LITERACY BY DESIGN
J. Harvey Rodgers School
Danielle Sochor
Director of Curriculum and Personnel
Glassboro Schools
Steven Hempel
Literacy Coach
Glassboro Schools
MOORE, BEAN, BIRDYSHAW, AND RYCIK
(1999)
“Adolescents entering the world in the 21st century will
read and write more than at any other time in human
history. They will need advanced levels of literacy to
perform their jobs, run their households, act as citizens,
and conduct their personal lives. They will need literacy
to cope with the flood of information they will find
everywhere they turn. They will need literacy to feed
their imaginations so they can create the world of the
future.”
EDUCATION NATION VIDEO FROM NBC
TODAY SHOW WITH MATT LAUER 9/27/2010

http://://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/393
77857#39377857
THE GLASSBORO SCHOOL DISTRICT…
Is committed to a long-term, ongoing plan that
meets the needs of both students and teachers.
The district believes that professional
development should be purposeful, inclusive and
require sound research to ensure quality,
enhance student learning, and focus on continual
growth toward long-term goals.
 There are ten components of effective instruction
that early childhood educators must possess to
provide high-quality education to all students
from the diverse to the exceptional.

1. KNOWLEDGE OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT:

Educators must use their knowledge of child development
and their relationships with children and families to
understand children as individuals and to plan in response
to their unique needs and potentials. True early childhood
educators have a deep understanding of their students
from various analytical and scientific perspectives.
Excellent educators in turn will engage students to build
upon their emerging understanding by providing
meaningful interactions and skilled-based activities while
focusing on the social and emotional well being of the child.
2. METHODS FOR TEACHING DIVERSE
CHILDREN:

The best researchers in early education recognize
the cultural diversity, race, economic status, and
special education is a vital part to the way a child
ascertains information. Educators realize that all
children are different but they all can learn with
the assistance of accommodations and
modifications in the classroom. Teachers employ
research-based instructional strategies to meet
the needs of the diverse population from the
diverse to the exceptional.
3. USE OF MULTIPLE FORMS OF ASSESSMENT:

Teachers have the knowledge to provide various
developmentally appropriate assessment
measures to guide student learning, gauge ability
levels, and to measure individual progress over a
given time frame. These assessment tools are
embedded into the curriculum and take place
during the learning process.
4. ORGANIZATION OF LEARNING
ENVIRONMENT:

The Department of Education requires all early
childhood programs incorporate a well balance
program that includes the following: teacher
directed and student directed activities in
combination with cooperative learning groups,
whole class instruction, and meaningful
activities. This is an essential component of
competency for early childhood educators.
5. CURRICULUM DESIGN THAT HELPS
CHILDREN MAKE CONNECTIONS

A coherent curriculum would be designed so it
can be integrated across disciplines, focus on
essential questions, big ideas, and formal
assessments. The learning process occurs
naturally through cooperative learning groups,
inquiry-based projects, and creative learning
centers. Effective integration of the curriculum
enables students to transfer knowledge and to
make meaningful connections.
6. STRATEGIC USE OF RESOURCES AND
TECHNOLOGIES

Teachers incorporate technology and employ
instructional strategies that focus on the 21st
century learner. There are user-friendly
technological resources that educators use to
assist in student achievement. It is incumbent of
educators to prepare students for the 21st century
knowledge and skills needed to excel in society.
7. PARENT AND FAMILY OUTREACH

“Parent involvement in schooling has shown to
have strong and long-lasting effects on children’s
school performance and to benefit the
development of their language, self-help, and
motor, adaptive, and basic school skills.”
Students are more motivated and possess a
positive attitude toward learning.
8. PROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION AND
DEVELOPMENT

Excellent PK-3 teachers work with colleagues
and administrators in a collaborative
environment through a Professional Learning
Community. Each learning community focuses on
curriculum alignment, assessment, and content
with a mission to enhance pedagogy and student
achievement. Professional development is
meaningful and consistent throughout the year.
9. REFLECTION FOR ENHANCED PEDAGOGY

Accomplished teachers are reflective but
consistently analyzing and synthesizing their
own professional practice and growth.
10. VERTICAL ALIGNMENT

To provide a continuum of learning throughout
all grades
THEORIES AND MODELS
Educational theories can be traced back to Aristotle
and Plato. Today’s reading programs tend to be a
compilation of ideas and models based upon
theories ranging from Mental Discipline and
Behaviorism to Brain based cognitive theories of
today. From Vygotsky, Piaget and Rosenblatt to
Rumelhart and McClelland educators look at a
wide range of theorists and theories on which to
base best practice.
WHAT IS A LITERACY PROGRAM?

“A literacy program, therefore, is a plan for
supporting children as they develop their ability
to read, write, speak, listen, view, and think or
grow into literacy.”
-J. David Cooper, 2000
LITERACY DESIGN
FORMAT
Literacy by Design is divided into two major
components:
 Comprehensive Whole class Instruction
 Small Group Guided Reading Instruction at
students instructional reading level
WHAT IS READER’S WORKSHOP?
An all encompassing approach to Literacy
Instruction
 Optimal time for the Reading Workshop is 120
minutes daily
 Reading Workshop includes shared reading,
whole group skills instruction, small group
guided reading instruction, writing instruction,
independent reading time
 Experiential Learning Centers (Gross motor, fine
motor multi-sensory activities)

COMPREHENSIVE WHOLE GROUP
INSTRUCTION
Managing and Implementing the Reading
Workshop
 Teaching Grade level skills and strategies
 Teaching Themes related to Social Studies and
Science
 Writer’s Workshop

EACH THEME IS A 2 WEEK TIME FRAME
Objectives
Comprehension
 Vocabulary
 Phonemic Awareness
 Fluency
 Listening
 Writing

EACH THEME…
Reading Workshop
 Has 2 days of modeled reading
 Has 6 days of shared reading
 Has 2 days of interactive reading
Writing Workshop
 Modeled Writing
 Shared Writing
 Interactive writing
 Mini-lessons
MODELED READING
Teacher read aloud from a story related to the
theme
 Related skills include comprehension, phonics,
oral language, listening , and vocabulary

SHARED READING
Teacher conducts shared reading from a big book
related to the theme
 Related skills include comprehension, phonics,
oral language, listening , and vocabulary
 Big book story has 5 individual student books as
well as a CD version for listening center

INTERACTIVE READING

Students have opportunities to interact with the
text and work on various skills
ASSESSMENT
Theme Progress tests
 Unit tests

WHAT IS GUIDED READING?
Students are tested to find out each child’s
instructional reading level. This testing is
ongoing throughout the year.
 Students of the same level are placed into groups
of no more than 6 children.
 The teacher builds background for the story and
teaches critical vocabulary
 Students read the text silently and teacher
listens to each student read and takes anecdotal
note.
 After reading, the teacher begins a skill lesson
ranging from phonics instruction to higher order
comprehension skills.

GUIDED READING SMALL GROUP
INSTRUCTION
Leveled readers in sets of six
 Grade K levels form AA- C
 56 titles fiction and non-fiction
 Skills in phonics, vocabulary, comprehension,
concepts of print, study skills

WRITING WORKSHOP
Instruction for the theme focuses on a particular
process in writing such as drafting, editing etc.
 Instruction for the theme will also focus on a
genre or form of writing such as narrative,
persuasive etc.
 Instruction also focuses on a grammar skill such
as periods, commas etc.
 Materials include interactive charts, organizers,
bridge book displays

MATHEMATICS IN KINDERGARTEN
Mathematics helps us make sense of our
world. Early childhood is an excellent time
for children to become interested in
counting, sorting, building shapes,
patterning, measuring, and estimating. It
invites children to experience mathematics
as they play in, describe, and think about
their world.
 Mathematics is meaningful to children
when it is varied, rich, and rooted in real
world word problems and applications.

WHAT IS EVERYDAY MATHEMATICS?
Everyday Mathematics is research-based program
created by the University of Chicago School
Mathematics. The instructional design was carefully
crafted to capitalize on student interest and maximize
student learning.
 High expectations for all students
 Concepts and skills developed over time and in a
variety of contexts
 Balance among mathematics strands
 Multiple methods and strategies for problem solving
 Concrete modeling as a pathway to abstract
understanding
 Collaborative learning in partner and small group
activities
 Cross-curricular applications and connections
TOOLS AND EXERCISES USED IN
EVERYDAY MATHEMATICS


Calculators: Calculators are useful teaching tools.
They make it possible for young children to display
and read numbers before they are skilled at writing
numbers. Calculators can be used to count by any
number, forward and backward. They also allow
children to solve interesting, everyday problems
requiring calculations that might otherwise be too
difficult for them to perform.
Explorations: Explorations are independent or
small-group activities that allow children to
investigate, develop and extend math concepts. These
are a key part of the math program in the early
grades and often involve manipulating materials.
During this time teachers interact with students, both
for teaching and for assessment.
TOOLS AND EXERCISES USED IN
EVERYDAY MATHEMATICS



Games: Mathematical games are an important part
of the Everyday Mathematics program. They
reinforce math fact computation and provide an
alternative form of practice. They build fact and
operation skills, but also reinforce other skills.
Journal: The journal contains the problem material
and pages on which the children record the results of
their activities. It provides a record of their
mathematical growth over time and is used in place of
student worksheets, workbook, and textbook.
Math Boxes: (1-5) (The EDM name for worksheets)
are 4 - 6 short problems on a page used on a regular
basis for review and practice. Many of these
worksheets have blank boxes so teachers can
differentiate work for students.
TOOLS AND EXERCISES USED IN
EVERYDAY MATHEMATICS
Math Messages: Teachers begin each day with a
Math Message to be completed by the children
before the start of the lesson for that day. They
consist of problems to solve, directions to follow,
tasks to complete, notes to copy, sentences to
complete or correct, or brief quizzes.
 Math Tool Kit: Students use a variety of math
tools throughout the year. Ruler, tape measure,
geometry template, counters, money, and
calculators are among the items kept in the math
tool kit. Children learn responsibility for their
learning tools and have them available when
needed.

TOOLS AND EXERCISES USED IN
EVERYDAY MATHEMATICS
Minute Math (K-3): Minute Math and 5-Minute
Math (4-5) are brief activities for transition times
and for spare moments throughout the day. The
activities serve as a source of continuous review
and provide problems for mental problem solving
and arithmetic.
 Projects: Projects cover an assortment of
mathematics activities and concepts, and are
built around various themes that interest
children. The projects are cross-curricular in
nature and often include the following science
process.

TO OUR GLASSBORO SCHOOLS FAMILY…
Thank you for coming out and being part of our
Parent Curriculum Meeting tonight.
Your presence and support helped make it a
success.