Comprehensive Literacy Model
Classroom Implementation
& Observation Guide
Teacher: _________________________________________ Grade: ______ School: ____________________________
Observer: ___________________________________________ Date: _____________________
Instructional Context
Classroom
Environment
Resources
On Target
Moving
Toward
the Target
Growth
Needed
Not
Observed
Area for whole group instruction that accommodates
all students to support community interaction (read
aloud, shared reading, mini-lessons, etc.).
Area for small group instruction (guided reading,
book/literature discussion groups, writing).
Student desks/tables are arranged to support student
interaction and cooperative learning.
Classroom Library – a good balance of quality
literature, including both fiction & non-fiction, to be
used for mini-lessons, read alouds, independent
reading, and to support content.
Student materials are organized and easily accessible.
Teacher materials are organized and easily accessible.
Currently used co-constructed anchor charts are
visibly displayed. Previously used anchor charts are
accessible if needed.
Observer’s Comments
Revised 1-14-13
Word Study/Vocabulary Instruction
Instructional Setting
Elements Addressed
☐ Mini-Lesson with Guided Practice
☐ Word Study
☐ Small Group Intervention
☐ Vocabulary
☐ Independent Practice
Sitton Spelling embedded in literacy components
Spelling Strategy Taught:
Notes:
Vocabulary Concepts Taught:
Instructional Strategies
On Target
Moving
Toward
the Target
Growth
Needed
Not
Observed
Growth
Needed
Not
Observed
Teacher clearly and correctly articulates words.
Instruction promotes automaticity.
Teaches specific strategy for solving words in reading and writing.
Instruction progresses through the scale of help (modeling to guided
practice to independent practice).
Provides a clear and explicit spelling lesson with a specific focus.
Skills taught are at the developmental spelling stage of the students.
Provides clear and explicit vocabulary lesson.
Promotes flexible use of vocabulary words.
Provides students with opportunities to use vocabulary in speech,
reading, and writing.
Observer’s Comments
Independent Reading
Recommended time of approximately 30 minutes daily
Notes:
Conducts “Status of the Class”? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Engage in 3-5 Reading Conferences? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Instructional Strategies
Routines are established.
Students are engaged in reading and reading response activities.
Students maintain a reading response journal.
Teacher uses the reading response journal during conferences to monitor
progress.
Observer’s Comments
On Target
Moving
Toward
the Target
Read Aloud
Instructional Setting
☐ Students gather as a community
Elements Addressed/Modeled
☐ Fluency
☐ Vocabulary
☐ Comprehension
Recommended time of approximately 30 total minutes throughout the day
Instructional Strategies
On Target
Notes:
Moving
Toward
the Target
Growth
Needed
Not
Observed
Growth
Needed
Not
Observed
Cultivates a love of reading.
Provides opportunities for students to develop background knowledge.
Provides a model of fluent and expressive reading.
Uses appropriate strategies to guide comprehension (text-to text/
self/world connections, questioning, visualizing, inferring, summarizing,
predicting, evaluating, synthesizing).
Teaches vocabulary as needed to gain comprehension of the text, before
and after reading.
Observer’s Comments
Readers’ Workshop – Reading Mini-Lesson or Shared Reading
Instructional Setting
☐ Students gather as a community
Elements Addressed
☐ Fluency
☐ Vocabulary
☐ Comprehension
Recommended time of approximately 10-15 minutes
Notes:
Instructional Focus
Instructional Strategies
Teacher and/or students conduct book talks.
Shared Reading requires the reading of a quality piece of text from which
the mini-lesson is derived. All eyes should be on the text.
Teacher introduces the concept with clear, concrete examples.
Lesson is focused on one clear concept that will enable students to read
more effectively.
Teacher models how to apply the new learning.
Includes explicit instruction on when the new learning can be used to
read more effectively.
Students have an opportunity to engage in the use of the learning during
the lesson. Students are actively involved in guided practice.
Teacher provides opportunities for students to apply the new learning in
their guided reading and independent reading
Observer’s Comments
On Target
Moving
Toward
the Target
Readers’ Workshop – Guided Reading
Instructional Setting Elements Addressed
☐ Small Groups based ☐ Fluency
☐ Problem Solving Strategies
on instructional level
☐ Word Study/Vocabulary
☐ Comprehension ☐ Content
Notes:
Recommended time of approximately 15 minutes per group (meet with 3-4 groups per
day/meet with below grade level groups every day)
Instructional Strategies
Book
Selection
Book selection matches students’ instructional level &
focus.
Book selection contains a few challenging features.
Introduction
The introduction is determined by the strengths and
needs of the students.
Builds meaning by relating the text to students’ prior
experiences, knowledge of the world or literary
experience.
Gives a brief overview of the book (main idea) or
examines text structure.
Invites productive predictions about the book.
Discusses the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary or
literary language patterns.
Discusses a specific strategy for comprehending text.
Sets the purpose for reading.
First
Reading
After
Reading
Actively involves students and invites student
interaction.
Students silently read the text independently.
Teacher may circulate among the students, observing
students’ reading behaviors. This may include briefly
listening to them read aloud.
Teacher prompts students to use problem-solving
strategies.
Teacher provides feedback.
Teacher prompts students to discuss the meaning of
the text.
Teacher prompts students to revisit text for a specific
purpose.
Discuss student use of a specific comprehension
strategy.
Selects one or two teaching points based on students’
reading behavior.
When applicable teacher may make further
assignments for further reading of the guided reading
text and writing in response to reading
Observer’s Comments
On Target
Moving
Toward
the Target
Growth
Needed
Not
Observed
Literacy Corners K-1
Instructional Setting
Elements Addressed
☐ Students work independently while
☐ Practice & reinforcement
teacher meets with guided reading groups
(reading, writing, word work)
☐ Clearly labeled corners that are inviting ☐ Self-regulation
☐ Purposeful literacy activities
☐ Accountability
Recommended time of 15 minutes per corner
Instructional Strategies
Procedures
Rotation systems and assignment boards for the
literacy corners are established.
Students work is purposeful and authentic.
Practice is at the developmental level of students.
Students are “on task” working independently or with
a partner for some literacy corners.
Students use soft voices and do not disturb others.
Students are accountable (i.e. recording in logs).
Transitions are smooth and quick.
Environment
Literacy corners are clearly labeled.
Literacy corners and materials are well organized.
Literacy
Corners:
possible
options
Literacy corners are inviting (i.e. reading corner with
comfortable chairs, lamp, carpet, books)
Independent/buddy reading (every student has this
corner every day).
Writing corner (reading response journals, variety of
writing papers and tools – writing workshop time is
separate from the writing corner)
Word work/word building corner (literacy task cards,
magnetic letters, spelling practice)
Rhythm and rhyme corner (poetry, poetry notebook,
pocket chart, Smartboard, rhyming notebook)
Listening corner
Big book corner
Story retelling corner (important for kindergarten and
early first grade)
Computer corner (literacy activities)
ABC/letter work (i.e. sorting magnetic letters)
Vocabulary corner
Science/social studies discovery or observation
corner with nonfiction books related to topic
Pocket chart/names corner (especially for K)
Other corners:
Observer’s Comments
On Target
Notes:
Moving
Toward
the Target
Growth
Needed
Not
Observed
Readers’ Workshop – Book/Literature Discussion Groups
Instructional Setting
Elements Addressed
☐ Small Groups based on interest
☐ Word Study/Vocabulary
and/or choice
☐ Comprehension
In addition to, not in place of, guided reading
Instructional Strategies
On Target
Notes:
Moving
Toward
the Target
Growth
Needed
Not
Observed
Students come to discussion group prepared with book and response
journal.
Response to reading documented in journal and passages flagged.
Students participate, listen to, and build on each other’s ideas.
Teacher records observation notes of strategies used by students.
Teacher acts as facilitator, participating only as a member of the group.
Prompts when needed.
Teacher confers with each student prior to the group meeting.
Observer’s Comments
Readers’ Workshop – Share Time
Instructional Setting
☐ Community of Learners
Elements Addressed
☐ Promoting self-reflection/
evaluation & self-regulation
Recommended time of approximately 5 minutes
Instructional Strategies
Selected students share their reading workshop experiences with the
class.
Teacher leads a conversation to provide feedback on the learning and to
reinforce desired behaviors.
All students reflect and self-evaluate their performance during the
workshop.
Observer’s Comments
On Target
Notes:
Moving
Toward
the Target
Growth
Needed
Not
Observed
Writers’ Workshop
Instructional Setting
☐ Students gather as a community (Minilesson, interactive or modeled writing)
☐ Assisted Writing – Small Focus Group as
needed
☐ Writing Conferences (Teacher-Student
or Student-Student)
Recommended time of 45-60 minutes
Elements Addressed
☐ Writing Process
☐ Writer’s Craft
☐ Conventions
Instructional Strategies
Mini-Lesson
Teacher introduces the skill, strategy, procedure or
craft, discussion why we use this new learning.
Teacher discusses the new learning and when students
can use it in their writing.
Teacher demonstrates the application of the learning,
models by writing aloud, interactive writing or uses
examples to explain how to use this learning in their
own writing.
Students are actively involved as the teacher scaffolds
their learning.
Lesson is at the developmental level of students.
Lesson is explicit and focused.
Teacher provides guided practice for all students.
Lesson is approximately 10 minutes.
Independent Students apply the new learning and write
independently on a self-selected topic for an extended
Writing
Guided
Writing
Conferences
Share Time
period of time (30-45 minutes).
Students use appropriate resources (Writers’
notebook, thesaurus, dictionary, personal word list,
etc.).
Students are engaged in various stages of the writing
process.
Students use what they have learned in word study and
vocabulary in their writing.
Teacher provides small group instruction that is
targeted to students’ specific needs.
Teacher conducts 3-5 student conferences lasting
approximately 5 minutes.
Students actively participate in the conference.
Teacher takes observational notes and uses them to
guide instruction.
Selected students share their writing with the class.
Teacher leads a conversation to provide feedback to
authors and reinforce desired behaviors.
All students reflect and self-evaluate their performance
during the workshop.
Observer’s Comments
On Target
Notes:
Moving
Toward
the Target
Growth
Needed
Not
Observed