Enjoying Literacy

I have been teaching for 34 years. It was very difficult to change the way I was teaching children. Many programs have fallen by the wayside in those 32 years. So, I was skeptical, and had resistance to learning anything new. Pretty normal, wouldn't you say?

Implementing the new Literacy Program was done a little at a time. It was scary at first, but then I noticed something I hadn't before. Books were flying off of the shelves. Children began challenging themselves, and wanted desperately to go to the next reading level. Reading buddies became very popular. Lots of cooperative learning was taking place. Children couldn't wait to do Writers' Workshop. Something magical was happening in my classroom!

I have learned a lot these past few years. That is why I have created this page. I am encouraging all of you to take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy your teaching years. Don't get stressed out by others. Only you know your kids! I am confident that by sharing with your peers (problems and successes), keeping current in reading, and teaching with the style that only you possess, success will be underway.

These are the components of a Balanced Literacy Program. I will provide you articles to explain each component, teacher websites in which they are used, and links to many different lesson plans, books and activities.

Read about:

Literacy Collaborative

Reading Together Tips

Instructional Guide K-2 Literacy(PDF)

Four Blocks Literacy Model

Journal Writing

Any questions or comments?

*Let me know if this page seems to be of use to you or if there is anything else you'd like added.

[email protected]

"A book is like a garden in the pocket."

-Chinese Proverb

Making Class Big Books	Phonemic Awareness Ideas
Balanced Literacy	Literacy Center
Literacy Connections	Poetry Notebooks
Class Big Book Ideas	Blank Big Books
Literacy Hour	Educators' E-Source

Word Study: Word study provides students with the opportunity to become aware of sounds in words and how they relate to symbols in written language. Word study prepares students to become familiar with both the visual aspects of letters and words and the phonological pattern of words. Beginning readers are taught the alphabet, the relationship between sounds and letters, blending of sound-letter links, high frequency words as well as regular patterns.

Word Study Strategies

Look, Cover, Write And Check

Word Study and Literacy Links

Words Block

Word Knowledge

What Teachers Need to Know About Word Study

Word Sorts and Activities

Word Study/Phonics

Guided Reading: Guided reading provides an opportunity for students to practice reading strategies and take responsibility for their reading. Students practice for themselves the strategies that have been introduced in shared reading. The text that is selected must match the needs of the group of readers. Teachers using this approach must be able to identify the supports and challenges in the reading material. With some guidance, students read for themselves within the group setting. Teachers listen in and make decisions on the instructional needs of each student.

Guided Reading Opportunities in Good Literature

Getting Started With Guided Reading

Guided Reading Sample Lesson

Guided Reading Small Book

Ohio Reading: Resources

Reading Workshop

Readability Tools : Find stories your student can read using Reading Level Estimator then Score your reading assessments (a.k.a. running records) quickly and accurately with this online calculator! Reading Assessment Calculator

Guided Reading Plan

Teacher's Guided Reading Planning Template

Guided Reading

Everything About Guided Reading

Leveled Book List

Guided Reading Through Children's Literature

Road to Reading

Four Blocks

Guided Reading the Four Block Way

Four Blocks for Upper Grades

Jordan School District Balanced Literacy Pack

Literacy Core Resources

Literacy Development

Blocks4Reading.com

Leveling Help

Shared Reading : Shared reading with an enlarged text or a text everyone can see provides an opportunity for all students to successfully participate in reading. Each student, regardless of reading level, can be engaged in the reading process. Teachers demonstrate the reading process and strategies that successful readers use. Students and teachers share the task of reading, supported by a safe environment in which the entire class reads text (with the assistance of the teacher) which might otherwise prove to be too difficult. Students learn to interpret illustrations, diagrams, and charts. Teachers identify and discuss with students the conventions, structures, and language features of written texts.

Using shared reading

Shared Reading: An Effective Instructional Model

What Is Shared Reading?

Shared Reading/Big Books

Shared Reading Motivates Children

Writer's Workshop ~Types of Writing:

Modeled Writing
Modeled writing introduces students to the joys of writing. Teachers demonstrate strategies as a proficient adult writer. Teachers model the writing process and through the process adds, revises, asks questions and clarifies purpose of the writing.

Shared Writing
Shared writing provides an opportunity for all students to successfully participate in the writing process. The students and teacher share the task of writing. The writing comes from the students' thoughts and ideas. Teachers identify and discuss with students the conventions, structures and language features of written text.

Guided Writing
Guided writing provides an opportunity to work with groups of students or an individual student on effective writing strategies as determined through teacher observation of student behaviors and work. The needed strategies and skills are demonstrated within the context of authentic writing tasks. This is an opportunity to develop a student's independence and ability to self-monitor own learning of writing strategies and skills.

Independent Writing
Independent writing provides an opportunity for students to practice using the writing strategies they have learned during modeled writing, shared writing and guided writing. Students are encouraged to write for authentic purposes and use a variety of styles. Teachers conference with students and encourage them to publish their work.

What is Writer's Workshop?

Writing Workshop

Making Writing Fun

How to Start a Writer's Workshop

Grade 3 Writer's Workshop

Writer's Workshop Grades 4-6

Read-Aloud : Reading aloud introduces students to the joys of reading and the art of listening. Reading aloud provides opportunities to model reading strategies. Through reading aloud students understand that the language of books is different from spoken language, develop understanding of the patterns and structures of written language, learn new words and ideas, and learn about and locate models of particular genres or forms of writing.

Reading Aloud To Children

Read Alouds

Read Aloud Books

Favorite Read Alouds

Chapter Books to Read Aloud

What Are Read Alouds?

Read Alouds Sorted by Grade Level

Independent Reading: Independent reading by students gives them opportunities to practice the strategies they have learned in shared reading, guided reading, read aloud and word study. Teachers provide guidance with book choices, tailor teaching to meet individual needs and meet with individuals to monitor progress. Books from a range of levels are available in the classroom. Students become proficient at selecting books that match their interests and reading level.

Independent Reading Rubric

The Effects of Independent Reading on Reading Achievement

Independent Reading ~ How do I get started?

Reading Language Arts-Independent Reading

Independent Reading Scoring Guide

Reader's Theatre

Stellaluna Readers Theatre

Readers Theater Scripts of the Month

Readers Theater Plays and Scripts - To Print

Gander Academy: Readers Theatre

Readers Theatre Readers Theatre Scripts

Language Arts and Readers Theatre

Mrs. McGowan's Reading Theatre

Readers Theatre for Teachers

Readinglady Readers Theatre

Three Billy Goats Gruff The Magic Carpet Ride

Swamp Thing!! The King's Wish

Dinosaur Land

Little Red Hen Rumpelstiltskin, Private Eye

Moira's Birthday Nursery Rhymes with a Twist

The Grasshopper and the Ants Chicken Little

The One in the Middle Is the Green Kangaroo

Dinosaurs Reader's Theatre Where the Wild Things Are

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs Casey at the Bat

Professional Books

Six Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide

Teaching for Comprehension in Reading, Grades K-2 by: Pinnell & Scharer

Guiding Readers and Writers by Fountas and Pinnell

Marie Clay's Observation Survey: This book contains good information about taking and interpreting Running Records. In addition, many teacher resources from Wright Group and Rigby will be of value.

On Solid Ground by Sharon Taberski

Mosaic of Thought: Teaching Comprehension in Reader's Workshop ~By: Ellin Oliver Keene

A Writer's Notebook : Unlocking the Writer Within You By: Ralph Fletcher

Live Writing:Breathing Life Into Your Words

By: Ralph Fletcher

Scaffolding Young Writers By: Linda J. Dorn

It is primarily geared for K-3. Good examples of mini-lessons, and ways to organize.

Strategies That Work : Teaching Comprehension to Enhance Understanding By Stephanie Harvey, Anne Goudvis

Guided Reading: Good First Teaching for AllChildren By: Irene C. Fountas, Gay Su Pinnell

Matching Books to Readers: Using Leveled Books In Guided Reading, K-3 By: Gay Su Pinnell, Lois Bridges Bird, Irene C. Fountas

Guided Reading Making It Work: Grades K-3

By: Mary Browning Schulman, Carleen dacruz Payne

The Key Elements of classroom Management: Managing Time and Space, Student Behavior, and Instructional Strategies
By: Joyce McLeod, Jan Fisher, Ginny Hoover

K-5 First Year Teacher's Guide to Survival By: Susan R. Stein

How To Catch a Shark and other Stories About Teaching By: Donald Graves

Teaching the Youngest Writers By: Marcia Freeman

Assessments: Systematic assessment, which is recorded, builds a profile of the progress a child is making in literacy. Ongoing assessment informs teaching, tells teachers what students can do and what they need to do next. Teachers assess students in a variety of ways and focus on individual students. Running records, informal comprehension assessments, observations and writing samples are all critical components of purposeful assessing. In addition to ongoing assessment, students participate in assessments such as standardized testing and district assessment portfolios.