Elements of Literacy Centers
What is a Literacy Center?
Students enter our classrooms varying greatly in their literacy needs and ability levels. As a result, it is necessary to provide multiple
opportunities for students to read, write, and participate in meaningful literacy experiences. These opportunities can be provided
through literacy centers. A literacy center is a physical area, or station designated for a specific learning purpose. It is designed to
provide developmentally appropriate materials to allow students to work independently or collaboratively with a partner. The center can
be portable, temporary or permanent. The materials in the literacy centers are taught through explicit instruction by the teacher in small
group. The materials are then placed at a designated location for children to use independently.
The centers remain set up throughout the year. The teacher must update and change the materials to reflect the curriculum, theme,
and to meet the changing needs, levels and interests of the students. It is important for the materials to be differentiated to meet
individual student’s needs and reading levels. The students can even share in the decision making for what materials should go into the
centers and when the center materials need to be changed. Materials should be organized and routines for center use and clean-up
must be established for student independence.
Creating an “I May…” list for each center with the students will reinforce the guidelines and expectations that are to be maintained while
using the materials appropriately. As students practice their skills and build their independence working at the literacy center, the
teacher may use this time to meet with small groups.
Literacy Centers are designed for students to practice skills and strategies introduced in guided reading and whole group instruction.
There should be a balance of product and practice within the center activities. The end product created by students in Literacy Centers
should not be used for assessment of skills. However, teacher may observe for T.O.O.L. items and learning behaviors within the
centers.
Book Nook, Technology and Exploration Centers should be included as a choice during Developmental Center time. However, a child
may participate in the learning activities of the other Literacy Centers during Developmental Center at the teacher’s disgression.
Elements of Literacy Centers
Required
Literacy Centers
ABC/Word Work:
The ABC/Word Work
center provides students
with a variety of ways to
explore letters and how
they are used to create
words. This center requires
much differentiation
throughout the year as
students’ skills grow and
needs change. Materials
and activities should be
introduced in small group
before they are used
independently in the center.
Provide students with a
variety of materials to make
letters and words
considering fine motor
skills, letter identification
and letter-sound
connections. Materials
should be organized for
easy access in containers
that encourage efficient
clean-up. Because of
students’ wide range of
skills this center should be
updated frequently, offering
a choice of materials and
activities.
What Children Do
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Make letters from a
variety of materials
Sort letters
Play letter identification
games
Arrange letters in ABC
order
Complete ABC puzzles
Read and create ABC
books
Word Sorts
Making Words
Searching for words in
text
Illustrating Words
Play Word Games
Suggested Materials
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Magnetic letters
Magnetic surface
Letter tiles
Letter cards
Wikki Sticks
Play dough
Large and small letter
patterns or templates
Letter stamps
Letter stencils or tracing
cards
ABC poster
Sound Spelling Cards
ABC Books
Tactile letters
Small shallow container
of sand for writing
letters
Dry erase
board/markers
Magna Doodle
Paper, Pencils,
crayons, markers,
colored pencils
Close copy of word wall
Word cards for sorts
Pocket Chart
Word games
Differentiation
This center covers a wide
range of skills and should
be updated with each unit
or at least monthly.
Rotating materials and
activities to meet the
growing needs of students
is essential. As new skills
are introduced in guided
reading groups, activities
practicing those skills
should be included in the
center.
Set Up Variations
 A designated area or
table, near the word wall
and sound spelling
cards, with supplies in
baskets or bins is ideal.
 Because space is often
an issue, the center
could be organized on a
shelf with materials
sorted into bins or
baskets. Students would
take selected materials
or baskets to a table
 Center could be
organized into three or
four bins (or shelves)
labeled for each guided
reading group level for
differentiation. A choice
of activities within each
bin.
 Color coding bins for
differentiation of skills
Elements of Literacy Centers
Required
Literacy Centers
What Children Do
Suggested Materials
Book Nook: (used as both a Literacy and Developmental Center)
The Book Nook provides a  Point to words
 Library books
place for children to relax
 Read phrases from
 Expository books
and enjoy a visual
familiar books and
 Children's magazines
representation of stories as
stories
 Big Books that have
well as provide a reading
 Discuss favorite parts of
been read during shared
experience for the children.
books
reading
Children should have the
 Write/draw a review of
 Leveled readers that
opportunity to read daily
their favorite book
have been read during
using a wide variety of
 Write/draw a personal
guided reading groups
printed materials. An
connection to a story
 Class-made books
assortment of books should  Act out with a partner a
 Familiar poems or charts
be provided and displayed
familiar part of a story
that have been used
attractively to engage the
 Locate/match high
during shared reading
children. Books should be
frequency words in
 Puppets/puppet stage
rotated frequently to
books
 Pointers for big books
maintain the curriculum and
 Dramatize a story using
 Flannel Board with
interests of the children.
puppets
characters for familiar
Books should be organized
 Retell/sequence stories
stories
and stored in baskets by
using pictures
topic, genre or reading
level.
Listening
The Listening Center
Listen and follow text of:
 Variety of texts with
provides an opportunity for  Commercially produced
recordings including all
students to listen and follow
recordings of; fiction
genres
along with fluent reading of
and non- fiction
 Recordings of music for
a variety of texts. Children
children’s books,
interpretation
should be able to access
poems, and songs
 Variety of
and use the equipment in a  Teacher made
developmentally
comfortable setting, and
recordings
appropriate response
respond to the text heard in  Adult recordings in
sheets
developmentally
native language of text
 Props and pictures for
appropriate ways.
 Older students may
retelling
create recordings
 Writing utensils
Respond to text heard by:
 Writing surface such as
 Discussing with a
a table or clip board
Differentiation
Set Up Variations
Differentiation occurs
naturally with the variety of
texts and materials within
the Book Nook. Providing a
variety of ways to respond
to literature will touch on
various modalities for
learning. Consider
providing leveled reading
response sheets to
accommodate the writing
skills of students in your
classroom.
A designated area is
essential for this center.
We want to entice students
to interact with literature.
This could be shelves with
baskets of books and other
materials referenced,
display book shelf to
feature thematic books or a
featured author. Provide a
comfortable setting that
may include:
 Pillows
 Rug
 Stuffed animals
 Beanbag chairs
 Open tent or cozy cave
Differentiation occurs
naturally with the variety of
texts and materials within
the Listening Center.
Provide a variety of ways to
respond to literature.
Consider providing leveled
reading response sheets to
accommodate the writing
skills of students in your
classroom. If resources are
minimal, consider having
older students or family
members record texts
Children should have a
comfortable place to sit and
access listening and
response materials. This
could be:
 A cozy corner with soft
seating, baskets of a
variety of books stored
in Ziploc bags with CDs
and clipboards for
written responses.
 A table with seating for
two and materials within
reach
Elements of Literacy Centers
Required
Literacy Centers
What Children Do
partner
Draw/write about
favorite part
Retell using pictures
Complete a
developmentally
appropriate reading
response
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Children draw/write
developmentally
appropriate self-selected
pieces such as:
 Lists
 Cards
 Letters
 Stories
 Use a variety of
materials to practice
correct letter formation
writing; names, high
frequency words,
vocabulary words, etc.
 Complete a writing
activity from writers
workshop
 Use books such as
read alouds as models
for writing
 Work on an assigned
activity as a follow-up
or connection to a
theme
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Writing:
The writing center provides
children with materials and
space for pre-writing and
writing activities. Children
allowed freedom to
approach and practice the
writing process at their own
developmental level.
Children should have easy
access to materials, word
wall and sound spelling
tools.
Suggested Materials
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Differentiation
Set Up Variations
Listening devise with
headphones such as:
o CD/Tape player
o Computer
o iPad/iPod
o Tablet
available for students to
hear. Provide
text/recordings in native
languages when possible
so students may
understand fluent reading.
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Writing instruments
(pencils, markers,
crayons, colored
pencils)
Stickers
Labeled pictures
related to the current
theme
List of high frequency
words
Paper (experience
paper, unlined, different
colors)
Stapled plain paper
made into books
Thematic stationary or
paper cut outs
Envelopes
Alphabet cards
Letter stamps
Stamp pad
Dry erase boards and
markers
Writing Anchor Charts
Sound Spelling cards
Word Wall (close copy)
Differentiation occurs
naturally through student
choice and skill level. End
products are not meant for
assessment as this center
is designed for practicing
writing skills at the
students’ developmental
level. It is essential that
materials provided meet
the varying needs of the
learning, including fine
motor skills and writing
strategies.
Provide students with close
copies of Word Walls,
Anchor Charts and picture
vocabulary cards.
An inviting setting including
a table with materials
available in easy access,
organized in bins or
containers.
If a designated area is not
possible due to space, all
materials could be stored
on a labeled shelf.
Students could select
materials and take it to their
table space.
A space on the carpet
away from other
activities
Teachers may choose to
have a few featured pieces.
Changing selections with
each unit/theme.
Elements of Literacy Centers
Required
Literacy Centers
Literacy Games:
The Literacy Games center
provides students with a
variety of ways to practice
Language Arts foundational
skills. This center requires
much differentiation
throughout the year as
students’ skills grow and
needs change. Materials
and activities should be
introduced in small group
before they are used
independently in the center.
Provide students with a
variety of materials explore
foundational skills such as
blending, segmenting,
rhyming words, synonyms,
antonyms, onset and rime.
Consider all learning
modalities when planning
activities. Materials should
be organized for easy
access in containers that
encourage efficient cleanup. Because of students’
wide range of skills this
center should be updated
frequently, offering a choice
of materials and activities.
What Children Do
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Suggested Materials
Puzzles
Pocket chart sort or
activity
Matching games
High Frequency Word
Games
Read the Room
Write the Room
Sentence building
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Commercial and teachermade partner games such
as:
 Roll a Word
 Lotto
 Rainbow Words
 Fishing for Words
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Commercial and
Teacher-made puzzles
Commercial and
teacher-made literacy
games
Pocket chart sorts,
games, and activities
Clip boards
Pencils and other
writing instruments
Dry erase
boards/markers
Anchor Charts
Poetry Charts
Differentiation
This center covers a wide
range of skills and should
be updated with each unit
or at least monthly.
Rotating materials and
activities to meet the
growing needs of students
is essential. As new skills
are introduced in guided
reading groups, activities
practicing those skills
should be included in the
center.
Set Up Variations
 A designated shelf with
supplies in baskets or
bins near a carpeted
area or table is ideal.
Students would take
selected materials or
baskets the work area to
complete a task.
 Center could be
organized into three or
four bins (or shelves)
labeled for each guided
reading group level for
differentiation. A choice
of activities within each
bin.
 Color coding bins for
differentiation of skills.
 Students should be
provided activities that
can be completed
independently or with a
partner.
Elements of Literacy Centers
Required
Literacy Centers
What Children Do
Suggested Materials
Technology: (used as both a Literacy and Developmental Center)
Students should be given
Technology includes but is
 Play a literacy game
opportunities to use
not limited to:
 Listen to and interact
available technology on a
 classroom computers
with a story
daily basis as a center, for
 laptops
 Illustrate/write a story
skill practice, listening and
 Make a picture and write  iPads
viewing text, and
about it
 iPods
completing shared
 Write code using
 Smart Boards
research projects. Provide
code.org
 Chrome books
students with log in
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 tablets
information clearly written.
 Simple research project
Consider a generic class
 See Technology
log in when possible. .
Connections on
Teacher must model every
Blackboard
option and provide guided
practice before an activity
is available for independent
use.
Exploration: (used as both a Literacy and Developmental Center)
The Exploration Center
 Question and investigate Materials will vary
provides a direct
depending on the theme
answers through active
connection to the theme
and unit presented.
exploration
and exploration questions.
Some staples may be:
 Explore pictures/objects
Student will use hands on
 small mirrors
by using senses
experiences to further
 hand lens
 Describe properties and
investigate the Science and
attributes of objects
 tweezers
Social Studies topics. This
 Use of tools and
 goggles
includes student initiated
materials placed in the
 picture and photo
investigations and
center appropriately
collections
extensions of planned
 Record findings in a
 items aligned with
lessons. This center will be
variety of ways including
exploration questions
updated with each unit to
pictures, writing, logs
 Curiosity box
provide ongoing
and graphs
 maps, globes
investigations. Students will  Conduct mini
 informational articles and
have opportunities to
investigations related to
books related to the
records their findings in a
the theme.
theme
variety of ways.
Differentiation
Set Up Variations
Students can work on
assigned and self-selected
tasks that meet their needs.
Provide a variety of options
with easy access. Consider
using desktop folders with
available options for each
group or reading level.
Varies by available
technology. Make sure it is
easily accessible for small
children. As you get to
know your students, you
may choose technology
captains, students
competent with the tools, to
act as a trouble shooter so
that teacher is not
interrupted during group
instruction.
Differentiation will occur
through student choice and
the manner in which they
interact with the materials
provided at this center,
Provide students with:
 visuals
 labeled picture
vocabulary cards
 sequenced rebus
directions
 modeled sentence
frames
 Ideally a table or counter
area should be provided
for students to explore
materials and further their
investigations. Materials
should be in labeled
baskets or containers that
are easily accessible to
the students.
 If space is limited,
materials could be stored
on a shelf in organized
labeled containers.
Students would take
materials to a table near
the shelf.
Elements of Literacy Centers