Assessment-driven
Classroom Management
Using PALS Results
Managing Your Literacy Block
Organizing Literacy Centers
“While I’m leading a reading group,
what are my other kids doing?”
Organizing Literacy Centers
Sample Tasks for Alphabet Center:
All literacy centers
should be
purposeful and
reinforce the literacy
concepts and skills
taught during
directed instruction.
Learning Names
Magnetic letters:
Find
the bag with your picture.
out cardboard pieces with
letters.
Make your name in upper & lower
case and say each letter.
Write your name.
Do a friend’s name.
Take
Match
upper & lowercase A a
Make
your name. Find it.
Make
3 words. Write it.
Alphabet puzzles
Font sorts
Match
upper & lower case.
Put in order A-Z.
Find the letters that make your
name.
Practice writing some of the
letters.
M
P
p
m
Match
Match
A
a
a
a
the letters, e.g., M, A, S
upper & lower case
A
a
How do I set-up and run my
literacy centers?
Select a manageable
number of literacy
centers.
Support the 5
components of reading





Phonological Awareness
Phonics
Fluency
Comprehension
Vocabulary
• Provide a work board,
or visual display, for
assigning students to
centers.
• Use a checklist to
insure students
complete centers.
• Keep it simple. Centers
should be easy to
maintain and update.
Teaching Students to Use Centers
• Gradually introduce your literacy centers
– Establish clear expectations for behavior
– Introduce 1 new center each day. Begin with simplest centers
and gradually add more complex
– Practice using a center before adding others.
– Provide oral and written directions
• (use icons or pictures for emergent & beginning readers)
• Initially, offer guided feedback & support
• ALWAYS review basic procedures and
expectations for centers
Teaching Students to Use Centers
(cont.)
• Model routines for using centers:
–
–
–
–
how to read the workboard
how to use the center materials
how to share & talk with classmates
how to clean up
• Anticipate potential problems at centers
– have small groups roleplay problems, e.g., arguing over a book,
missing materials, etc.
– let children help to create peaceful solutions
What does a workboard look like?
• A workboard includes:
– names of the centers
– children in each group
• Post it in a central location that is eye-level
for students
• Use words, icons, pictures, and photos to
help students understand the board
• Teach students to use the workboard
independently.
Sample Work Board
QuickTime™ and a TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture.
How do students move from
center to center?
• At 1st, model and
practice transitions in
small groups.
• Move by groups at the
beginning of center
time.
• Limit the # of people
at a center. Designate
1 center to handle
back-ups.
• ALWAYS review the
transition process
daily with students.
Let the class help to
brainstorm and to
evaluate transitions.
• Provide positive
feedback for smooth
transitions.
How much time is spent at
centers?
Timed Centers
Untimed Centers
• give a pre-determined
time for each center
• Use a timer
• Build in 1-2 minutes for
clean-up
• Use a checklist to hold
students accountable
• students move at their
own pace as they
complete work
• keep a checklist for
clean-up at the center
• prioritize particular
centers to be
completed
Organizing Literacy Centers
Small Group Activity:
Samples of Literacy Centers
Copyright 2005-2007
by the Rector and Visitors of the
University of Virginia.