Introduction to Balanced Literacy Tulsa Public Schools Office of Curriculum and Instruction

Introduction to Balanced Literacy

Tulsa Public Schools

Office of Curriculum and Instruction

An Introduction to Balanced Literacy Tulsa Public Schools

Match each component of a Balanced Literacy Program to the correct description by writing the number on the line next to the description. 1. Read Aloud 4. Independent Reading 2. Shared Reading 5. Word Study

3. Guided Reading 6. Writing ____ Teacher guides whole group reading of text ____ Teacher-led instruction with word patterns ____ Teacher guides students through a focused writing process ____ Students engage in independent reading while the teacher monitors and conferences with students ____ Teacher guides small group reading of text while other students engage in meaningful practice of literacy skills ____ Teacher reads and models comprehension skills while students listen

Identify the balanced literacy component described in each statement. ________________ Direct instruction of comprehension strategies using grade-level text. ________________ Explicit and systematic study of how words are formed and their meanings are derived. ________________ Students engage in choral reading, echo reading, and reader’s theater. ________________ Students work in flexible and needs-based groups determined by current data. ________________ Students apply what they have learned about decoding and comprehension while reading independent-level texts (>95% accuracy). ________________ The single most important activity for building knowledge for eventual (academic) success. ________________ Focuses on: 1) sound-symbol relationships and English language conventions, and 2) communicating ideas, messages, and stories. ________________ Students practice comprehension strategies and decoding with instructional-level texts. ________________The best predictor of reading achievement and the amount of gain made by students between second and fifth grade.

Components of a Balanced Literacy Block

• Read Aloud

• Whole Group Shared Reading

• Small Group Guided Reading

• Independent Reading

• Word Study

• Writing

I Do – We Do- You Do

Fisher and Frey, 2007

Read Aloud•Teacher reads and models comprehension skills while students listen•10-15 minutes

• Research has found:– The single most important activity for

building knowledge for their eventual

success is reading aloud to children.

– Children who have not been read to by parents

often enough to develop knowledge of written language and how it differs from oral language can get it from being read to by teachers.

– Reading aloud to children increases language and literacy development when teachers are intentional and purposeful about why they read, what they read, and how books are read.

– The advantages of read-alouds…include developing positive attitudes toward and enjoyment in reading, strengthening cognitive development, and instilling a sense of story structure and organization.

– Teachers can make a large difference in children’s vocabulary development when they take time to explain and talk about important new words during read-alouds.

– Reading aloud interactively builds comprehension. It has maximum learning potential when children have opportunities to actively participate and respond.

I Do – We Do- You Do

Fisher and Frey, 2007

Discussion Question

• Why would purposefully pre-planning your read aloud improve student learning?

Whole Group Shared Reading• Teacher guides whole group reading of text• 20-30 minutes

The Focus for

Whole Group Shared Reading

• Build book and print awareness• Activate background knowledge• Direct instruction of vocabulary• Direct instruction of comprehension strategies

with grade-level text• Instruction and repeated practice in decoding• Increase reading accuracy and fluency• Students engage in choral reading,

echo reading, and reader’s theater

I Do – We Do- You Do

Fisher and Frey, 2007

Small Group Guided Reading

•Teacher guides small group reading of text while other

students engage in meaningful practice of literacy skills •40-60 minutes

The Framework for Small Group Guided Reading

• Students practice comprehension strategies

and decoding with instructional level text (90-94% accuracy)• Groups are flexible and needs-based (data)

– Book and print awareness– Phonics skills– Reading accuracy and fluency– Reading comprehension

• Other students work independently or with partners on literacy tasks to practice and consolidate skills previously taught– How will the practice propel students forward as readers?– On which task does each student need to work to become

more proficient?– Are students able to do the activity independently?

I Do – We Do- You Do

Fisher and Frey, 2007

Discussion Question

• How are whole group shared reading and small group guided reading different?

Independent Reading

•Students engage in independent reading while the

teacher monitors and conferences with students•15-20 minutes

The Research

Anderson, Wilson, and Fielding (1988) found the amount of time students spend reading independently is the best predictor of reading achievement and the amount of gain made by students between second and fifth grade. They also found that students who begin reading a book in school are more likely to continue to read outside of school.

The Structure of Independent Reading

• Students apply what they have learned about decoding and comprehension while reading independent-level texts (>95% accuracy).– Book and print awareness, phonics, accuracy fluency,

comprehension

• Students in upper elementary grades benefit from tracking their thinking and monitoring comprehension through writing.

• Conferencing with students and administering assessments help teachers identify individual needs.

Correlation Between Time Spent Reading and Standardized Test Results

Percentile Rank Minutes Read per Day Estimated Words Read per Year

98 90.7 4,733,000

90 40.4 2,357,000

70 21.7 1,168,000

50 12.9 601,000

20 3.1 134,000

10 1.6 51,00

Dr. David Bennett, Chicago Rush University

I Do – We Do- You Do

Fisher and Frey, 2007

Word Study•Teacher-led instruction with word patterns•20 minutes

The Focus for Word Study• Must be explicit and systematic

• Phonological awareness

– Rhymes, syllables, onsets/rimes

• Phonics

– Letter-sound correspondence, patterns, and decoding skills

• Word and Structural Analysis

– Contractions, inflected endings, homophones, syllable types

– Using parts of words (prefixes, suffixes, Greek and Latin roots) to decode multi-syllable words

and understand word meaning

I Do – We Do- You Do

Fisher and Frey, 2007

Discussion Question

• How does word study compare to traditional spelling instruction?

Writing • Teacher guides students through a focused writing

process• 30-60 minutes

Research

Although handwriting and correct spelling are skills children must eventually master, these are not the focus when we engage children in writing…[it] is a form of communication… (Nueman, Roskos, Wright,

and Lenhart, 2007).

The Structure of Writing

• Use the writing process for two purposes:– Mechanics (sound-symbol relationships and English language

conventions)– Content (communicating ideas, messages, and stories)

• Focused Process Writing:– Provides explicit instruction for specific genres of writing– Pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, publishing

• Components:– Mini-lessons – Shared Writing– Independent Writing– Conferencing

I Do – We Do- You Do

Fisher and Frey, 2007

ANTICIPATION GUIDEAnswer Key

– Direct instruction of comprehension strategies with grade-level text.

Shared Reading

- Explicit and systematic study of how words are formed and their meanings are derived.

Word Study

Students engage in choral reading, echo reading, and reader’s theater

Shared Reading-

Students work in flexible and needs-based groups determined by current data.

Guided Reading-

Students apply what they have learned about decoding and comprehension while reading independent-level texts (>95% accuracy).

Independent Reading-

The single most important activity for building knowledge for eventual (academic) success. Read Aloud-

Focuses on: 1) sound-symbol relationships and English language conventions, and 2) communicating ideas, messages, and stories.

Writing-

Students practice comprehension strategies and decoding with instructional-level texts.

Guided Reading-

- The best predictor of reading achievement and the amount of gain made by students between second and fifth grade.

Independent Reading-

Contact Information

If you have additional questions about the balanced literacy overview you may contact:

Francine Swickheimer: swicklo@tulsaschools.org

Natalie Hutto: huttona@tulsaschools.org

Brandie Berry: berrybr@tulsaschools.org