H. Billingsley
South Anna Elementary
English/ Language Arts in Hanover County
Professional Development
August 2013
HCPS Literacy Diet Expectations
HCPS advocates the use of the Balanced Literacy Diet, a research-based approach to
providing differentiated phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension,
vocabulary and writing instruction.1
I. Balance of Literacy Instruction:
The balance of literacy instruction changes according to the students’ instructional
reading level. The chart below is a basic outline of literacy components at each
elementary instructional reading stage. For more information about each component,
for selected teacher and student activities that support each component, and for
sample lesson plan templates, please reference the HCPS Handbook for Balanced
Literacy Instruction:
 Emergent Readers: 109 - 116
 Beginning Readers: p. 119-122
 Transitional Readers: p. 124-128
 Fluent Readers: p. 130- 134
Emergent Reader Diet
F & P Levels AA-C

Fluency/ COW: 20%

Concept of Print/
Comprehension: 20%

Alphabet/Word
Study: 20%

Phonological
Awareness: 20%

Writing: 20%
Beginning Reader Diet
F & P Levels D-I

Fluency/Rereading:
40%

Word Study: 20%

Comprehension/ New
Reading: 20%

Writing: 20%
Transitional Reader Diet
F & P Levels J-P

Fluency/Rereading:
20-30%

Word Study: 20%

Comprehension/ New
Reading: 30-40%

Writing: 20%
Fluent Reader Diet
F & P Levels Q-Z

Fluency/Rereading:
20%

Word Study: 20%

Comprehension/New
Reading: 40%

Writing: 20%
A. Things to Notice:
1. Emergent readers should spend about the same time on each component of the
balanced literacy diet. In the recommended 120-minute primary language arts
block, that should equate to about 24 minutes per component. At SAES,
Fundations instruction takes the place of Alphabet/Word Study and Phonological
Awareness. PALS Concept of Word lessons, Comprehension lessons using trade
books at the student’s instructional reading level, and writing workshop lessons
are planned by the teacher.
2. Fluency is the focus of the beginning reader. Beginning readers should spend
double the amount of time on fluency/rereading than they do on new reading
1
HCPS Handbook for Balanced Literacy Instruction p. 7-12
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H. Billingsley
South Anna Elementary
or any of the other components. In the recommended 120-minute primary
language arts block, that should equate to about 48 minutes per component. In a
90-minute block, it would equate to about 45 minutes. At SAES, Fundations
instruction takes the place of Word Study instruction for the beginning reader.
Students reread familiar texts, build their sight word vocabulary, and echo-,
choral- or buddy read to build reading fluency. Comprehension instruction is
completed using trade books at the student’s instructional level and/or basal
readers. Writing workshop lessons are planned by the teacher and made
available through the HCPS Writing Scope & Sequence.
3. Comprehension is the focus of the transitional and fluent reader. Transitional and
fluent readers should spend double the amount of time on comprehension/new
reading than they do on any of the other component of the balanced literacy
diet. In a 90-minute block, it would equate to about 45 minutes.
II. How Do I Fit Everything In?
HCPS recommends that students in kindergarten through third grade have a 120- 130
minute reading/language arts block and students in grades four and five have a 90
minute to 130 minute reading/language arts block. At SAES, we have tried to ensure
that K-2 classes have at least 120 minutes of reading/language arts and 3rd-5th have at
least 90 minutes of reading/language arts. If you believe your class requires more time
allotted to literacy instruction than currently allotted, please see Mr. Mudd for
assistance with scheduling.
A. Whole Group Instruction (10-20 minutes)*
* At SAES K-2, Fundations instruction will cause this time allotment to increase, as it will decrease
the amount of activities/instruction needed to be completed in small group.
- Introduce Vocabulary
-Shared Reading or Read-Aloud (this is NOT fluency)
- Introduce/Model Target Strategy (mini-lesson) p. 25-39 Handbook for Balanced Literacy
- Daily Language Review/ Sentence Writing Strategy (more about this later)
B. Small Group/ Individual Instruction (50-70 minutes)
- Word Study p. 53-60 Handbook for Balanced Literacy; Progression p. 71-82 HfBL
- Guided Reading groups/ Daily 5 tasks (Read to Self, Read to Someone,
Listen to Reading, Word Work, Work on Writing)
- Re-reading familiar texts
- Comprehension strategy practice p. 42-46 Handbook for Balanced Literacy
- Fluency practice p. 47-48 Handbook for Balanced Literacy
- Reading or writing conferences
- Small group mini-lessons (if needed)
- Vocabulary/ sight word work p. 50 Handbook for Balanced Literacy; p. 61 HfBL
- Running records
- Intervention groups
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H. Billingsley
South Anna Elementary
C. Writing Workshop (30-40 minutes) p. 84- 103 Handbook for Balanced Literacy
- Focus skill mini-lesson p. 94-96 Handbook for Balanced Literacy
- Independent student writing/ writing conferences p. 51 Handbook for Balanced Literacy;
p.101-103 Handbook for Balanced Literacy
- Sharing/ author’s chair
III. Organization of Literacy Instruction:
- Daily 5
- Guided Reading
- Harcourt Trophies Basal
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