by Diana Remick, Monthly Columnist
Not all students learn the same way or at the same rate. To ensure that students will receive the instruction they need, a balanced literacy approach is implemented in my classroom. The following information is in my 2nd Grade Handbook so that families understand and support the various components that make up our literacy block.
Developing A Comprehensive Literacy Approach
Balanced Literacy is a comprehensive approach to reading and writing instruction that includes whole class, small group, and individualized instruction. As part of a Balanced Literacy approach your student will experience:
- Read-Aloud
- Shared Reading and Writing
- Guided Reading and Writing
- Independent Reading and Writing
- Interactive Writing
- Letter and Word Study
What is a Read-Aloud?
- An activity in which the teacher reads a book aloud to the whole group
- The purpose is to model appropriate reading behaviors and reading strategies
- A time to expose children to a variety of genres and literary styles
- The teacher has an opportunity to show students the joys of reading
- The teacher can teach how to think and discuss text by thinking aloud
- The teacher has a set purpose for reading and models what a good reader sounds like
What is Shared Reading and Writing?
- A time when the teacher is introducing a mini-lesson to the whole group using text that is read aloud together
- Mini-lessons include comprehension skills, word attack skills, reading strategies, fluency, literary styles, and content of text
What is Guided Reading and Writing?
- The teacher works with small groups of children that are on the same reading level or need instruction on the same skill
- Each student has their own text, notebook, or other necessary materials
- Other students are able to work independently with a text, practicing the skills taught in Shared Reading, or rotating through Literacy Centers
What is Independent Reading and Writing?
- A time for students to read and write for their own enjoyment
- Students select text based on their reading level and from their Browsing Bags
- Students select writing prompts based upon their interests
What is Interactive Writing?
- A teaching technique where the teacher and student are sharing the pen
- A way to model and coach writers as they are learning new writing tools
- An opportunity for young writers to see and hear the processes that authors use because the writer sharing the pen is “thinking aloud”
What is Letter and Word Study?
- A time when the teacher works with the whole group on phonics skills, spelling strategies, and grammar lessons
- A time when the teacher works with small groups to reinforce skills and strategies
What is Reader’s Workshop?
- A way to teach literacy using a balanced approach
- It provides various ways to teach reading and writing to students by using differentiated instruction and providing activities that support various learning styles
- Students have choices in reading material
- Students learn reading strategies and skills
- Students become familiar with good literature and develop a relationship with established authors
- Students respond to reading in many different ways
- Students learn to be life long readers
What is Writer’s Workshop?
- A writing approach that honors students as writers and helps them see themselves as authors
- Differentiated instruction that supports writers at different rates, learning styles as well as interests
- Grammar, Mechanics, Spelling are all embedded within the writing instruction (for example, students must apply the use of capital letters and end marks as they edit their writing)
- Writers apply the writing process as they develop ideas to write through the steps of Brainstorming, Planning, Drafting, Revising, Editing, Publishing, and the Celebration
- Writers generate Ideas/Content in their writing, they Organize ideas, develop Voice, use strong Word Choice, vary Sentence Fluency, and correct Conventions (Six-Analytical Traits of Writing)
- Writers use developmentally appropriate spelling as they develop as writers and grow to more conventional spelling
About the Author
Diana Remick is a mother of three and 2nd grade teacher to many. She resides in La Junta, Colorado. Both her and her husband teach at La Junta Primary School. Mrs. Remick has been an elementary educator for 18 years. She earned both her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and her Master’s degree in Reading and Linguistically Diverse Education from Adams State College.