Balanced literacy presentation- Miller

The fourth grade approach to literacy:

The fourth grade approach to literacy Westville Elementary

Our approach to reading and writing:

Our approach to reading and writing We believe that reading and writing are taught best through real world experiences- this means good, quality literature found in trade books and writing that is authentic and applies to the students’ learning environment.* Reading and writing are connected to our Fourth Grade content areas through theme and message- Make A Choice, Make a Difference, Make A Change! Learning is social- students learn to read through interactions with books, their peers, their teacher, and themselves (self-reflection). Only by engaging with a variety of texts can a student become a strong, confident reader. This means we incorporate trade books from all literary genres, fiction and non-fiction text, narrative and expository text, content area textbooks, periodicals, and reference materials. Questions for critical thinking are utilized in the students’ interactions with text- based on Bloom’s Taxonomy.** We provide a safe learning environment where all learners are welcome. We acknowledge that everyone’s brain is different and because of that, we all learn in our own way! Reading and writing are parts of a balanced literacy program!

What is balanced literacy? :

What is balanced literacy? A balanced literacy program: Provides students with daily opportunities to engage in a variety of reading and writing activities. Provides students with the chance to participate in variety of instructional strategies and teacher support. The literacy activities incorporate a variety of texts. Student achievement is measured in several different ways. It respects and addresses the needs of all learners. It is flexible. It is research based. - Tancock, S. Balanced Literacy

What are the parts of a balanced literacy program?:

What are the parts of a balanced literacy program? Authentic Reading Experiences Working with Words Comprehension Vocabulary Writer’s Workshop The Daily 5

Indiana standards drive our balanced literacy program:

Indiana standards drive our balanced literacy program Our balanced literacy curriculum addresses the Indiana State Language Arts Standards. “Driven by information, powered by knowledge and energized by technology, our world is changing quickly. In order for students to make reasoned decisions about their lives and contribute to their family, community, and nation they need more skills and knowledge than ever before. To meet these challenges, Indiana established world-class academic standards that clearly outline what students should know and be able to do at each grade level and subject area ” (Academic Standards, 2011). The Fourth Grade Language Arts Indiana Academic Standards are available: In PDF form: http:// dc.doe.in.gov/Standards/AcademicStandards/PrintLibrary/docs-english/2006-06-ela-grade04.pdf In Word form: http://dc.doe.in.gov/Standards/AcademicStandards/PrintLibrary/docs-english/2006-06-ela-grade04.doc

AN overview of literacy in our day:

90 minutes of Guided Reading 20 minutes or Working with Words 30 minutes of Writer’s Workshop 15 minutes of Listening to Reading 15 minutes of Reading to Self AN overview of literacy in our day

The daily 5:

The daily 5 Reading to Self (DEAR Time) Reading to Someone (Guided Reading) Listening to Reading (Guided Reading and Read Aloud) Word Work (Working with Words block) Work on Writing (Writer’s Workshop) We incorporate The Daily 5 into our literacy curriculum. This occurs throughout the day and asks students to engage with literature on a regular basis. The components include:

Guided Reading:

Guided Reading Our largest literacy block during the day- 90 minutes. Students work on literacy skills in whole groups and small groups. Students receive 45 minutes of direct instruction of grade level standards. Students receive 45 minutes of Tier 2-RTI leveled instruction each day.

Working with Words :

Working with Words During our Working with Words block, students will: Work on spelling words from the “90 most misspelled words” (high frequency) in Fourth Grade Work on spelling the words and the meaning of prefixes, suffixes and root words from the “Nifty Fifty” list. Continue working with Greek and Latin prefixes, suffixes, and root words throughout the year. Utilize our “Write Source” activity book to practice grammar skills. Utilize a variety of learning strategies with both in-class activities and homework assigned.

Writer’s workshop:

Writer’s workshop 30 minutes a day The Simple Six Prompts every other week Mini-lessons and conferences Prompt attack Author’s Chair Connected to other areas of our curriculum Write Source

Listening to reading:

Listening to reading Students will listen to other students read during: Guided Reading DEAR Time Teacher Read Aloud Morning Work Reading Buddies Time

Reading to self:

Reading to self Students are given the opportunity to read to themselves throughout the school day and are encouraged to read a variety of genres and forms of literature. During DEAR Time (Drop Everything and Read) During morning work During Guided Reading Whenever they have their class work complete, students are welcome to read

grouping:

grouping Flexible grouping is utilized in Fourth Grade Whole Group Small Groups Interest Groups Skills/needs based groups Sometimes homogenous, sometimes heterogeneous grouping -dependent upon the instructional goals Cooperative Groups

Reaching every learner:

Reaching every learner This year Westville Elementary will be incorporating the use of RTI-Response to Instruction* into our literacy program this year. RTI is a tiered approach to instruction. The three tiers are: Tier one- whole group, “designed for all learners and meets the needs of 80% of all students” (Response to Instruction, 2010 ). Tier two- small group, students are grouped based on need, given direct skill instruction with the teacher, “designed to provide strategic, targeted extensions to the core curriculum” ((Response to Instruction, 2010 ) Tier three- individual, students work one on one with an adult, “designed as intense intervention and extensions to meet individual needs” ( Response to Instruction, 2010 ) Struggling readers’ and gifted readers’ needs alike will be addressed through differentiated reading instruction and expectations. Leveled books will be utilized so students are working at their instructional level when with their guided reading groups, and their independent level when “reading to self”.

Reading assessment:

Reading assessment Formative Assessments *Think aloud *Teacher observation *Interviews *Reading journals *Questionnaire *Informal assessments Summative Assessments * SRA * STAR Reader program * Time For Kids * Alternative Assessments *Formal Assessments

Writing Assessment:

Writing Assessment Stick to the Topic Logical Order Interesting Words Different Sentence Patterns Descriptive Sentences Audience/Voice In addition, the student’s use of the language conventions is scored based on the number of mistakes that appear in the writing: Capitalization Punctuation Subject/verb agreement Complete sentences/paragraphs Spelling Coinciding with our Simple Six approach to writing, students are assessed using a rubric that evaluates the writer’s use of the following Simple 6 writing components:

The simple 6 rubric:

The simple 6 rubric (Davidson, 2007. pg. 149)

How can families help their students succeed?:

How can families help their students succeed? Read with your student! 20 minutes of reading a night is a part of homework in Fourth Grade. Model positive attitudes about reading! Read in your home; let your student see you reading! Talk about books in your home. Ask your student what they are reading, question them about the material and ask students to summarize stories!

additional resources for families:

additional resources for families Please refer to the “Growing Readers and Writers at Home” brochure that is on your student’s classroom desk for more information regarding strategies and resources you can use at home. The following websites provide good information and will be helpful to you throughout the school year: http://www.internet4classrooms.com/links_grades_kindergarten_12/parents_reading_help.htm http:// www.succeedtoread.com/resources.html http :// www.rif.org/us/literacy-resources.htm

resources:

resources Academic Standards. (2011, July 15). Retrieved July 15, 2011, from Indiana Department of Education. Baker, E. A., & Scott, B. (2009, April 20). Four ways to assess the reading process. Voice of Literacy . Podcast retrieved from http://voiceofliteracy.org Boushey , G. (2011). The Daily 5 . Retrieved July 15, 2011, from The daily cafe: http://www.thedailycafe.com/public/department104.cfm Cunningham, P. (1998). Month by Month Phonics for Upper Grades . Greensboro, North Carolina: Carson-Dellosa Publishing. Davidson, K.. (2007). The Simple 6 for Beginning Writers . Marion, IL: Pieces of Learning. Fountas, I. and Pinnell, G. (1996). Guided Reading: Good First Teaching for All Children . Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Gardner, T. (2011). A Daily DEAR Program . Retrieved July 15, 2011 from http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/daily-dear-program-drop-55.html.

Additional Resources:

Additional Resources Response to Instruction: Foundations for Implementation. (2010, May 17). Retrieved July 15, 2011, from Indiana Department of Education: http://www.doe.in.gov/rti/docs/RtI_Guidance_Document.pdf Tancock , S. Balanced Literacy . [Power Point slides/notes] Retrieved from https://blackboard.bsu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_42554_1%26url%3D. Tancock , S. Literacy Centers . (July 12, 2006). [Power point slides/notes]. Retrieved May 27, 2011 from http://mediasite.bsu.edu/BSU40/Viewer/?peid=74c39036-9497-4398-b7c3-5ef1ee15546e. Temple, C, Ogle,D ., Crawford, A. & Freppon , P. (2011) All Children Read: Teaching for Literacy in Today's Diverse Classrooms. 3rd (Ed.) Boston: Pearson Education, Inc . Weaver, B. Formal versus Informal Assessments (2011). Retrieved on July 18, 2011 from http:// www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=4452.