Philosophy on Teaching Literacy

 

Literacy is the foundation for all learning. For this reason, a balanced literacy program promotes high levels of student achievement.

 

• Through readers’ and writers’ workshop, students engage in reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

• Instruction is differentiated to meet the diverse needs of all students in a mixed ability classroom through open-ended tasks.

• The mini-lesson is a space where teachers are intentional and purposeful in their instruction. Teachers model and use explicit instruction to facilitate a gradual release of responsibility to students.

• During readers’ workshop, teachers conference with students daily to analyze their comprehension and fluency. Teachers collaborate with their students to set individual reading goals and create a plan for reaching said goals.

• Guided reading groups are a place where students receive additional support in their reading development. Teachers are deliberate about grouping students; they utilize specific instructional strategies, and introduce comprehension and decoding strategies that are reflective of students’ needs.

• All learners practice and participate in productive dialogue through interactive read aloud. Teaches provide additional support and scaffolding to ensure comprehension through conversation. Interactive read aloud fosters critical thinking; students find deeper meaning in text, and evaluate its content and composition.

• Students and teachers collaborate to produce authentic writing. Teachers utilize shared writing to model effective craft. When students participate in shared writing, the writing process becomes more explicit, and strategies are more accessible to students.

• Teachers establish purpose, audience, and choice in writing which yields student writing that is authentic and meaningful.Teachers conference with writers during writers’ workshop. Conferences initially focus on content.

• During conferences, teachers celebrate and affirm what students have done well. Teachers assess and determine the most effective approach to help the writer next.

• Writing is shared and celebrated.

• Assignments promote critical, reflective think, and aim to effectively prepare students for CCSS performance tasks.

• Teachers share their unique passion for reading and writing.Include integrated literacy units that incorporate one or more additional subject areas.

• Encompass reading and writing that is practiced everyday in the form of journals, logs, reflections, note taking, etc.

• Teachers should provide a level-based library with multiple genres including a balance between fiction and non-fiction text.