BalancedLiteracy

By: Jessica HallSpring 2012

ELED 370/390Dr. Weber

Table of Contents:Balanced LiteracyReading

Stages of readingFactors influencing desire to readLevels of readingAssessmentsLeveled reading programsLexile resourcesGuided reading vs. Basal readingTypes of textText genresText featuresGraphic organizers for readingSkills vs. strategiesComprehensionComprehension strategiesFluencyReading rates

WritingStages of developmental progression towards literacyThe writing processGraphic organizers for writing

Word StudyPrinciplesPhonicsPhonemic awarenessStrategies for word identificationAlphabetic principleConsonants and vowelsPhonics ConceptsMost useful phonics rulesPhonograms/ word familiesHomonymsStrategies and activities for teaching phonicsWord sortSynonyms and antonymsVocabularySpellingTeaching spellingSpelling lesson ideasSight wordsEtymology

Resources

BalancedLiteracy

What is Balanced Literacy?

ReadingWritingWord Study

A complete teaching approach that balances each of the three target areas of literacy: 1. Reading2. Writing3. Word Study

Balanced Literacy

Reading

Stages of Reading:

Stage 1 Pre-reading •Activate background knowledge•Set purpose•Introduce key vocabulary words•Make predictions •Preview text

Stage 2 Reading •Read or listen to text from beginning to end•Apply reading strategies and skills•Examine illustrations, charts, diagrams•Take notes

Stage 3 Responding •Write in reading logs•Grand conversation or other discussions

Stage 4 Exploring •Reread all or parts•Learn new vocabulary•Reading strategies

Stage 5 Applying •Construct projects•Read related books•Evaluate the reading experience

Factors that influence students’ Desire to Read, “D2R”:

1. A nurturing classroom community – feelings of confidence and success for all students

2. Choices – student motivation is much higher when they can choose their own reading materials.

3. Time – Give students plenty of time for independent reading, and listening to text read by the teacher.

Student Reading LevelsThere are 3 levels of studentreading teachers need to be aware of:

1. Independent Level – The ultimate goal for all readers. Can read a text with 95% accuracy. (99% is ideal!)

2. Instructional Level – Where students can read with scaffolding from teacher.Can read a text with 90-94% accuracy.

3. Frustration Level – We never want a child to read at this level. If a child is here, go back and find their independent and instructional levels!Cannot read text with at least 90% accuracy.

The only way to determine a child’s reading level is to assess them! Either formally or informally.

Assessments: Formative (on-going) used to determine individual student’s reading level, and

strengths and weaknesses:

Formal Assessments:Running Records Oral reading assessment of word identification and reading

fluency. Miscues or errors are analyzed.Portfolios Collection of student’s work. Students choose items.

High Stakes Testing Annual standardized tests to analyze student capabilities in comparison to other students of the same grade and age.

SOLOM Student Oral Language Observation Matrix. Addresses 5 components of oral language: listening, fluency, vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar.

Informal Assessments:Observations Teachers become a “kid watcher”. Monitor student

progress to determine instructionAnecdotal Notes Jotting down brief notes as students are observed.

Conferences Talking with students: on-the-spot, planned, revising, book discussion, editing and evaluation.

Checklists Identifies evaluation criteria

Rubrics Scoring guides with specific criteria

Students’ Work Samples

A collection of student’s work to document progress

IRI’s – Informal Reading Inventories

Commercial test used for screening and diagnosing students’ reading levels, strengths and weaknesses.

Assessments should drive instructions

Leveled Reading Programs:Accurately pairing students with books at their individual reading levels.

Developmental Reading Assessment

DRA is an informal reading assessment administered to students. The scores range from 1-80. DRA is designed to differentiate instruction for students according to their reading levels.

Scholastic Reading Inventory

An interactive computer based assessment program that determines and reports a student’s Lexile level to the teacher.

The Lexile Framework A method of estimating the difficulty level of a text and the reading level of a student, to make matching student reading levels to texts more accurately.

Readability Formulas A system used to estimate the difficulty of a text.

Leveled Books Fountas and Pinnell developed a text gradient, or classification system that arranges books along a continuum from easiest to hardest to match students to books in grades k-8 (Tompkins 78).

Grade Level, Guided

Reading,DRA, ReadingRecovery and

Lexile Conversion

ChartUsed forMatching

students to texts at

individuallevelsin any

classroomor school

Accessing Lexile Measures for Texts:

• http://www.scholastic.com/bookwizard/

• http://www.lexile.com/fab/

Accessing Lexile suggested book lists by Lexile measure and interests:

Guided Reading vs. Basal Reading Programs

Guided Reading:• Assesses students to find their instructional reading levels. • Small groups with teacher guided instruction and scaffolding.• Each group member reads the same text.• Groups may include discussions and specific strategy uses.

Basal Reading Program:• Whole group instruction.• All students read the same text.• No differentiated instruction for students at higher or lower

reading levels.• “Popcorn” or “Round Robin” reading is common.

Types of Text

1. Informational books /Expository /Nonfiction: provides detailed information.

2. Fiction: A narrative about characters trying to overcome something or deal with difficulties.

3. Poetry: layout and arrangement of words looks different from a page in a story.

Nonfiction Genres:1. Informational books – provides facts about a

topic.2. Alphabet Books – an alphabetically ordered

book with pictures and facts3. Biographies – written about a specific

person’s life.

Nonfiction Text Features:Headings – the big ideaPhotographs & Drawings – Illustrates the big ideaFigures, maps and tables – provides detailed information visuallyMargin notes – provides supplemental informationHighlighted vocabulary – identifies key termsGlossary – assists readers in pronouncing and defining key terms.Review section – highlights big ideas at the end of a chapter or bookIndex – assists reader to identify specific location in text of specific information.Table of Contents – An outline of the book’s layout.

Graphic Organizers for Nonfiction

Description

Cause and Effect

Sequencing

Comparison

Problem - Solution

For More Graphic Organizers visit:http://www.enchantedlearning.com/graphicorganizers

Genres of Fiction / Stories:

• Folktales• Fables• Fairytales• Myths• Legends• Tall Tales• Fantasies

• Modern Literary Tales• Fantastic Stories• Science Fiction• Realistic Fiction• Contemporary Stories• Historical Fiction

Elements of Story Structure

• Theme – The underlying meaning of the story the emotional aspect

Beginning Middle End•Introduce characters•Describe the setting•Problem is introduced

•Plot unfolds•Foreshadowing•Conflict heightens•Roadblocks

•High Point •Problem solved

• Plot – sequence of events:• Characters – People or personified animals in the story they are developed

through descriptions of: appearance, actions, dialogue and monologue.• Setting: Location, Weather conditions, Time Period (past, present and

future) and Time (time of day, passage of time)• Point of View: Who is “telling” the story?

• First Person viewpoint – “I” main character is the narrator• Omniscient viewpoint – Author is “”godlike”, seeing and knowing all thoughts of all characters• Limited Omniscient viewpoint – Third person, thoughts of only one character are given• Objective viewpoint – Readers are eyewitness to the story and are confined only to the immediate scene.

Graphic Organizers for Fiction

Character Map

Story Train

Story Map

CharacterComparison

Venn Diagrams

For More Graphic Organizers visit:http://www.enchantedlearning.com/graphicorganizers

PoetryPoetic forms:1. Rhymed Verse – various rhyming schemes, limerick2. Narrative Poems – tell a story3. Haiku – 5-7-5 syllabic pattern, Japanese origin, usually about nature4. Free Verse – unrhymed poetry5. Odes – celebrate everyday objects, unrhymed6. Concrete Poems – poem takes on the shape of the topic

Poetic devices:1. Assonance – vowel sound repeated 2. Consonance – consonant sounds are repeated3. Imagery – appeals to senses, provokes mental picture4. Metaphor – comparison without “like/as”5. Onomatopoeia – words that imitate a sound6. Repetition – repeated words/phrases for effect7. Rhyme – words with the same rime sound8. Rhythm – internal beat felt when read aloud9. Simile – comparison using “like/as”10. Layout – lines, stanzas

Skills vs. StrategiesSkill – An automatic processing behavior that

students use in reading and writing

Strategy – A cognitive problem-solving behavior that students use in reading and writing.

Comprehension……is a multifaceted thinking process…is the main purpose for reading…is a reader’s process of using prior experiences and

author’s text to construct meaning…gives personal meaning to text …involves skills and strategies used by reader…is NOT possible if student is reading at a frustration level.…is an invisible mental process

Comprehension Strategies:(Tompkins page 262 & 273)

Comprehension Strategy Teacher’s role/procedures Student’s role

Activating Background Knowledge •Students do a brainstorming activity•Student’s develop a K-W-L chart

Make connections between what they know and the information in the text

Connecting •Students write a double-entry in journal•Students become a character in the hot seat

Make connections: text-to-self, text-to-world and text-to-text

Determining Importance •Students create graphic organizers•Students make posters highlighting “big ideas”

Notice the big ideas and the relationships between them.

Drawing Inferences •Students use post-its to highlight clues in text•Students create charts with clues, questions and inferences

“Read between the lines” using clues and background knowledge.

Evaluating •Students write reflections and evaluations in reading logs•Students conference with the teacher

Readers evaluate both the and their reading experience.

Monitoring •Students think aloud to demonstrate how they monitor•Students write about the strategies used

Readers supervise their reading experience, checking that they’re understanding the text.

Predicting •Students make and share predictions•Students write predictions in journals

Readers make thoughtful “guesses” about what will happen.

Questioning •Students brainstorm a list of questions•Students ask questions during grand conversations

Readers ask themselves literal and inferential questions about the text.

Repairing •Students make charts about comprehension problems•Students think aloud and write in journals to repair

Readers identify a problem interfering with comprehension and then solve it.

Setting a purpose •Students identify their purpose for reading•Students write about the purpose in reading logs

Readers identify a broad focus to direct their reading through the text.

Summarizing •Students write a summary•Students create visual summaries with words, diagrams and pictures

Readers paraphrase the big ideas to create a concise statement.

Visualizing •Students create open-minded portraits of characters•Students draw pictures of episodes from the book•Students role-play episodes from the book

Readers create mental images of what they’re reading.

Teaching Comprehension Strategies:

• Introduce the strategy• Describe the strategy• Model the strategy• Provide opportunities for

practice• Provide opportunities for

independent application

Fluency: Ability to read text accurately and quickly.

Accuracy + Rate = Better Comprehension!

Best teaching strategy for improving students’ reading fluency: Provide time for DAILY reading practice.

Reading Rates:Where students should be. Content reading, students should be

able to comprehend at this rate:

Grade Words Per Minute - WPM

6 195-220

7 215-245

8 235-270

9 250-270

12 250-300

Grade Words Per Minute - WPM

1 60-90

2 85-120

3 115-140

4 140-170

5 170-195

Writing

The 5 Stages ofDevelopmental Progression Towards

LiteracyThe “Bump” Example:

Stage 1: The child does not know any letters, writing appears to be scribbles.

Stage 2: The child knows some letters but cannot associate them to a specific sound.

Stage 3: The child knows letters and sounds, but cannot combine sounds.*Note: This sample has been transcribed for the student. An adult has written what the student said.

Stage 5: The child can read and spell correctly.

Stage 4: The child knows letters and knows that words have vowels.

The Writing Process:Stage 1:

Prewrite – Think, topic, purpose, brainstorm, organize.

Stage 2:Draft – Get ideas on paper

Stage 3:Revise – Make changes, get it right

Stage 4:Edit – Check it out, grammar, spelling, word usage

Stage 5:Publish – Celebrate, Share, Display

Graphic Organizers for Writing

Story Star

Stories GrowMain idea and supporting details

Brainstorming Web

HamburgerWriting

Topic Organizer

Word Study

Principles of Word Study:

• First step: Assess to see what a student can do and does know. To keep a student’s attention, lessons must be at their instructional level.

• Begin with obvious contrasts, such as beginning sounds for example b vs. t.• Move from a general gross discrimination to a more specific one, e.g. –ee vs. –ea.• Don’t hide exceptions – point out “odd ball” words, give them a place.• Avoid rules – let students figure them out for themselves.• Model and demonstrate expectations of students• Automaticity – accuracy • Relate to meaningful texts

Word Study: approach to spelling and vocabulary growth.

PhonicsPhonics is the predictable relationship between

phonemes (sounds) and graphemes (symbols).

“Weberism”: Phonics = sound/symbol relationship.

In the English language there are:44 Phonemes and they are represented by

26 graphemes (the alphabet).

A consciousness of individual sounds, phonemes, that make up spoken language

Children’s basic understanding that speech is composed of individual sounds.

There is an important relationship between phonemic awareness and reading acquisition.

(www.tyrone.k12.pa.us...)

Strategies for Identifying Unfamiliar Words: Reading Strategy Buddies: Decode by Analogy

Use phonograms (word families) Recognize rimes in words Word wall words

Apply known phonics rules Syllabic Analysis – break down a

multisyllabic word into syllables then use known phonics rules for each syllable.

4 Cueing systems: Phonological – sound Semantic – meaning Syntactic – structure Pragmatic – social/cultural use

The Alphabetic Principle:Suggests there should be a one-to-one

correspondence between phonemes and graphemes (Tompkins).

Consonants & Vowels:

Most consonants represent a single sound consistently; there are some exceptions.

Consonants:b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t,

v, w, x, y, zVowels often represent several sounds.Vowels:

a, e, i, o, u

That morning the students were introduced to Mrs. Twinkle, the music teacher.Her voice was like something out of a dream, as was everything else about her.The students were speechless.They thought Mrs. Twinkle was an indescribable wonder.They went out of their way to make a nice impression.

PhonicsConcepts

Vowel Dipthong: two adjacent vowels each of which contributes to the sound heard.

Consonant blend: 2 or more consonants that are blended, both sounds are heard.

Affix:Suffix aka Inflectional Ending – bound morpheme at the end of a root word.

Vowel digraph: combination of 2 vowels that represent one speech sound.(Vowel patterns)

Consonant digraph: combination of 2 consonants that represent one speech sound.

Affix:Prefix: bound morpheme at the beginning of a root word.

Vowel marker: silent vowel used to made the vowel sound long.

A page from:Chrysanthemum

By: Kevin Henkes

The Most Useful Phonics Rules:Pattern Description Examples2 sounds of c Hard c /k/ - when followed by an a, o and u

Soft c /s/ - when followed by e, i and yCat, cough, cutCent, city, cycle

2 sounds of g Hard g /g/ - when followed by an a, o and uSoft g /j/ - when followed by e, i and yExceptions: get and give

Gate, go, gutGentle, giant, gypsy

CVC Pattern Consonant – vowel – consonant Vowel usually short (Exception – told)

Cat, land, ran, bat, cup, sit, bet, top, run,

Final e or CVCe Pattern

Consonant – vowel – consonant with silent e ruleVowel usually long (Exceptions – have, come, love)

Bake, safe, eve, bike, kite, home, cute

CV Consonant – VowelVowel usually long (exceptions – to, do, the

Be, go,

R controlled vowels

Vowels are neither long nor short. They are overpowered by the rException: fire

Car, dear, birth, pair, ear, born, first, work, burn

-igh When gh follows I, the I is long and the gh is silentException: neighbor

High, light, night, sigh, fight

Kn- and wr- In words beginning with kn- or wr-, the first letter is silent Knee, knight, wreath, write

W and Y Sometimes w and y can be used as vowels Know, by, baby, sky

Phonograms:• One-syllable words can be divided into two

parts: The onset and the rime. • This is also known as “Word families”

Example: -allallballcall

fallhallmall

stalltallwall

Homonyms: Words that confuse

Homophones: words that sound the same but are

spelled differently

ant - auntboard – boredcreak – creekdear - deermail – male

sea – seesew – so – sow

toe – towwait - weight

Homographs: words that are spelled the same but

pronounced differently

bowconduct

liveminutepresent

readrecordwind

Strategies/Activities to teach Phonics:

• Elkonin Boxes: used to teach students how to segment words.

• Blending sounds: /d/ /u/ /k/• Word Sorts: depending on instructional goals,

Can be used for:– Rhyming words– Consonant sounds– Spelling patterns– Syllabication– Root words / affixes– Conceptual Relationships

• Phonograms/ word families: -onset (d) + the rime (-uck)

d u ck

Sample Word Sort:

chickshell

shechild

showcheese

Have students sort words by the beginning sounds of ch- or sh-

ch-chickchild

cheese

sh-she

shellshow

Word list:

SynonymsWords that mean the same thing:

cool, chilly, frigid,

AntonymsWords that are opposites:

hot-cold, loud-quiet, big-little

VocabularyLevels of Word Knowledge:

Unknown word – Student does not know the wordInitial Recognition – Student has seen it and can pronounce itPartial Word Knowledge – Student know parts or one meaningFull Word Knowledge – Student is an "Expert” on the word

3 Tiers of Vocabulary:1. Basic words- Common words, used socially and in most homes2. Academic Words – Instructional words3. Specialized Words – Technical words, content specific, “jargon”

Spelling:Weber’s Stages of Spelling Development in Children:

Phonetic Spelling: Students spell the word exactly how it sounds. E.g.: mune = money

Invented Spelling Conventional Spelling U R A GRL (should be accepted) You are a girl

Sound Emergent Spelling

Letter Name-Alphabetic Spelling

•Distinction between writing and drawing•How to make letters•Directionality•The Alphabetic principle•Consonant sounds•Short vowel sounds•Consonant blends and diagraphs

Pattern Within-word pattern spelling

Syllables and Affixes spelling

•Long vowel spelling patterns•R controlled vowels•Complex consonant patterns•Diphthongs•Inflectional endings•Syllabication•Homophones

Meaning Derivational Relations Spelling •Consonant Alternations•Vowel alternations•Etymologies

Teaching Spelling:Complete Spelling Program Should Include:• Teaching strategies:

“sound it out”Spell by analogyApply affixes to root wordsProofread for errors in rough draftUse a dictionary for unfamiliar words

• Match instruction to student’s stage• Provide daily practice of reading and writing• Teach students to learn the spelling of high frequency

words

On-Line Spelling Lessons and Ideas:http://www.teachnet.com/lesson/langarts/spellingwds040299.html

ABC Order - Write words in alphabetical order.Backwards Words – Write your words forwards, then backwards.Words without vowels – Write your words replacing all vowels with a line.Scrambled Words – Write your words, then write them again with the letters mixed

up.Crossword – Complete a pre-made crossword puzzle.Pyramid Words – Write your words adding or subtracting one letter at a time. The

result will be a pyramid shape of words.Delicious Words – Write your words in whipped cream, peanut butter, or anything you

can eat!Good Clean Words – Write your words in shaving cream on a counter or some other

surface that can be cleaned safely.Magazine Words - Use an old magazine or newspaper and find your words. Cut them

out and glue them on a sheet of paper.Cheer your words – Call out your words, spell and clap them.Telephone Words - Translate your words into numbers from a telephone keypad.

Dolch Words ~ High Frequency Words ~ Sight Words-The most common words that readers and writers use again and again. There are about 300 total (Tompkins 189-

190).

Etymology:

•English•Greek•Latin

The origin and history of words. Most words in the English language are primarily derived from the following:

Resources:The benefits of phonemic awareness. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.tyrone.k12.pa.us/schools/elem/title1/PhonemicAwareness.asp

Enchanted learning graphic organizers. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/graphicorganizers

Google image search. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi (all images)

Henkes, K. (1991). Chrysanthemum. New York: William Morrow & Co., Publishers, Inc.

Spice Up Your Spelling Words. http://www.teachnet.com/lesson/langarts/spellingwds040299.html

Tompkins, G. E. (2010). Literacy for the 21st century. a balanced approach. (5th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

http://www.scholastic.com/bookwizard/

http://www.lexile.com/fab/