becoming an effective teacher of reading

By Sarah L. Lopez

BECOMING AN EFFECTIVE TEACHER OF READING

Behaviorism ConstructivismInteractive

SociolinguisticsReader ResponseCritical Literacy

Teacher-Centered Student-Centered

PRINCIPLE 1: EFFECTIVE TEACHERS UNDERSTAND HOW CHILDREN LEARN

Code BreakersText

ParticipantsText UsersText Critics

PRINCIPLE 1: EFFECTIVE TEACHERS UNDERSTAND HOW CHILDREN LEARN

CRITICAL LITERACY

• 44 speech sounds (phonemes)

• Grapheme (written representation)

The Phonolog

ical or Sound System

• Syntax• Morpheme

The Syntacic

or Structural System

• Vocabulary Based• Sematics,

Synonyms, Antonyms, Homonyms

The Sematic

or Meanin

g System

• Function (English language varies according to social and cultural issues)

The Pragmatic or Social and

Cultural Use

System

PRINCIPLE 2: EFFECTIVE TEACHERS SUPPORT CHILDREN’S USE OF THE

FOUR CUEING SYSTEMS

Response

Choice

Opportunities Risk Taking

Response

Demonstration

Assessment Response

Instruction

Classrooms are social settings in which students read, discuss, and write about

literature.

PRINCIPLE 3: EFFECTIVE TEACHERS CREATE A COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS

1. Develop students’ skills knowledge

2. Instructional approaches sometimes viewed as opposites

3. Variety of reading materials

• Involve both reading and writing

• Skills and strategies taught directly and inderectly

• Learning word recognition and identification, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension

• Express meaningful ideas• Goal: Develop lifelong readers

and writers

3 Principles of Balanced Literacy Approach

Characteristics of Balanced Program

PRINCIPLE 4: EFFECTIVE TEACHERS ADOPT BALANCED APPROACH TO

LITERACY INSTRUCTION

• Read fluently with expression and talk about strategies used while reading.

• Teach procedure for new reading or writing activity.

• Choral reading, readers theatre• Guided literacy activities

• Independent Reading and writing

Modeling/ Shared Reading and Writing

Interactive/Guided Reading and Writing

PRINCIPLE 5: EFFECTIVE TEACHERS SCAFFOLD CHILDREN’S READING AND

WRITING EXPERIENCES

Basal Reading ProgramsLiterature Focus Units

Literature CirclesReading and Writing Workshop

PRINCIPLE 6: EFFECTIVE TEACHERS ORGANIZE LITERACY INSTRUCTION IN

FOUR WAYS

• Determine students’ background knowledge

• Identify reading levels• Monitor learning• Identify strengths and

weaknesses

• Analyze spelling development

• Document learning• Showcase students’ best

work• Assign grades

PRINCIPLE 7: EFFECTIVE TEACHERS CONNECT INSTRUCTION AND

ASSESSMENT

Effective teachers identify their goals and plan their instruction at the same time as they develop their assessment plan

Back to school nights

Newsletters

Conferences with parents

Workshops

Phone calls

PRINCIPLE 8: EFFECTIVE TEACHERS BECOME PARTNERS WITH PARENTS

“Parents are the most powerful influence on children’s literacy development.”

PROVIDING LITERACY INFORMATION TO PARENTS

Evaluation

Recognition

Variety

Training

Recruitment

PRINCIPLE 8: EFFECTIVE TEACHERS BECOME PARTNERS WITH PARENTS

PARENT VOLUNTEERS

PRINCIPLE 8: EFFECTIVE TEACHERS BECOME PARTNERS WITH PARENTS

SUPPORTING LITERACY AT HOME

• Support groups for parents

• Parents develop their own reading and writing competencies

• Planned interactions between parents and

children

• Programs that support parents as children’s first teachers

• Educate parents on the importance of literacy at home

“Parents are children’s first and best teachers.”