How to set up a balanced literacy classroom synonym. The balanced literacy approach to reading and writing. Word study involves both the decoding reading and encoding phonics and spelling of our symbol system so students can make meaning from an authors. Each step from meetings to crafting lesson plans is vital to creating a safe. Literacy frameworks balanced literacy balanced literacy. Just like the name implies, balanced literacy is about balancing explicit language instruction with independent learning and. A balanced literacy approach spiegel has defined a balanced literacy approach as a decision making approach through which the teacher makes thoughtful choices each day about the best way to help each child become a better reader and writer spiegel, 1998. Balanced literacy many balanced literacy models are composed of three major components. Balanced literacy instruction article pdf available in focus on exceptional children 345.
The goal of balanced literacy is to move students toward independence in progressively more complex texts. A balanced literacy classroom is an environment that is aesthetically pleasing, engaging and educationally sound. If you have problems, please read the helpful hints on the adobe acrobat reader help page. Components of balanced literacy word study word study is the study of our alphabetic symbol system. Balanced literacy is a robust approach to instruction not only in new york city but throughout the world. Phonics, wholelanguage, and balanced literacy iterate. Reading responses may follow one or more of the components of balanced literacy on a daily basis. Jul 27, 2016 balanced literacy is truly a passion of mine. Therefore, balanced reading instruction in the classroom should combine phonics instruction with the wholelanguage approach to teach both skills and. Grades k6 students learn to read and write best when their teachers balance literacy instruction. Students should be exposed to a wide range of literacy materials, engaged in. Balanced literacy abilene independent school district.
In the what is balanced literacy discussion, it becomes clear that teachers must be welltrained in literacy generally in order to use this approach effectively. This approach to the study of instruction views both students and teachers as active participants in the learning process e. Balanced literacy is a curricular methodology that integrates various modalities of literacy instruction. A balanced literacy approach integrates reading, writing, and word study components. A seven point continuum was given with the whole language and child centered approaches at one end and traditional skills teaching. The balanced literacy approach contains multiple elements of reading, writing, and word study at various levels of scaffolding. In a truly balanced literacy program, how you teach is as important as what you teach. Spiegel has defined a balanced literacy approach as a decision making approach through.
Incorporate assessment for learning into your literacy program with teacher conferences, success criteria, effective recording strategies and formative assessment techniques. A literacy rich environment build your classroom libraryand make it an area of importance different classroom areas to engage in whole group, small group and independent literacy activities word wallsword foldersdictionaries and handson. A balanced approach to literacy development in the early years. What works to improve student literacy achievement. A balanced approach is best for teaching kids how to read. Using a balanced literacy approach in elementary schools uni. Mckenzie also states, balanced literacy employs the fundamental of lettersound correspondence, word study and decoding as well as holistic experiences in reading, writing, speaking, and listening to. A balanced approach to literacy we believe that a balanced approach to literacy provides the best opportunity to develop the reading, writing, speaking, listening, and thinking skills necessary for academic success and personal satisfaction.
Jul 02, 2014 balanced literacy is a robust approach to instruction not only in new york city but throughout the world. All schoolchildren are taught to read and write, and balanced literacy is the framework we use to makes sure this is as successful and productive as possible. The teachers role in the balanced literacy approach is to scaffold literacy learning, that is, to actively enhance students understanding while they read. I was lucky enough to be surrounded by amazing teachers who took me under their wings my first few years of teaching and really taught me how balanced literacy in kindergarten and first grade should look. Reading az provides a wealth of leveled pre k6 resources that can be used in a balanced literacy setting from wholeclass and smallgroup instruction to individual practice. She believes that a combination and balance of both, whole language and phonics, is the best way to teach reading to her students. Phonics, wholelanguage, and balanced literacy iterate ideate. Balancedliteracydiet assessment balanced literacy diet.
Balanced literacy in kindergarten and first grade mrs. The balanced literacy approach is characterized by explicit skill instruction and modeling through mini lessons. To read and write easily, fluently, and with good understanding teachers will help students. A balanced literacy approach spiegel has defined a balanced. Jan 24, 2017 unfamiliar with balanced literacy yourself. To prevent a loss of momentum during the funding hiatus, edc, in collaboration with the ministry, conducted a smallscale evaluation of the balanced literacy approach in grade 1 classrooms in 10 schools in 2014.
Balanced literacy instruction uses all valid parts of literacy instruction not one approach. Through various modalities, the teacher implements a wellplanned comprehensive literacy program that reflects a gradual release of control, whereby responsibility is gradually shifted from the teacher to the students. The balanced approach appears to be one of those rare moments in education where professionals entrenched in either of the previously warring ideologies laid down their arms and struck a compromise. Neps balanced approach to literacy development in the early years 2015 revised march 2016 9 2. It aims to provide a balance of teacherdirected instruction and studentcentered opportunities. The answer lies in the intentional design of learning. We want to embrace the balanced literacy model and implement all of its components, but we also need to know that what we are doing will prepare our students for the state testing in the spring. Balanced literacy article department of educational. Heres a quick overview of the different parts of a balanced literacy program. But how do you strike the right balance of skills and knowledge, reading and writing, small and whole group instruction, and direct and dialogic instruction, so that all students can learn to their maximum potential. Balanced literacy article department of educational psychology. Complimentary sample the balanced literacy approach to. Shaw and hurst 2012 maintained that balanced literacy is an approach that provides different levels of teacher support, student control, and an understanding that reading and writing develop naturally. Pressley wrote the book on balanced literacy instruction, he edited one with ellen.
Teachers are attending meetings, revising lesson plans, and making last minute adjustments to the way they will organize the classroom. An explanation of structured literacy, and a comparison to. Apr 09, 2019 balanced literacy focuses students on grapheme representations combined with context or imagery to teach beginning literacy skills. Rather than toting a silverbullet approach popular in education rhetoric. Using a balanced literacy approach to teach englishlanguage arts increases. However, many upper elementary students have yet to master simple literacy skills with the instructional strategies provided by their teachers. Balanced literacy approach provide instruction using whole group, small group, and independent learning opportunities. Thats one of the conclusions my network of teachers, administrators, and curriculum supervisors has reached. In a balanced approach to literacy instruction, teachers strategically and consistently integrate instruction with authentic reading and writing on. A balanced, integrated literacy approach challenged teachers to teach students to think with and through reading and writing, to use reading and writing to get a wide variety of things done in. Balanced literacy approach 4 a balanced literacy approach to the classroom a new school year has just begun.
Creating reading lessons that help students to not only learn to read but learn to explore reading on their own will help students become life long learners. Balance is attained through a combination of instructional strategies, with the goal of developing competent, literate learners. For example, teach a whole group lesson on mondays and fridays and do small groups and centers on tuesday, wednesday, and thursday. The balanced literacy approach is characterized by explicit skill instruction and the use of authentic texts. Works for students all along the literacy continuum from emergent to conventional. During the word study portion of the balanced literacy block, teachers provide explicit and. The great debate among literacy scholars and professionals is whether to teach using a phonics approach, whole. Components of balanced literacy new hopesolebury high. In a balanced approach to literacy instruction, teachers. Over the past few days, nearly 3,000 educators from every state and from 60 countries have. In a balanced approach to literacy instruction, teachers strategically and consistently integrate instruction with authentic reading and writing on a daily basis, so that students learn how to apply.
Shared reading is an interactive reading process in which a teacher and student share in reading a text. First, the san diego approach heavily emphasized reading comprehension and students creation. Neps balanced approach to literacy development in the early years 2015 revised march 2016 6 2. If you only have 60 minutes and you want to use a balanced literacy approach, you can experiment with alternating whole group instruction with small groups and centers. As part of balanced literacy instruction, exposing early learners to highquality childrens literature is intended to expand their understanding of text and comprehension of concepts hoffman et al. In a balanced approach to literacy instruction, teachers integrate instruction with authentic reading and writing and experiences so that students learn how to use literacy strategies and skills and have opportunities to apply what they are learning. This question has recently been addressed with my team of teachers. Instead, a balanced literacy approach involves a variety of programs as resources either for structure or information.
Balanced literacy is a combination of whole language and phonics. This involves the areas of phonics lettersound relationships, morphemic analysis using word parts to denote meaning, and automaticity for sight words. Authentic texts are used as a springboard in the reading and writing workshop model. Balanced literacy is a flexible approach to literacy instruction that incorporates many reading, writing, listening, speaking, and word study strategies to meet the varying needs of all students.
Assessmentbased planning is at the core of this model. The idea behind the concept is that all students can be literate and begin to enjoy literacy whatever their ability or age. Over the past few days, nearly 3,000 educators from every state and from 60. Balance is attained through a combination of instructional strategies, with the. Balanced literacy is a philosophical orientation that assumes that reading and writing achievement are developed through instruction and support in multiple environments using various approaches that differ by level of teacher support and child control. Modeled writing, shared writing, interactive writing, guided writing, and independent writing. When students know how to go about improving, their. The balanced literacy approach developing readers and writers in k 5 classrooms bath county public schools august 2016. Learning words phonetically in this way supports decoding and spelling abilities.
Some look at balanced literacy as a combination of whole language and skillsbased instruction. Balanced literacy is an instructional approach for language arts. There is near unanimity in the field of literacy education that strategic readers are more active readers and that active readers both retain more and are more likely to reapply what they remember in new contexts. Word study in a balanced literacy program can involve decoding study of a word. Like most educators today, weve been changing our practices to reflect new knowledge about learning and teaching. San diegos balanced literacy approach was multifaceted and supported by prior research. For example, if studying the word chain, students would be working on both digraphs ch and vowelvowelconsonant rimes ain. A balanced literacy approach this document is designed as a reference tool for k9 educators. Pdf a case study of teacher with hearing impairment in. Through various modalities, the teacher implements a wellplanned.
Balanced literacy printables all of the files below are in pdf format, so youll need the free adobe acrobat reader plugin to view and print the files. Using balanced literacy to improve literacy instruction. Phonics instruction can help all children learn to read. Ten important research findings about phonics from teaching phonics and word study by wiley blevins 1. Oct 02, 2012 the balanced approach appears to be one of those rare moments in education where professionals entrenched in either of the previously warring ideologies laid down their arms and struck a compromise. A balanced literacy approach to the classroom semantic scholar.