study (Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Spelling, Vocabulary, Handwriting)
 * Read Aloud
 * Shared Reading
 * Guided Reading
 * Independent Reading
 * Above (parts or all) could be considered as a Reader's Workshop (including mini-lesson and time for individual conferring)
 * Oral Storytelling & Listening (K/1)
 * Interactive Writing
 * Shared Writing
 * Guided Writing
 * Independent Writing
 * Above (parts or all) could be considered as a Writer's Workshop (including mini-lesson and time for individual conferring)

Essential Components of a Balanced Literacy Classroom
 * Michele ~ Intermediate
 * Read Aloud
 * Shared Reading
 * Guided Reading
 * Independent Reading
 * Exposure to multiple genre's
 * Figurative Language (simile, hyperbole, metaphor, etc.)
 * Reader's Theater
 * Spelling
 * Writing process (brainstorming, drafting, editing, revising, publishing, self-reflection)
 * Interactive Writing (ideas, punctuation, grammar, etc.)
 * Independent Writing (for enjoyment and audience specific)
 * Author's Chair (being able to share writing with others)
 * Writing Portfolio's (folders/notebook/etc)

Elizabeth: First Grade Again, not an exhaustive list. Most of my components are the same as Michele and Kate's, so I am going to add ones I don't see on theirs.
 * Read aloud throughout the day for various reasons (community building, learning about other subjects, writing/reading instruction, fun)
 * Explicit instruction on reading strategies
 * Conversation about text
 * Oral language
 * Self-selected writing topics
 * writer's workshop (including writing, editing, conferring, publishing)
 * exposure to high quality texts in independent and shared reading (and read aloud)
 * high quality, well trained teachers and teacher leaders/coaches
 * at home support (as little as time set aside to read independently)

Julie: -Great work ladies! You captured a lot of what was on my brainstorming sheet. I will add just as Elizabeth did (forgive me, I think a few of mine are similar/mean the same thing OR can be taught and addressed through some of the areas already listed).
 * Think aloud - providing students with a model both visually and orally
 * Direct teaching of reading/writing skills and strategies
 * Grammar (small emphasis as defined briefly in our COS/addressed in writing workshop)
 * Vocabulary - particularly in middle school
 * Leveled texts to meet students individual needs
 * Guest readers and writers - building community support for literacy
 * Partnerships for literacy (library, parents, community, businesses, etc.)

__--- **__Reading__:** Read alouds (for pleasure, think alouds, vocabulary and word parts, more abstract literacy terms--i.e. simile, metaphor, hyperbole, alliteration, etc.; whole group instruction for strategies and skills; shared reading of common texts; guided reading in small groups with leveled texts (and/or other ways of differentiating texts); book groups; paired reading; independent reading; self-selected, group-selected, and assigned texts; book talks; book reccommendations; writing about reading. __**Writing:**__ teacher modeled writing; whole group instruction for strategies and skills; shared writing; workshop with built in process writing; journaling/keeping writer's notebook; writing for specific purpose and different audiences; word work, including introduction to new vocabulary, spelling conventions, and work with word parts and roots; writing about reading. __**Communication**__**:** active listening; responding to others' ideas; learning to critique own & others' work in respectful and fair ways; constructive disagreement; conversation about a subject--both self-selected and assigned topics; talking about reading.
 * Shelley**: __so much of what I'm writing will be redundant, but here goes!

As I looked over the postings by our committee it seemed like everyone was in agreement about the major components of a classroom literacy program. So here are some extra thoughts:
 * Kathleen: Primary**
 * Vygotsky** - Reminds us that instruction should be at the point of proximal development. Children can practice skills independently that they are close to controlling. It is our job to stretch them in appropriate small group work, with our support, to extend their learning.
 * Visual Literacy** - With emphasis on 21st century skills we need to help children interpret the information they are taking in through visual media.
 * Non-fiction** – Children usually have an easier time with fiction because they learn to understand story. Most often it is easier for teachers to help children learn to read fiction because of this understanding. We need to emphasize non-fiction strategies and skills along with fiction.
 * Conferences -** It is imperative that teachers find the time to conference individually with students. The first benefit is the teacher gains information about the child’s progress while the second is direction for instruction.
 * Reciprocity between reading and writing** - As a teacher struggles to include everything that is deemed important in a self-contained literacy program, we must remember that instruction in reading helps the child make gains as a writer and vice-versa.

Angie: Intermediate Reader's Workshop Model: Workshop allows teachers to use daily formative assessments to move each student to their highest potential. Writer's Workshop Word Study
 * Read Aloud - for model whole class reading stradegies, ie. think aloud, character development, plot analysis, visualization, ect.
 * Mini Lessons - Direct instruction to whole group or small group to scaffold a weaker skill
 * Independent Reading Time- Allows students self selection to grow the love of reading and time to practice new skills on text of interest
 * Guided Groups, Individual Conferences, and Lit Groups.- these should be based on student need for reinforcement or to extend their strength
 * Share - I believe this is an area teacher leave out because of time. I feel it is important for students to share about books they read and why they have enjoyed them as well as the skills they used when struggling with a reading skill or topic that was challenging
 * Mini Lessons- Conventions, Author's style, writing process, story elements, editing, ect.
 * Independent Writing Time - practicing the writing process of planning, drafting, conferring with peers, author examples, editing and publishing
 * Conferences- between peers and teacher, a time to set writing goals and check them
 * Sharing - Many time teacher share only when students publish, I believe in sharing for 5 minutes at the end of every workshop. We share great leads, descriptive sentences or powerful endings.
 * Mini lessons - patterns, rules, orgin
 * Independent time to practice and expand knowledge of mini lesson

Sorry for the rambling

__**GUIDED READING**__ (Kim Cullen) Guided reading is a strategy that helps students become good readers. The teacher provides support for small groups of readers as they learn to use various reading strategies (context clues, letter and sound relationships, word structure, and so forth). Although guided reading has been traditionally associated with primary grades it can be modified and used successfully in all grade levels. For example, older students may need to learn new strategies to understand how to read an information book in a way that is going to give them access to the information they are seeking.  "//In primary grades children are learning to read and in upper grades they are reading to learn." Anonymous//

Although the approach to guided reading is going to depend somewhat on your class size and grade level, the following suggestions can be used to provide an initial framework. >
 * 1)  Students should be divided into small groups (4-6 students). The younger the students the smaller the groups.
 * 1) Guided reading lessons are to be about 15-20 minutes in duration.
 * 2) Appropriately leveled reading materials must be selected for the group and each child should have his/her own copy of the literature.
 * 3) Pre-Reading: The teacher establishes a purpose for reading through prediction making, vocabulary introduction, or discussing ideas that will provide the readers with the background knowledge required for the text.
 * 4) Reading: The teacher observes the students as they read the text softly or silently to themselves. The teacher provides guidance and coaching to individuals based on her/his observations by providing prompts, asking questions, and encouraging attempts at reading strategy application.
 * 5) Post Reading: The teacher asks questions to ensure that the text has been comprehended by the readers and praises their efforts. Further, the teacher may observe gaps in strategy application and address these gaps following the reading in a mini-lesson format.
 * 6)  When you teach guided reading you are busy observing and instructing a small group of students. The other students in your class must be kept engage in a literacy activity while you are with your GR group. //To ensure success of guided reading, be prepared to invest time upfront teaching your students the procedures you would like them to follow while you are busy with the GR groups. Once you are certain that the students can follow the procedures THEN focus on actually teaching guided reading.//

source:http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/PD/instr/strats/guided/guided.html