CREATING A LITERATE

ENVIRONMENTKristy King

Walden University

EDUC-6706

GETTING TO KNOW LITERACY LEARNERS

In order to plan lessons and activities to support student learning, I must have an understanding of my students. I need to determine students’ interests and background knowledge. It is important to always be aware of their cultural and linguistic background as well. Taking the time to learn about my students is the first step in creating a literate environment.

Activities to Use: Conversations Observations Information from parents Literacy Autobiographies DIBELs Oral Reading Fluency

SELECTING TEXTSelecting text is a crucial part of reading. Selecting text that is too difficult can frustrate students while selecting a text too easy can lose the reader’s attention (Laureate Education Inc., 2010). Text must be engaging, at a student’s ability level and connect to their multiple identities for students to achieve success (Laureate 2010).

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LITERACY LESSON:

INTERACTIVE PERSPECTIVE Teaching students how to read and become strategic processors and thinkers (Laureate Education Inc., 2010).

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INTERACTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Strategic processing must be threaded through all “Five Pillars of Literacy,” (Laureate Education Inc., 2010).

The Five Pillars include; phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, & comprehension. Each of these components is crucial for effective reading instruction (Allington, 2005).

Teach students to be reflective and self-regulating, becoming independent readers that process text (Laureate Education Inc., 2010).

LITERACY LESSON:

CRITICAL AND RESPONSE

PERSPECTIVETeaching students to critically examine text. To look at text from a different perspective (Laureate Education Inc., 2010).

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LITERACY LESSON: CRITICAL AND RESPONSE PERSPECTIVES

The critical and response perspectives of literacy instruction teaches students to think analytically about texts; to take risks and share what they are thinking with their peers; and to connect personally with the texts they are reading (Laureate Education, 2010).

Students use the critical perspective when they evaluate and critically judge the information contained within a text or texts. During the response perspective, the students respond to the text or texts they are reading.

REFERENCESBarton, J., & Sawyer, D. (2003). Our students are ready for this: Comprehension instruction in the elementary school. The Reading Teacher , 54 (4), 334-347.).

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010a). Analyzing and selecting text. [Webcast]. The beginning reader, PreK-3. Baltimore: author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010b). Changes in Literacy Education. [Webcast]. The beginning reader, PreK-3. Baltimore: author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010c). Critical Perspective. [Webcast]. The beginning reader, preK-3. Baltimore, MD: Author. Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010d). Interactive Perspective: Strategic Processing. [Webcast]. The beginning reader, PreK-3. Baltimore: author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010e). Response Perspective. [WebCast]. The beginning reader, preK-3 . Baltimore, MD: Author.

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