Literacy in a 4th Grade Classroom: A
Comprehensive Literacy Plan
Kirstin White
Alverno College
Spring 2012
Dear Alverno Elementary Interview Team,
I would like to take this opportunity to share with you my literacy plan for a
fourth grade classroom. I am submitting to you my plan, which involves a written
literacy plan, my classroom design and how it supports my written plan, my selfreflection, and goal setting for myself as an on-going learner in a professional
development setting. Enclosed is the written plan of what I believe literacy
learning is in a theoretical sense, as well as what it should look like in a fourth
grade classroom.
Sincerely,
Kirstin White
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Task A: Philosophy/ Beliefs about Literacy Learning
I believe that an effective teacher of literacy should understand the central
concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the disciplines that are being taught.
In addition to this the teacher must understand how to create a balanced literacy
approach for her students. By doing this the teacher is creating learning
experiences that make subject matter meaningful and memorable to all students.
I believe that literacy is learned best in a social setting that encourages social
interaction and collaboration between students and teacher. In addition I believe
that literacy is best learned is a classroom environment that is unthreatening,
safe, unbiased, and welcoming.
I feel that the most effective way to do this is to understand and use
specific theories within a classroom setting. I believe that Vygotsky’s
Sociolinguistic Theory is a theory that can be easily implemented into a classroom
setting, specifically when instructing literacy. It is important for a teacher to
understand that children need to be assessed and provided with literacy materials
that are appropriate to their learning needs. The teacher does so by identifying
the individual student’s Zone of Proximal Development. To do this the teacher
must also understand the Gradual Release of Responsibility. In addition to
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Vygotsky’s Sociolinguistic Theory I believe that Piaget’s Constructivism Theory and
Freire’s Social Justice Theory are exceptional theories in helping children learn
literacy.
I believe that to properly teach literacy to children a teacher must
understand and be able to effectively use Vygotsky’s sociolinguistics and
scaffolding methods. To do this the teacher must be able to work with each
student individually to understand and identify the students Zone of Proximal
Development. This is when the student is being taught on a level that is not too
easy, but not too hard. It is just challenging enough to keep the student engaged.
It is extremely important that while the teacher must use scaffolding, the teacher
also must understand the Gradual Release of Responsibility, or how to remove
the scaffolding.
Scaffolding is an extremely useful tool when teaching balanced literacy, the
teacher must plan various support structures for each students and know when
and how to use those structures, as well as how to remove them at an
appropriate time. Scaffolding is a tool that helps move a student from assisted
performance to independent performance. When using scaffolding the teacher
does not change the task, it is just made easier through assistance from an expert
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other. For example, a teacher will model the thinking that readers do, and
eventually the student will be able to do that thinking on their own. The teacher
uses the gradual release of responsibility to help students become independent in
their learning.
There are different methods that are related to scaffolding, these include
external mediators, private speech and written language, and shared activity.
The teacher and student work together to create external mediators, which are
temporary reminders of what the teacher wants the students to learn. External
mediators are a tool to help trigger student’s mental processes, for example
objects, physical actions, or verbal cues work as guidelines to direct student
thinking.
Private speech and written language is another scaffolding tool that
teachers use to help direct student thinking. The components of private speech
include social external, for example, thinking-aloud or connections that the
teacher makes. Private speech moves from social external or the teacher’s voice,
to private speech, and then to private internal which eventually is the student’s
voice in place of the teacher’s voice. This is a way to direct the teachers guided
instruction into the student’s independent thinking. In the written language
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component of scaffolding the student uses written language to represent the
learning on paper. This is done to enhance student learning and understanding.
For example, the teacher may provide charts for students to take notes on while
reading, or have students reflect on what they have read through a reading
journal.
The final component of scaffolding is shared activity. By participating in a
shared activity students are making genuine connections, participating in
authentic learning activities, and are allowing memory to be shared. Examples of
this include group work, field trips, read alouds, or discussing with a partner a
reflection on a reading. The scaffolding methods are an important tool when
planning and implementing literacy instruction.
I believe that the teacher should remove the scaffolding method by using
the Gradual Release of Responsibility. This is done by providing explicit
instruction that is direct, where the teacher is giving students what they need to
know, and modeling and demonstrating for her students the thinking that she is
doing. The teacher then would move onto shared instruction, this would include
the teacher using student’s thinking to expand on the lesson. To be appropriate
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explicit instruction and shared instruction should be no more than fifteen to
twenty minutes.
After explicit and shared instruction the teacher should gradually release
the responsibility of learning to the children by spending time having students
participate in guided practice and eventually independent practice. During
guided practice the student is working on their own, while the teacher is assisting
as needed. It is important for the teacher to understand and be able to identify
each of her students Zone of Proximal development while working with individual
students, as well as small groups during guided practice. A teacher must be able
to adapt to meet the needs of each child, and does this by using assessment to
determine a lesson that is appropriate for the child. For example, the teacher will
create a task that is not too easy, yet not too hard for the child to complete. In
addition it is important that during guided practice the teacher acts as a coach to
help the student understand the lesson. Once guided practice is no longer
needed, the student will move to independent practice and work on their literacy
concept on their own without the teacher’s assistance.
The Scaffolding Theory highlights that language helps to organize thought
and that student’s use language to learn, as well as to communicate and share
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with others. I feel that as an effective literacy instructor a teacher must
understand this theory and know how to use it within her classroom. I feel that it
is important for students to work together, and interact socially with one another,
in order to learn first on a social level, and then on an individual level. In a
classroom setting, this aspect of the sociolinguistic theory is best presented and
implemented when working in small reading groups, where the students are
allowed to communicate about what they have read, or share personal writing
with peers. By doing this I feel that children will remember best from what was
communicated within the group setting, as well as learn to use their peers as a
resource when and if needed.
Vygotsky found that students are able to accomplish more when they have
help from an adult or expert other rather that what they are able to do on their
own. By using scaffolding in the classroom students will then be able to reach the
greatest level of potential development. I feel that if teachers present literacy
beginning with a challenging book, giving her students the highest level of support
by modeling reading and writing. For example, by reading aloud and writing in
front of students which provides solid demonstrations will gradually lower
support, which includes demonstrations such as, shared reading, or reading books
and writing together. In this area the student would help the teacher but the
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teacher would still be performing most of the instruction. This lower support
would also include interactive reading and writing, as well as guided reading and
writing. The teacher would use this scaffolding method until the student is able
to independently perform reading and writing on their own. I feel that by using
scaffolding to teach literacy to children is very effective and can greatly impact
how successful a child is in learning literacy.
In addition to Vygotsky’s sociolinguistic and scaffolding theory, as well as
understanding how to understand and use the Zone of Proximal Development,
and the gradual release of responsibility, I believe that it is important to
understand and use Piaget’s constructivism theory while teaching literacy. Piaget
believed that children learn by continually interacting with the world around
them, and working to solve the problems that are presented. Piaget believed that
learning occurs through taking action to solve problems. This means that the
Constructivist Theory views a child’s thinking as developing as gradual growth of
knowledge, then intellectual skills, formal skills, and finally logical thinking.
This can be defined as accommodation and assimilation. Assimilation does
not require a great deal of adjustment, through assimilation students add new
information to our background knowledge, or reinterpret experiences so the
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information will fit in with the background knowledge. Accommodation happens
when a child is introduced to new information that conflicts with existing
knowledge, the child with accommodate the new learning in order to ensure that
what is inside their head conforms to what’s in the real world. This means that in
literacy learning students build on their prior background knowledge and
accommodate their thinking to allow for new understandings.
I believe that children and learners are extremely curious, and a teacher
can build on that curiosity to create engaging lessons that assist students in
constructing their own knowledge. If the students are actively engaged in their
learning they will begin to construct knowledge through relating it to what is
already known. Like the sociolinguistic theory the constructivist theory promotes
collaboration between students and teacher. I feel that because of this, students
can learn from each other, and therefore build on their personal knowledge and
gain background knowledge on various literacy topics. I believe that if students
are personally engaged in literacy it will promote not only their level of
motivation, but their success in literacy.
In addition to Vygotsky theory of sociolinguistics and Piaget’s theory’s of
constructivism, I believe that teaching social justice is an important theory to use
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in the classroom, especially in teaching literacy. Freire believed that to have an
effective learning environment the teacher must promote socioeconomic
equality, this helps to lessen boundaries including race, class, ability, language,
appearance, sexuality, and gender. There are many beneficiary aspects of social
justice, for example it promotes respectful relationships among learners, which
creates cooperative group work and diverse group interactions. This helps aid in
effective literacy learning, as well as supports the sociolinguistic and constructivist
theory.
I believe that to be an effective teacher, the instructor must understand
how children learn best, and I personally believe that Vygotsky’s sociolinguistic,
and scaffolding theory as well as a firm understanding of the importance of
teaching in a student’s Zone of Proximal Development, and the use of Piaget’s
constructivism theory, as well as teaching social justice are best used in a
classroom setting. There are many unique ways to implement and use these
theories, to teach children literacy and I believe that incorporating all into each
daily lesson plan is the top way to benefit each and every student.
Task B: Range of Reading and Writing Behaviors
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In a typical fourth grade classroom there are a diverse range of reading and
writing behaviors, and with that a diverse number of students come a diverse
culture of learners. It is important to understand that each student will be at a
different stage in their reading and writing development. In a fourth grade
classroom there will be a range of student development in terms of reading and
writing.
The range of reading and writing behaviors in a fourth grade classroom will
depend on each individual student. This means that in a fourth grade classroom it
is possible for students to range from Emergent readers and writers to Advanced
readers and writers. While there can be a broad range of abilities in terms of
reading and writing in a fourth grade classroom, most students will be at the
range of Self Extending reading and writing, and Advanced reading and writing.
There are unique characteristics of each range, which help the teacher identify
and plan instruction for each student.
Emergent readers are still becoming aware of print, and read orally
matching word by word. In addition to this Emergent readers use meaning and
language in simple texts, and hear sounds in words. Emergent readers can use
information from pictures, and will connect words with names, as well as notice
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and use spaces between words. An Emergent reader will read orally, and match
spoken word to one printed word while reading one or two lines of text. A
reader at this stage will read left to right, recognize a few high frequency words,
know names of some alphabet letters, and read left to right. It is important for a
teacher to support an Emergent reader with simple stories that contain 1-2 lines
of text.
An Emergent writer will write their name from left to right, write alphabet
letters with increasingly accurate letter formation, hear and represent some
consonant sounds at beginning and ends of words. In addition to this an
emergent writer will also label drawings, establish a relationship between print
and pictures, remember message represented with words, write words
phonetically, write a few easy words accurately, and communicate meaning in
drawings. It is important to support and Emergent reader with texts that have
simple labels and sentences with approximated spelling.
After a student masters an Emergent writer stage, they will become Early
writers. An Early writer will demonstrate the ability to write known words
fluently, write left to right across several lines, and write twenty to thirty words
correctly. An Early writer will also use letter-sound and visual information to
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spell words, approximate spelling of words, form almost all letters accurately,
compose two or three sentences about a single idea, and will begin to notice the
author’s craft and use techniques in their own writing. Students at the Early
writer stage will write about familiar topics and ideas, remember messages while
spelling words, consistently use spacing, and reread their writing. To properly
support an Early writer a teacher should provide students with texts that contain
one or more sentences around a single idea of a few pages, with some
conventionally spelled words.
A student who is in the Early reader stage will know names of most
alphabet letters and many letter sound relationships, use letter sound
information along with meaning and language to solve words, read without
pointing, read orally and begin to read silently. In addition to this Early readers’
will read fluently with phrasing on easy texts and use the punctuation, recognize
most easy high frequency words, check to be sure reading makes sense, sounds
right, looks right, and check one source of information against another to solve
problems. Early readers will use information from pictures as added information
while reading print. A teacher will support a student at the Early reader stage by
providing students with texts that are longer books with high frequency words
and supportive illustrations.
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After students master the Early writer and Early reader stage, the student
will then demonstrate a Transitional writer and Transitional reader stage. A
student who is a Transitional writer will demonstrate the ability to spell many
words conventionally and make near accurate attempts at many more, work on
writing over several days to produce longer, more complex texts, produce pieces
of writing that have dialogue, beginnings, and endings, and develop ideas to some
degree. A Transitional writer will also employ a flexible range of strategies to
spell words, consciously work on their own spelling and writing skills, write in a
few different genres, demonstrate ability to think about ideas while encoding
written language, use basic punctuation and capitalization skills, and continue to
incorporate new understanding about how authors use language to communicate
meaning. A teacher would support a Transitional writer by proving the student
with texts that ate longer with several ideas, with mostly conventional spelling
and punctuation, as well as simple sentence structure.
A Transitional reader will read silently most of the time, have a large core
of known words that are recognized automatically, use multiple sources of
information while reading for meaning, integrate sources of information such as
letter-sound relationships, meaning and language structure. A Transitional reader
will also consistently check to be sure all sources of information fit, will not rely
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on pictures but will notice them to gain additional meaning, understand,
interpret, and use illustrations in informational text, know how to read differently
in various genres, and have flexible ways of problem solving words, which
includes analysis of letter sound relationships and visual patters. Transitional
readers will read with phrasing and fluency at appropriate levels. To support a
Transitional reader a teacher should provide students with texts that contain
many lines of print, and books that are organized into short chapters, as well as a
wider variety of genres, and more difficult picture books.
Once a student reaches mastery of the Transitional writer and Transitional
reader phase, that student will become a Self-Extending writer. It is important for
a teacher to understand that most students in a fourth grade classroom will show
characteristics of Self-Extending writer skills. Self-extending writers will spell
most words quickly without conscious attention to the process, proofread to
locate their own errors, recognize accurate parts of words, use references of
apply principles to correct words, and have ways to expand their writing
vocabularies. Self-Extending writers will understand way to organize
informational writing (for example, compare/contrast, description, temporal
sequence, cause/effect), develop a topic and extend a text over many pages,
develop pieces of writing that have voice, use what they know from reading texts
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to develop writing, recognize and use many aspects of the writer’s craft to
improve the quality of their writing, and write for many different purposes. In
addition to this Self-Extending writers will show a growing sense of the audience
for their writing, and critique their own writing and offer suggestions to other
writers. A teacher should support a Self-Extending writer by providing the
student with texts that contain a variety of genres, conventional use of spelling
and punctuation. Texts that provide more complex sentence structures,
development of ideas in fiction and non-fiction, and use a variety of ways to
organize non-fiction.
A Self-Extending reader will read silently, as well as reading fluently when
reading aloud, use all sources of information flexibly in a smoothly orchestrated
way, sustain reading over texts with many pages, which require reading over
several days or weeks. Self-Extending readers will enjoy illustrations and gain
additional meaning from them as they interpret texts, interpret and use
information from a wide variety of visual aids in expository texts, analyze words in
flexible ways and make excellent attempts at new multisyllable words, and
connect texts with previous texts read. As a Self-Extending reader reads they
have systems for learning more about the reading process as they read so that
they build skills simply by encountering many different kinds of texts with a
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variety of new words, and are in continuous process of building background
knowledge and realize that they need to bring their knowledge to their reading.
Self-Extending readers will become absorbed in books and begin to identify with
characters in books and see themselves in the events of a story. A teacher will
support Self-Extending readers by providing students with texts that contain a
wide variety of long and short texts, as well as a variety of genres.
Once students achieve mastery of Self-Extending reading and writing skills,
they proceed to the Advanced writer and Advanced reader stage. Like the SelfExtending range, most children in a fourth grade classroom will demonstrate
characteristics from an advanced writer and advanced reader stage. Advanced
writers will demonstrate an understanding of linguistic and social functions on
conventional spelling and produce products that are carefully edited, write almost
all words quickly, accurately, and fluently, use dictionary, thesaurus, computer
spell check and other text resources, as well as understand organization plans for
these resources. Advanced writers will also demonstrate the ability to control a
large body of known words that constantly expands, demonstrate a large
speaking and listening vocabulary as well as knowledge of vocabulary that is used
often in written pieces, notice many aspects of the writers craft in texts they read
and apply their knowledge to their own writing, critically analyze their own
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writing and that of others, and write for a variety of functions in terms of
narrative, expressive, informative, and poetic. It is common for Advanced writers
to write in various persons’ and tenses, write for different audiences, and write
about a wide range of topics beyond the present time, known settings, and
personal experiences. A teacher shows support of an Advanced writer by
providing a variety of texts that are made of long and short compositions, a wide
variety of purpose and genre, literary quality in fiction and poetry, and a variety of
ways to organize informational text.
Advanced readers will demonstrate the ability to read silently, and read
fluently when reading aloud, effectively use their understandings of how words
work, employ a wide range of word solving strategies, including analogy to known
words, word roots, base words, and affixes, acquire new vocabulary through
reading, use reading as a tool for learning in content areas, and constantly
develop new strategies and new knowledge of texts as they encounter greater
variety. A student who is an Advanced reader will develop favorite topics and
authors that form that basis of lifelong reading preferences, actively work to
connect texts for greater understanding and finer interpretations of text,
consistently go beyond the text read to form their own interpretations and apply
understandings in other areas, and sustain interest and understanding over long
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texts read over long periods of time. Advanced writers tend to notice and
comment on aspects of the writers craft, and read to explore themselves as well
as philosophical and social issues. A teacher provides support of an advanced
reader by providing a wide range of texts with a variety of genre and for a range
of purposes.
As children read in a fourth grade classroom they are working to sustain
reading and expand meaning. In sustaining reading the student is solving words,
monitoring and correcting, searching for and using information, summarizing,
maintaining fluency, and adjusting to different types of reading. When student is
is processing reading in terms of expanding meaning they are predicting, making
connections that are personal, worldly, and to the text, inferring, synthesizing,
analyzing, and critiquing.
In a fourth grade classroom there will consistently be a diverse range of
development in terms of learners. As a teacher of literacy it is important to
understand the characteristics of each reading and writing stage, and how to best
teach a student who demonstrates those characteristics. It is also important to
understand that many students will be demonstrating characteristics from a few
different stages at one time. As a teacher of literacy in a fourth grade classroom it
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is important to understand that there will be students demonstrating many of the
previously listed range of reading and writing behaviors.
Task C: The Role of the Teacher
The teacher plays an extremely predominate role in developing an effective
literacy learning environment for her students, as well as planning optimal
instructional experiences that address the diverse needs of students in a fourth
grade classroom. Throughout this portion of my plan I will highlight how I will
identify those diverse needs, and how I plan to address them in my literacy
learning environment. I will address student needs using assessment, various
concepts and strategies, and explicit instruction.
Assessment:
To understand how to best teach my students I will use a variation of
literacy assessments. Each assessment will help me to plan for literacy instruction
in my classroom and to differentiate instruction as needed. As a teacher of
literacy in a fourth grade classroom I will use a variety of continuous assessments,
these assessments include performance assessments, assessing comprehension,
amount, kind of, and quality of reading. In addition to this I will use continuous
writing assessments, which include the use of rubrics, spelling, frequently used
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words, developmental spelling analysis, writing records, writing checklists,
amount and type of writing, and a literacy portfolio.
To properly assess students in their reading development I will use a
various number of assessment strategies. I will use a number of authentic
assessments, these assessments will be continual, will help to form my teaching,
will be integrated into the curriculum, will be developmentally and culturally
appropriate, incorporate self-evaluation, and invite students to actively
collaborate. I feel that when students are part of the assessment process they are
invested in their own success, are inspired by the progress they have made, and
are focused on their future learning goals.
Specific assessments I will use to assess and evaluate student reading
include running records, conferencing with students using benchmark books, and
assessing student fluency. The running record is a tool used to analyze student’s
oral reading for processing strategies. Running records can be taken on any text
that a student is reading. While assessing the student the teacher will perform
the coding and analysis while the child reads, and later reflect on the child
performance, looking for patterns. Running records help to assess reading
behaviors and helps to identify books that will be appropriate for the student’s
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reading level. Running records should be administered about three times
throughout the year, specifically at the beginning, middle, and ending of the year.
Another way I will assess student development will be through the use of
conferences with benchmark books. This assessment is administered using short
stories, and short texts. To administer the assessment a student will be invited to
have a pre-conference in which I will introduce the text and give directions to the
students to then read the text silently, and write a response. After this is
complete the student will then have a short conference with the teacher to
discuss the reading and response. After the initial conference, the student and
teacher will have a follow-up session where the student’s written response and
text will be discussed, the student will then read orally while the teacher code’s
the reading behavior for analysis. This assessment is designed to show student
reading behaviors, accuracy, reading levels, and comprehension. Conferences
with benchmark books should be administered three to four times throughout
the school year.
Assessing student fluency requires students to use language systems, and is
not necessarily at a fast pace. Fluency is evidence to the teacher that the reader
is accessing the deeper meaning of the text; and is associated with rate, accuracy,
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and scores on comprehension tests. To properly assess a student’s fluency it is
essential that the student have a text that is appropriate for their reading level,
meaning the student can read the text with 90-100% accuracy. Measuring a
student’s fluency can be administered anytime that the teacher listens to a
student read aloud. A tool that can be used when measuring fluency is to provide
students with a rubric that is written in words that are appropriate for the
student, for the student to reflect on their own fluency. Running records,
conferences with benchmark books, and assessing student fluency are three
assessments that I will use throughout my literacy instruction as a teacher of
reading in a fourth grade classroom.
Another important aspect of assessment of literacy is assessing student
writing. It is important to assess student writing to focus on the conventions of
writing: grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, organization and
development of idea’s the writer’s craft in terms of voice, word choice, use of
language, and the student’s interests and attitudes towards writing. To assess
student writing I will use rubrics, take writing records, and keep a literacy
portfolio.
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Rubrics are used to assess student writing by assessing content and
conventions. To assess content means to assess the organization of the text and
aspects of the writers craft; while assessing conventions means to assess spelling,
punctuation, sentence structure, capitalization, punctuation, ect. Rubrics help to
develop insights into the process of writing, and what specifically will be assessed
on various student writing examples. Assessing student writing with rubrics
should take place three times a year, specifically in the beginning, middle, and
end of the year.
A different writing assessment tool I will use in a fourth grade classroom
will be to take writing records. I will do this as an integrated part of my writing
program by encouraging the use of writer’s notebooks to assess student progress.
This helps to show how students are collecting and expanding on ideas, how
language is used, literary techniques, genres, creative ideas, and how students
develop their ideas into writing projects. In addition, depending on how often
student use writer’s notebook, the writer’s notebooks helps to demonstrate the
amount of writing that students are producing.
Once students have written in their writers notebooks, they will create
various writing projects. These projects will be stored in final draft forms along
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with drafts of previous writing stages. Writing projects help to assess the final
draft for content and conventions, but the evolution of student’s writing offers
assessment data, revision strategies, and provides an idea of what the student
knows about spelling and other conventions.
The literacy portfolio is an additional tool that I will use to assess student
writing. I will use the portfolio to present student work over time, to
demonstrate the student’s writing progress. Student work will be collected at
various times throughout the year, and filed into the student portfolio. It is
important that students be part of the portfolio selection process. A literacy
portfolio helps to assess a range of writing projects over time, the level of writing
the student is able to do, highlight student growth and progress, and
demonstrates the student’s ability to use knowledge in content areas. The literacy
portfolio also helps to encourage self-reflection by asking the student to write
rationale’s for their portfolio selections, for example, why a writing example was
chosen and reflections on growth as a writer. I feel that using literacy portfolios
as an assessment tool will help me to understand my student’s developments as a
writer, and therefore plan appropriate writing instruction.
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Literacy assessments are an extremely important tool in helping a teacher
to understand a student’s developmental level in reading and writing.
Assessments also help to form instruction, by giving the teacher an idea of where
her students are in their learning needs. In addition to this assessments tell the
teacher if the teaching is effective to student learning.
Concepts/strategies:
To have an effective literacy program for fourth grade students, there are
many different concepts and strategies in both reading and writing that must be
addressed. In a fourth grade classroom students will be developing reading
concepts and strategies that include learning the many purposes of reading and
writing, and learning to read in the fullest sense by developing decoding skills.
This means that fourth grade students will learn the concepts of reading
voluntarily and often, to have confidence as readers, read to improve their lives,
collect books and refer to them.
In addition to developing concepts and strategies in reading, fourth grade
students must also develop writing concepts and strategies. Writing concepts and
strategies include learning to write in the fullest sense, meaning that students will
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develop in writing voluntarily and often, write in a wide variety of genres, use
writing as a tool of thinking, communicate on personal and professional levels,
and draw literary knowledge as a resource for writing.
In reading specific concepts and strategies include teaching students to
have confidence in themselves as readers, present themselves as readers to
others, read to become informed on a wide range of topics, and read to improve
their lives. Additional concepts and strategies include, reading to have satisfying
and rewarding vicarious experiences, reading to expand their world beyond here
and now, collect books and refer to favorites multiple times, and recommend
books to others. Students will also work to talk with others about what they have
read, know authors and illustrators, genre’s, and styles, develop preferences and
constantly expand them, reflect on their own reading, make connections between
and among things they have read, and think critically about what has been read.
In addition to learning the previously listed concepts and strategies, students will
work on strategies that are appropriate for their developmental reading level.
Students will work to broaden their writing abilities by developing in the
functions of mature writing. Students will develop in writing purposes, including
informational, advice, or instructing others. Students will develop the strategy of
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writing free flowing ideas, and expressive writing, poetic writing in terms of using
written language as art, and blending functions as students create unique pieces
of writing.
Additional writing strategies include, writing for an audience. As student
develop strategies in writing for an audience they will learn to write for many
different audiences, writing for self, writing to the teacher, for a variety of
readers, or for a public only the student can imagine. Students will also develop
concepts and strategies in terms of writing in different genres. This is a critical
skill that writers develop; it is the ability to determine the appropriate form to
write their ideas. Genre’s a fourth grade student will develop in include
functional writing, narrative writing, informational writing and poetic writing.
In addition to developing concepts and strategies in reading and writing an
intermediate fourth grade student an effective literacy program fosters active
responsible learning. This helps students begin to use literacy as a tool that gives
them power to find the information they need to express their opinions, and if
needed take positions. In addition to this a child at a fourth grade level can be
independent, which means they can take part in managing their own learning,
and following their own interests.
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Students are continuing to develop cognitively when in fourth grade, and
because of this they are beginning to be able to move from concrete to abstract
thinking, have developed an egocentric perspective to a social perspective. Also,
a fourth grade student will move from narrowly defined ideas about time and
space to a more complex understanding. Fourth grade students will also
develop a more complex understanding of human motivation, and move from
simple concepts to higher order thinking. Because of this cognitive development
students are able to further develop and expand literacy concepts and strategies.
Instruction:
To create an effective literacy program, I believe that it is best to present
literacy in a three block framework. This helps to manage time effectively while
also helping students to expand their reading and writing capabilities. In addition
to this a three block framework helps students to develop in depth knowledge in
the literacy content areas. There are many different ways to promote literacy
learning each with a unique purpose to enhance students learning.
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The components of balanced literacy instruction help to facilitate the
development of the literacy concepts, skills and strategies. The components of a
balanced literacy program in terms of reading include interactive read aloud,
shared reading, guided reading, literature circles, and independent reading.
The purpose of interactive read alouds in a fourth grade classroom allows
students to experience a variety of quality texts in different genres. In an
interactive read aloud the teacher reads and the students listen. While
conducting an effective interactive read aloud the teacher pauses at significant
points to ask students for comments and allow time for brief discussions. During
an interactive read aloud the teacher share’s her own thinking to demonstrate
how experienced readers engaged with and think about texts as they read on
their own. An interactive read aloud involves students by engaging them in
stories, and gives an opportunity for students to discuss a variety of high quality
genres. While conducting an interactive read aloud the teacher should be
showing her enthusiasm for literature, which helps to create lifelong readers.
Another component of balanced literacy instruction is shared reading. In a
shared reading both the teacher and student have a copy of the same text or the
text is visible to all students. The students follow along while the teacher reads
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the text aloud, and may invite students to join in or to take over the reading on
occasion. Shared reading instruction helps students become more familiar with
the details of print and helps students to comprehend texts that are beyond their
current ability on an individual level. Shared reading also helps students to
develop in text word analysis and punctuation. It is best to teach shared reading
using short dramatic stories or poems, and can enhance student confidence.
Guided reading is another important component of balanced literacy
instruction. Guided reading is instructed in small groups for students who are
reading the same text. The group reads at the same reading level, demonstrate
similar reading behaviors, and share similar instructional needs. Guided reading
groups are temporary and change as students are assessed. During a guided
reading session a text is selected by the teacher and the students read it silently
and independently. While students usually read silently, on occasion individual
students will be chosen to read orally at regular intervals; which are followed by a
brief teacher-student conference. Teaching points in guided reading instruction
depend on student needs, and helps to develop student processing system for
reading increasingly challenging texts.
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Another component of a balanced literacy program is the use of literature
circles. When using literature circles as a form of instruction the teacher and
students set up assigned reading tasks and agree on meeting times. Students will
engage in in-depth discussions about texts they have read. During a literature
circle the teacher is generally with the group for discussion, while the students
take turns facilitating the discussion. Literature circles helps students to develop
in finding a deeper appreciation and understanding of literary texts, as well as
developing personal responses. Literature circles can be conducted in small
groups as well as whole class instruction and provides teaching through routines
for discussion, demonstration, summarizing, and devising various response.
When students participate in literature circles they will collaborate on decisions
about texts and meeting times, read the text prior to meetings, engage in group
discussions, take turns in facilitating the group, and participate in longer projects
related to literature.
The final component in the reading portion of a balanced literacy program
is independent reading. During independent reading time students
independently read a variety of texts and prepare the occasional written
response. The teacher will provide daily mini-lessons and confer with students to
help support and assess reading and to create future instruction. Individual
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reading is often followed by sharing and evaluation. Independent reading focuses
on developing individual reader’s tastes and interests and to broaden student
experiences in a variety of texts. A teacher uses independent reading as an
opportunity to teach through book talks, minilessons, conferring, and sharing with
students. While participating in independent reading students will read silently,
provide written responses, and discuss books with the teacher and peers.
The second essential component of a balanced literacy program is writing
instruction. Writing instruction in a fourth grade classroom consists of shared
writing, guided writing, independent writing, and word study. During a shared
writing lesson the teacher will share the task of writing to help students expand
literacy understanding. Throughout a shared writing activity the teacher and
students work together to first discuss and then to compose a common text
related to an experience they have had or something they are studying. The
teacher writes during this activity usually displaying the message on an easel,
chalkboard, or overhead.
Guided writing is the second component in the writing instruction portion
of a balanced literacy program. During guided writing the teacher works with
small, temporary groups of students to provide explicit teaching based on student
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needs. Groups can be formed by the teacher based on student needs, or by
students who are identifying their specific writing challenges. Throughout guided
writing the teacher explicitly and efficiently works with students to teach the
writers craft, strategies, and skills. The main focus of guided writing is to develop
student’s understanding of the writing process, develop writing skills, and
strategies. Guided writing also enhances student development in writing clear
communication, how to write in different genres, and to use technology to
produce writing.
The third component in writing instruction is independent writing. A
teacher introduces independent writing by providing a minilessons based on the
needs of the writers. During the lesson students will engage in the writing
process, using a writer’s notebook, or drafting, revising, editing, or publishing a
piece of work. During independent writing topics can be self-selected or
assigned, and the teacher confers with individual students to support writing and
address needs. An independent writing session allows time for students to confer
with their peers and is usually followed by group sharing and evaluation.
Independent writing helps students to understand what writers do and how they
make a place for writing in their lives. It also helps students to develop and
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understanding of the writing process, skills and strategies, writing in different
genres, and use technology to produce writing.
Word study is used in literacy instruction to help student learn the rules
and principles of phonics and spelling. An approach to integrating word study
into literacy instruction can be done by presenting a mini lesson on spelling or
phonics, asking students to apply the minilessons by manipulating letters or
words, sharing and discussing words and how they work, and introducing a
systematic way of studying spelling words. Word studies also help students to
share and discuss words and how they work, and helps to introduce a systematic
way to study spelling. The teacher presents a word study in a five day cycle, each
day focusing on a particular spelling pattern, rule, or concept. Each day a
minilessons is presented with a clear statement that is highly focused. Students
are invited to create examples of words that will illustrate each principle taught.
An effective teacher of literacy understands how important a balanced
literacy approach helps to create an appropriate literacy learning environment. It
is important to include each component of instruction to fully support student
development in reading and writing. This is done through interactive read aloud;
shared reading mini-lessons/shared writing mini-lessons; guided reading/guided
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writing; literature circles; independent reading/independent writing; and word
study.
Task II: Classroom Design
In the above picture, is an example of my classroom design. This design
supports my literacy beliefs in relation to the sociolinguistic theory,
constructivism theory, social justice, and the way that I plan to teach concepts
and strategies, assess students, and instruct literacy. My design displays many
specific areas that I will highlight further to demonstrate my classroom design.
Community Meeting Area:
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The community meeting area will be a meeting place where the whole class
can learn as a large group. This will be an open space with a carpet, cushions for
students to sit on, chairs to be arranged in a circle, ect. There will be a place for
books to be displayed. The meeting area will also contain easels, a white board,
and dry erase markers so charts or visual aids can be made during mini lessons
and large group instruction.
Small Group Meeting Area:
The small group meeting area will be two areas where small groups can
meet for literature circles, guided reading, guided writing or any other small
group task. These areas are positioned near the classroom library, leveled books,
word study area, and writing supply area for easy access to materials. In addition
to this there will be two small group work area’s so multiple groups can work at
one time.
Conferring Area:
The conferring area will be an area where the teacher can work with
individual students, and students can work with one another. Most of the time I
will confer with students at their own desks, but a space designated to just
conferring will take place in a corner of the community meeting area. Students
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will know and understand that if they need to talk with another student during a
silent work time, that this will be the area they will go to for conferencing to
speak in a soft voice as they work together.
Library:
The library will contain most of the classroom collection of books. The
books will be displayed attractively and there will be several comfortable chairs
and cushions that the student can sit on during independent reading times.
Books will be labeled and organized so students know which books are available
to them at all times.
Leveled Books:
Leveled books will be contained in the small group meeting area, close to
the classroom library. These books will be clearly labeled for guided reading in
various containers that students will be able to select and read independently.
The leveled book area will also contain short stories and articles that students will
be able to read. There will be an area of leveled books that are appropriate for
student use and guided reading, and an area of leveled books that are available
just to the teacher.
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Technology Area:
The technology area will contain computers for student use. There will be a
specific routine for computer use, and will be an area where students can work
independently or in partners.
Social Studies Area:
In the social studies area there will be a display of maps, photographs, and
different kinds of charts that students can use as resources in social studies
development. In addition to this the social studies area will contain various books
and software related to literacy that will be stored on labeled storage boxes for
easy student access.
Science and Mathematics Area:
The science and mathematics area will contain resources including
magnifying glasses, measuring devices, thermometers, and other inquiry tools. In
addition to this the area will include hands on mathematics materials, math
books, and science books will also be stored in labeled boxes for easy access. The
second small group meeting area will be in the mathematics and science area so
small groups can work in the area.
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Writing Supply Area:
The writing supply area will contain a variety of materials that are easily
accessible to students. Some materials that I will have in the writing supply area
include: various sizes and kinds of writing paper, correction tape, pens, pencils,
colored pencils, markers, and crayons, dictionaries and thesauruses, scissors, glue
sticks, tape, and rulers. These supplies will be available in labeled containers for
easy access.
Word Study Area:
The word study area will be an area for storage of student word study
notebooks, letter clusters and word manipulative, dictionaries, thesaurus, wall
displays and interactive wall charts. Materials should be stored in an organized
manner, and there should be enough supplies to use in both the writing supply
area and word study area simultaneously.
Student Work Area:
The student work area will be the student’s home space. This space will be
where the student can sit and work independently or in small groups. Each
student will have a desk with individual storage spaces for various materials, such
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as reader’s notebooks, writer’s notebooks, writing folders, and books that are
currently being read.
The design supports the sociolinguistic theory by encouraging social
interaction among students, small groups, and conference areas. In addition it
provides a large group meeting area. Students will be encouraged to develop on
a social level, then on an individual level and will have multiple opportunities to
learn in a social environment.
Along with supporting Vygotsky’s sociolinguistic theory, my classroom
design supports Piaget’s constructivist theory by arranging the classroom to
provide students with work area’s to support specific academic development,
making lessons more engaging. The design also supports collaboration through
student interaction by having student independent work area’s close to one
another, small group meeting areas, and a large group meeting area. This design
will help students learn from one another, build on their personal knowledge, and
gain background knowledge in various topics of literacy, which will help create
student success.
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In addition to supporting the sociolinguistic theory, and the constructivist
theory, my classroom design also supports the theory of social justice. By
creating an effective learning environment I am helping to promote respectful
relationships among learners, by providing cooperative group work areas and
diverse group interactions. In addition to this I will promote socioeconomic
equality, and equality among race, gender, ability, class, language, appearance,
and sexuality. By creating a positive classroom community and displaying an
appropriate classroom design I will be promoting social justice within my
classroom.
The classroom design is a direct reflection of my theory in how to teach
literacy, which is influenced by the sociolinguistic, constructivist, and social justice
theories. It demonstrates my connections to classroom practice for teaching
literacy, and enforces how I will teach the concepts and strategies of literacy,
literacy instruction, and assess student development.
Task III: Self Reflection and Goal Setting:
As an ongoing learner, and future teacher of literacy I am always creating
goals for myself as a future educator. Three goals I have identified with through
designing this literacy plan include, investigating how to work with students at
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different literacy levels at the same time, deepen my understanding of the
assessment process, and developing in my understanding of the social justice
theory.
I have the goal of investigating how to work with students at multiple
learning levels because I feel that as a teacher of literacy this is an important tool
that teachers must have. Teachers must know how to differentiate instruction,
and this is a tool that can be used in large group instruction in terms of teaching
children in their zone of proximal development.
The second goal I have determined for myself is the goal of deepening my
understanding of the best ways to assess my students. I feel that I currently
understand how assessments are useful, but I would like to further deepen my
understanding of the different types of assessments and which assessments work
best for different literacy activities.
The third goal I have set for myself as an ongoing learner is the goal of
understanding the social justice theory. I feel that I understand the basics of the
social justice theory, but would like to further my understanding of how to
present it in my classroom, and how to introduce it to my future students.
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My literacy plan is a direct reflection of my beliefs about how to teach
literacy. I feel that this plan best describes how I would implement literacy
instruction in a fourth grade classroom to a diverse number of learners, in a
diverse setting. This plan demonstrates my explicit beliefs, and a demonstration
of how this plan would be put into practice. Thank you for taking the time to view
my plan, and I hope to be considered as a candidate at Alverno Elementary.
Sincerely,
Kirstin White
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Reference
Fountas, I. C., & Pinnell, G. S. (2001). Guiding readers and writers: teaching
comprehension,genre,and content literacy. portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Tompkins, G. E. (2010). Literacy for the 21th century: a balanced approach (5th ed.). Boston,
MA: Pearson.
The reading process: what do we want out students to know and be able to do? (2012) Robin
Gleason.
Guided reading, literature circles (2012) Robin Gleason.
Clay. (1985)Reading strategies of good readers. (Reprinted from course handout).
Fountas & Pinnell (2012)Three block framework. (Reprinted from course handout).
Fountas & Pinnell (2012). Changing characteristics of readers over time. In The primary literacy
video collection. (Reprinted from course handout).
Heinemann (2005). Guided reading skillful teacher principles for teaching strategies (reprinted
from course handout).
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