Balanced Literacy: The Key to QualityReading Instruction

DeSoto USD 232Professional Development

August 16, 2005

Jeri Powers, Riverview Elementary

So, What’s the Problem???

“Overall, national longitudinal studies show that more than 17.5% of the nation’s children – about

10 million children – will encounter reading problems in the crucial first three years of their

schooling.”--National Reading Panel Progress Report, 2000)

Findings from the National Reading Panel:

Big Ideas for Reading Instruction Phonemic Awareness

Phonics

Vocabulary

Text Comprehension

Fluency

www.nationalreadingpanel.org/

What is Balanced Literacy?

Shared Reading

Guided Reading

Indep.Reading

Literacy Centers

Indep.Writing

Shared Writing

Guided Writing

Word Study

Read Aloud

What is Balanced Literacy?

Literacy Diet

Learning to Read

40% Fluency

20% Word Study

20% Comprehension

20% Writing

Reading to Learn

20% Fluency

20% Word Study

40% Comprehension

20% Writing

Fluency

What is it?• Speed: Rate at which students read• Word Recognition: Instantly and automatically,

freedom from word identification problems• Prosody: Read with expression, appropriate phrasing,

intonation

Why is it important?• “Slow reading is associated with poor comprehension

and poor overall reading performance.” - Rasinski, 2000• Faster readers tend to have better comprehension over

what is read and tend to be, overall, more proficient readers – Carver, 1990, Pinnell et al., 1995

• Excessively slow reading leads to reading frustration

Ways to Incorporate Fluency Ways to Incorporate Fluency Practice in the ClassroomPractice in the Classroom

Word StudyWhat is it?

It is an approach that integrates spelling, phonics, and vocabulary development. It teaches students processes and strategies for examining and thinking about words encountered in reading. –Bear, Templeton, 1998

Why is it important?• To read and write words appropriately fluently

and to appreciate how words work in context, instruction must balance reading and writing with purposeful word study.—Bear, Templeton, 1998

Ways to Incorporate Word Study Practice in the Classroom

Comprehension

What is it?• Constructing meaning from text through interchange of

ideas between reader and message• Involves vocabulary instruction• Influenced by reader’s prior knowledge and experiences

Why is it important?• It is the “essence of reading” – Durkin, 1993• Essential to academic learning and life-long learning –

NRP, 2000

Ways to Incorporate Comprehension in the Classroom

Writing

What is it?• Shared: Teacher and students work together to

compose text, “shared pen” or teacher acting as a scribe• Guided: Teacher guides student to revise and edit, “cut

up sentences”• Independent: “Free write” - Way to develop personal

views and become comfortable with the writing process

Why is it important?• Children learn to write by writing!• Writing and reading have a strong relationship

– Pikulski, 1995, P Cunningham, 1995

Ways to Incorporate Writing in the Classroom